I had the honor and the pleasure to engage in our democratic system by attending the Barack Obama Rally in Houston, TX last night. I have never experienced anything like it before. The atmosphere outside the Toyota Center was electric – we were all there for a cause and that cause is change.

Many people do not believe in the possibility of change. One girl’s comment on the chron.com states, “YOUNG IDIOTS FOR OBAMA!!! Though I’m voting for Clinton, good for you Alexander145, your not with these young idiots that came forward now with their stupidity of “change.” IDIOTAS!!! HILLARY CLINTON FOR PRESIDENT!!!!!!!”

First of all, it is hard to respect someone’s opinion when they cannot spell, use punctuation, or proper grammar. But more to the point, she mocked the idea of change. In my humble opinion, we are at a place where we need change – and Hillary Clinton is not the person for that change because she will not be a change. She has watched George W. the last few years, she has voted with him (and consequently recanted and spoke out against something she voted for), she was a critical part of the Clinton years (even though her health care plan failed) and she has been a political presence over the last few years. She is not change; she’s another pawn in the a losing game.

Barack Obama is not perfect, but he has the ability to inspire change. He just arrived in Washington. He is different, he is true change. One of his biggest pluses in my moderate checklist is he is not a seasoned Washington politician. The main problem in Washington is not Dubya; it’s having the same ‘repeat offenders’ in Congress and the Senate. They will never set term limits on themselves because they have a sweet deal – little work for lifelong pay. Why should they set term limits that would effect change? Psh.

Barack Obama said two things that really inspired me last night:

1. 1.) If you are working in America, there is no reason you should be poor.
2. 2.) Washington is a place where good ideas go to die.

Mull those things over while I do a little research. I will be researching and reporting on what I perceive to be important about this campaign over the next year. I am but one voice, but for the first time ever, I feel like even people like me have a voice.

picture courtesy of http://www.flickr.com/photos/finnadat/2279208072/