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This week the blackwoman re-watched the HBO documentary about the election of Barack Obama. So glad I did. God bless PVR’s or DVR’s or whatever you call them.

It was good to relive an exciting time and in ways that I find surprising, still be moved by a moment when America let itself hope. It is easy to forget in the midst of so much dissension the lean moment on Martin’s mountaintop. We were. So many of us. There.

In a way maybe our president made a mess of it by allowing so many people to find hope and have faith in something or someone. It is not an easy thing to sustain. Hope. It requites a coherency weakened when real life grabs your attention. Real life often interrupts and narrows our focus. The hope thing insists upon a broad vision.

Anger is easier. It is part of the pop culture. My Vietnamese friend told me her brothers, were learning the language by watching Jerry Springer. I decided to watch it and see what they were learning. From what I can tell this is a show where the uneducated, the poor, and the ignorant, provide amusement by revealing their shadow self to strangers. Springer wraps up his show and gives his version of Aesop. I do not know if anyone who watches even hears him. Not sure about anyone on the show except for Jerry. He does know better.

I turned it off wondering if anyone else sees how our schools have failed far too many. We progressives ought to seriously consider how important education is to the future of this country. There are an awful lot of ignorant people out there. Whether those who line up to find their real baby daddy or those who sign up to air the dirtiest linen or birthers or even those protesting taxes with teabags hanging on hats while their taxes have been cut, have one thing in common. Not enough education. Very limited exposure.

Everyone in America ought to have shouted from rooftops when art and music were eliminated from the curricular of schools in urban areas and areas without a tax base affluent enough to expect and demand it. Art and music are requirements for broadening the mind. No way to get around the lack of music and art. The effects are visible.

Our President talks to the children and it is for them I believe he looks ahead. He has surely seen the baseline for bad government as an ignorant and uneducated populace. Ignorant. Uneducated. Most susceptible to fear-mongers. Not knowing enough to be able to reason. Anyone who doesn’t see this is the base of the Republicants is just not looking.

The Newts know better. So does Willard (Rommney not the rat though come to think about it…) They also know that the folks they appeal to don’t. Know. Any. Better.

They don’t give a shit about their base. They care even less about someone who calls themselves progressive. Hell these folks are mad at moderation. It’s messed up. Really. Messed. Up.

You only have to listen to hear it in every word they speak aloud.

Mr. Obama listens. There are those who do not like this. How dare he try to be anyone’s president except those who phone banked, canvassed and passed out flyers. How dare he try to seek consensus!

I have been reminded this week past of how much possibility was launched by his campaign. How invested many were in him not doing business as usual. Even though many around him continue with the same ole same ole, Mr. Obama carries himself with his vision firmly in his mind. He actually does see an America that can be educated and moved in forward direction. Many of us looked. We saw it too.

The documentary reminded me of this.

I cannot imagine anything more difficult than getting elected in the first place. Well, maybe actually having to deal with it all in governing. He stepped in a big pile just walking into the Oval Office. Think about where we were from day one.

Thing is folk act like our president is a sprinter. He is not. Never has been. He does marathons. He has learned to pace himself. He trusts his own thinking. Most people do not. Hell, as far as I can tell most folk are allergic to thinking,

I remembered watching the campaign unfold how many times he was counted out. Hillary wasn’t the only one who threw the kitchen sink at him. The media had pretty much agreed to kill his career by playing on his connection to Rev. Jeremiah Wright, Bill Ayers, and his middle name. Even his wife’s term papers. He still won. Nothing short of miraculous actually.

He kept his eye on the goal and ran the marathon on all of them. He showed himself gracious and willing to forgive. I know what kind of man you are when you extend your hand to folks like Lieberman. Folk who did not hesitate to kick you in the groin while trying to separate you from your limbs. You are a man of your word in my worldview by trying to be the president to all the people.

I am pulling for the President. I want him to succeed. I believe he will.

I got my hope fix and I’m fired up. Ready to go. In a minute it will be time to donate, make phone calls and pass out some flyers. This is not the time to sit back and go all let them eat crap.

I’m real clear about a couple of things. One of them is this is what hope does. And why it’s needed. Still.

It may be time to think about who needs to be go. It is time we begin looking at our districts and see where we might be useful in the process of finding better candidates.. It is time to organize and marshal our resources.

It doesn’t take a brain trust to see that though the numbers look not so good in both houses, the truth is there are a lot of Democrats in Congress who would be Repulicants if the Republicants were not so ridiculous. They are not going to help him. I am.

We knew back in the day the things it took to get Civil Rights done. And so we did them. Now it is time to stand up and deliver a Congress next year that will allow Mr.Obama to do the work he went to Washington to do. Willing. Ready. Able. Hope floats.

Stella ain’t the only one who got her groove back. Like I said, I’m fired up and ready to go. Oh and … hope floats.

Now run and tell that.

Cross Posted www.progressivepoc.com

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