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Hernando Today

Obama: The First Affirmative Action International President

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By DOMENICK MAGLIO, Neo Traditionalist

Hernando Today

Published: September 11, 2008

Barack Obama, a highly attractive Kennedyesque candidate who is the Democrat 2008 nominee for president, has proven that an American black man can win the support of the majority of members of one of the two major parties in the most powerful and vital democratic republic in the world.
His victory as his party's candidate is historical. It demonstrates that Americans have transcended race as a disqualifier for the highest office in the land.
The 200,000-plus Berliners and worldwide media's enthusiastic reaction to his speech shows his broad appeal. He spoke about being a "citizen of the world" wanting to establish strong global institutions by "workers uniting for the collective good through shared sacrifice and the tearing down of many walls of injustice" throughout the world. Dismantling America's traditions and institutions would please the rest of the world by leveling the playing field. His speech appealed to the world's interest rather than America's self-interest.
The election this November between Obama and John McCain is about who will be the best able to lead the United States, not who will be the "president of the world." We have our freedom due to our beliefs and our spirit to fight for it. There is not a "one world government," only nations cooperating, competing and at times warring with each other. The myriad decisions the leader of a country has to make daily, both nationally and internationally, is mind-boggling. Perhaps that is the reason why heads of state seem to age more rapidly than the rest of us.
Just as it seemed that Russia was joining the global society as a reasonable member, we woke up to learn Russia had invaded the democratic state of Georgia. Another day it could be Iran, North Korea, Venezuela or a host of other countries flaring up causing an international incident. National leaders like any other individuals are not always reasonable or rational. Evil has and does exist in the world.
As soon as the American president thinks everything is under control, a natural disaster or a power play by another country is front and center on the president's desk. Important decisions have to be made rapidly and judiciously. The presidency of the United States is rightfully considered the most difficult and the most powerful position on the planet.
The president of the U.S. cannot say anything is "above his pay grade" or "not in his job description." He will be expected to do something to solve the issue because the buck stops there. He will use advisers to give him ideas or plans but he will ultimately be responsible to decide what is best for America.
The most powerful position in our country, and maybe the world, is too dangerous to be an "affirmative action position." It is too important to give it to a less qualified candidate whose major claim is to correct past wrongs. In lesser positions, people with little experience or credentials have developed a level of competence over time by receiving on-the-job training. The learning curve is too steep to expect any person to comprehend the intricacies overnight of national and international politics. The consequences to America and the rest of the world of a president not growing quickly enough into the position is too great to leave to chance.
Although everyone can project his future hopes and desires onto a candidate who has limited experience, it does not give voters a glimpse of decisive actions that indicate his true intentions and character. Speeches of platitudes, of a better world, may produce enthusiastic followers, although no nation has or ever will obtain that level of perfection. "Change and hope" are emotionally attractive themes to all of us, especially the young. Change can either be positive or negative, and hope is not a strategy for change. We Americans have an ingrained belief in freedom of choice and personal responsibility, not repackaged, repudiated Marxist concepts.
In a free society, racism should not be the reason for a citizen to vote for or against a nominee. Citizens should evaluate a candidate on his past actions, principles, proposed programs and qualifications, not on his ethnic background or degree of skin pigment.
All citizens deserve a party nominee to be a candidate with a proven track record with actions that match his words. This gives citizens an opportunity to evaluate the candidate's accomplishments and ability to deal with the complexity of the presidency. Anything less is a crapshoot that most citizens rightfully will reject.
If Obama loses it would be inaccurate and destructive to attribute the loss to racism. Calling the defeat "racism" would alienate and disenfranchise many people in the U.S. The frustration and anger of these citizens should be directed at the political party for nominating a charismatic individual before he had the opportunity to gain the necessary experience to do the job well.

Dr. Domenick J. Maglio, Ph.D., is the author of Invasion Within and Essential Parenting. He is a psychotherapist and the owner/director of Wider Horizons School. Visit: www.drmaglio.com.

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