First Post

Here starts my second attempt at blogging. I never thought I had too much to say before, but then again, the world of insurance wasn't terribly exciting in the first place and I would have bored even myself trying to blog about it.

One disclaimer: If you happen to be one of those who "judges someone when they use bad grammar," my apologies. I'll catch what I can, but overall "Me doesn't spoke english good."

A bit behind the name of the blog. Most who know me will not dispute these two things about me: I'm a political centrist/moderate and my favorite sport is baseball (Go Twins!). Based on these two things, this seemed to be an appropriate name.

My posts will probably consist of lots of links to stories I happen to find interesting and my own reflections or analysis on those stories. You may agree with me, you may not.

And on that note....

I've spent a lot of time trying to figure out why I am so drawn to Democratic Presidential Candidate Barack Obama. I recently changed my voter registration to Democratic so I will be able to caucus for him but I, by no stretch of the imagination identify myself as an ass...I mean Democrat.

What is so attractive about him? I don't agree with half of his policies, especially the ones regarding social welfare. Is it because he's the first viable black candidate? Possibly. I was born in South Korea so I am a member of a racial minority in this country but I don't use that as an excuse nor do I leverage my position with it. A good friend of mine was a huge proponent of racial diversity, thought that Obama would be president and loved the fact that our country is working itself towards a "lovely shade of brown."

I read an article this morning that brought a couple things about Barack Obama into focus for me:

1. Senator Obama, for all his shortcomings and faults as a presidential candidate in the 2008 election cycle represents a break form the bitter, divisive politics of the Baby Boomer Generation. The generation who cut their political teeth fighting the powers that were because of the conflict in Vietnam. This generation who defined themselves AND continues to define themselves as "...those who fought in Vietnam and those who didn’t, and between those who fought and dissented and those who fought but never dissented at all." When they reached the highest heights of power, they brought with them the emotional, intellectual and political baggage that was rooted in one of the most tumultuous times in recent history.
2. Senator Obama, doesn't campaign as a black candidate. Being a minority, I admire this approach. Knowing full well that he is the first nationally viable non-Caucasian candidate, he has chosen not to make this the focus of his campaign. He's campaigning within the words of Dr Martin Luther King Jr: "not on the color of his skin, but on the content of his character."

If you get a chance, read his first book: Dreams From My Father. It was clearly written before he had national political ambitions and wasn't subject to personal censorship and as a result is a very honest, very personable book. I think this is why I am not able to move my support behind another candidate, this book shows more of who he is and while that can be masked, it can't be changed. I haven't read all of his second book, The Audacity of Hope, but what I have read, it is much more conservative in tone.

Later