Fired Up but Not Inspired

Two conventions later I'm left feeling fired up but not inspired.

I'm fired up because Republicans reminded me how important it is to reelect President Obama. Their vision of the future is inconsistent with American values, and is built on fiction and fantasy. I'm also fired up because I heard quite a few rousing speeches from the Democrats. From the first lady to the Arkansan I wish we could bring back for a third term to John Kerry's charismatic twin to the President himself, Democrats were rousing. Republicans tend to be incredibly old and boring, Democrats a bit less so.

A lot is at stake in November, and I'm fired up about making sure the President gets reelected. There are multiple paths forward for our country, but only one political party has chosen to move us in that direction.

But that brings me to the disappointment I'm feeling. While I recognize the dangerous path that the Republican party would lead us down, I'm uninspired by the lack of bold leadership from Democrats.

Perhaps they took the easy route. Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan are easy punching bags after all. Maybe polling data show that Democrats will do better by highlighting how bad Republicans are, but smart people already know that the current Republican platform is dogmatic and silly to the extreme. What people want is a vision from Democrats, and I did not get one.

Sure Obama talked about some policy ideas, and he had some good ones, but they were small time. Reform the tax code? Sounds great, Republicans are saying it too, which loopholes would you close, etc, etc, etc. Nothing substantive there. Recruit more math and science teachers? Sounds awesome, let's do it. Help more people get to community college so they can learn skills? Sure, that will help too.

But none of these things are visionary, they're micro fixes for macro problems. None of them will address any of America's true, long-terms needs. Am I really supposed to believe that America's long-term prosperity hinges on community colleges? I wanted something bigger and better for the Democrats and I didn't get it. I wanted the President to be brave, but instead he was safe. I wanted him to tell me how he was going to transition us to clean energy, or reform immigration policy, or fix the deficit. I wanted in 2012 what healthcare reform was in 2010. I am left wanting.