Is he the next American Idol or the President?

I have been an avid--okay, avid is a little strong. How about an "interested in politics person" for most of my life. During my college years, when I was the Editor-in-Chief of the school newspaper, we greatly prided ourselves on our political savvy. Debate, issues, and political standing were the basis for your political stance--back then.

Life has changed since I was in college. Sitcoms have been replaced by reality shows. There is a new era in the Information Age. The internet has made everything about everyone instantly available. People Twitter, Facebook, Skype, and Blog. My space was the part of the room you shared with our sister that was yours. All of those words had no meaning in the 1990's. It's a fascinating phenomenon. Our level of communication and ability to access information so quickly has created a new era.

I reference all of this because it impacted our last political race in a great way. Obama's campaign team tapped into all of the social marketing. They were everywhere. They were actually brilliant in getting his message out. I don't particularly care for Howard Stern's crewdness, but I do like something that he did. He interviewed (his show) people on the street who were voting for Obama. They knew nothing about his policies. This video footage will blow your mind. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b5p3OB6roAg They were asking Obama supporters about his policies. They posed John McCain's policies as Obama's and people were totally supporting the policy because they believed it was Obama's. People were voting for the celebrity that Obama was hyped up to be.

One of John Grisham's recent books, The Appeal http://www.jgrisham.com/the-appeal/, made an interesting speculation into the electoral process. Had it not been published before this election, you might have thought it was about a man like Obama. Very scary.

But this week, the political arena has turned Washington into a Circus. All of the publicity was reminiscient of Princess Diana's wedding. Which we know was a false fairy tale. People were in tears over Obama getting put into office--it was like the girls from the 60's screaming over The Beatles. People were booing George Bush. Why? You don't have to like George Bush to show the man some respect.

Ronald Reagan, who BTW still holds the record for the most people watching an inauguration, followed the presidency of Jimmy Carter. Reagan took office when unemployment was at an all-time high; inflation was through the roof; and the economy was in shambles. He did not once name-call or put-down Jimmy Carter. Why? Because he had character. Something lacking with a lot of the Obama followers.

One element that the American people have failed to realize is that no President can put into action any of his policies without the support of Congress and the Senate. It is with this thought in mind, that we should change our thinking and behavior. Politics should not be war. The other side should not be destroyed. Though some of us may have a hard time understanding why our opponents believe the way they do, we need to be respectful of all diversity. It doesn't mean we agree or that we like their policies. It means we cannot progress unless we can find a way to work together. While the Americans are fighting over who is going to "win" our enemies are laughing; watching us tear each other apart. We cannot succeed and become a great nation without learning to work together. Our political stage in America is in a sad state. Not because of Democrats or Republicans, but because we fight like children in the school yard. It's time for everyone to start getting along and co-existing in an interdependent forum.

We all want good healthcare; we all want good jobs; we all want opportunities; we all want fair pricing. Aren't we bright enough as a nation to figure out how to meet our objectives and compromise? Anyone who is married does this every day. My husband and I don't agree on everything, but we figure out a way to make both of us happy. Sometimes I give a little and sometimes he does. That's the way you work together with other people. Let's put America first and reach for the stars...and stripes.