Tuesday, February 05, 2008

Can They? It's Voting Day!



It was a creed written into the founding documents that declared the destiny of a nation.

Yes we can.

It was whispered by slaves and abolitionists as they blazed a trail toward freedom.

Yes we can.

It was sung by immigrants as they struck out from distant shores and pioneers who pushed westward against an unforgiving wilderness.

Yes we can.

It was the call of workers who organized; women who reached for the ballots; a President who chose the moon as our new frontier; and a King who took us to the mountaintop and pointed the way to the Promised Land.

Yes we can to justice and equality.

Yes we can to opportunity and prosperity.

Yes we can heal this nation.

Yes we can repair this world.

Yes we can.

We know the battle ahead will be long, but always remember that no matter what obstacles stand in our way, nothing can stand in the way of the power of millions of voices calling for change.

We have been told we cannot do this by a chorus of cynics...they will only grow louder and more dissonant ........... We've been asked to pause for a reality check. We've been warned against offering the people of this nation false hope.

But in the unlikely story that is America, there has never been anything false about hope.

Now the hopes of the little girl who goes to a crumbling school in Dillon are the same as the dreams of the boy who learns on the streets of LA; we will remember that there is something happening in America; that we are not as divided as our politics suggests; that we are one people; we are one nation; and together, we will begin the next great chapter in the American story with three words that will ring from coast to coast; from sea to shining sea --

Yes. We. Can.

14 comments:

Anonymous said...

wasn't that a wonderful video?

Candy Minx said...

Yes and amazing that it's only been released for a couple of days how fast it's travelling around the internet.

* (asterisk) said...

I'm interested to see how this will turn out, though I'm not sure I'm an Obama kinda guy... He just seems so limp and insipid whenever I see him on TV at rallies and whatever.

Candy Minx said...

Maybe that'ds because we've gotten so used to seeing megolomaniacs and powermad folks as trying to be leaders...maybe a different softer touch is the kind of yin/yang the universe could use these days? I wonder...I like that he hasn't got ice water in his veins like a certain lady. Or a new world order compulsion like some of the others...

What might be perceived as limp and insipid...I see as almost a downright Canadian vibe! Heh heh! I swear i pinch myself...this guy sounds Canadian!

Martha Elaine Belden said...

i definitely prefer obama to hilary. in the texas primaries (if i haven't missed them... i haven't been paying enough attention and dates keep sneaking up on me), i plan to vote for obama just in hopes he'll beat hilary for the democratic candidacy.

but when it comes time to vote in the big election, i'm sure it'll come as no surprise that i'll not vote for either. i'll never vote for anyone who plans to bring universal health care into the U.S. never.

but great little video he's got there. i definitely think he's got more charisma than peope credit him with.

Anonymous said...

Why are you against universal health care in the U.S.?

Candy Minx said...

I am sorry you are not open minded towards universal health care Martha. I love ya, but sheesh...do we differ on this subject.

I am surprised because the U.S. health care system is inefficent, wasteful and unethical as it is right now.

I realize a lot of policy makers are using the bumbling bureaucracy of Britain as propaganda...but aside from Britain...most countries, almost all countries that have universal health care are more innovative and efficient and have interests in preventative healing.

Did you know the overall health of populations with universal health care services is higher than U.S.?

Here is a good article:

http://www.nybooks.com/articles/18802

And an excerpt (and I should qualify...it is a common understanding that health care in Canada is "free" and the government pays for it...no each person pays for health care a small section of their taxes is divvied out and the government distributes it to doctors and hospitals who submit billings)

(There aren't ridiculous waits to see a doctor, 45 minutes to an hour...just normal waits in offices like getting a licence or any other communal activity in a large population)


A Canadian-style single-payer system, in which the government directly provides insurance, would almost surely be both cheaper and more effective than what we now have. And we could do even better if we learned from "integrated" systems, like the Veterans Administration, that directly provide some health care as well as medical insurance.

The bad news is that Washington currently seems incapable of accepting what the evidence on health care says.

Kate Michele said...

beautiful.

these are confusing times.

Candy Minx said...

Did you know...that America is way down on list of health care savvy countries...like #37!!!

In several consecutive studies of six countries...U.S. comes in last...behind Britain!

http://www.commonwealthfund.org/publications/publications_show.htm?doc_id=482678

Despite having the most costly health system in the world, the United States consistently underperforms on most dimensions of performance, relative to other countries. This report—an update to two earlier editions—includes data from surveys of patients, as well as information from primary care physicians about their medical practices and views of their countries' health systems. Compared with five other nations—Australia, Canada, Germany, New Zealand, the United Kingdom—the U.S. health care system ranks last or next-to-last on five dimensions of a high performance health system: quality, access, efficiency, equity, and healthy lives. The U.S. is the only country in the study without universal health insurance coverage, partly accounting for its poor performance on access, equity, and health outcomes. The inclusion of physician survey data also shows the U.S. lagging in adoption of information technology and use of nurses to improve care coordination for the chronically ill.

Red said...

Oh, sweet Candy. This video would push me right into Hillary's arms (although I'm there already: she's the one for me). While I approve of the message... the messengers make me want to rip out my ears. Please get those soulful crooners out of my face!

FOUR DINNERS said...

They're all politicians babe. It'll never change. Not really. Some just like to think it might.

I'm way too cynical. They all lie and cheat (and those are their better qualities).

We are ruled by scum.

Candy Minx said...

Hi Red, yikes, Hilary has ice water in her veins...she creeps me out...her fake smile, fake body language...fake everything...but looks like she might win. I suspect I just have to see more of her than you all do in England...trust me once you get to know her...yikes! Phony baloney.

4Dins...I am with you...it is really that politicians should be "civil servants" not us serving them...oh well what can you do...

We let us ourselves be ruled by scum!

Cherryl said...

hey beautiful. sorry i've been absent. still workin on the book thing.

i'm not crazy bout bama - but please, anything but hillary.

i'd rather vote satan for prez.

great post!

Candy Minx said...

Cherryl...wow! fantastic to see you, thank you saying hello. Don't stay away too long and bes of luck on your work with the book...I can't wait to read it!!!

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