All the people who are screaming bloody murder about what Obama said about the Supreme Court ruling on capitol punishment in the case of child rape, or FISA, or faith based initiatives, or any other issue they accuse him of "flip-flopping" on, need to understand one thing. The primaries are over. This is a very serious general election process, and Barack Obama is doing exactly what needs to do get elected. If you want, you can charge him with pandering, or "flip-flopping," whatever. It's a free country. But my advice is, don't bother, because the Republican smear machine will try to pin that on him, and Obama can easily call McCain for flip-flopping on things such as torture, tax cuts, environmental issues, etc. We don't have to drag the conversation down to that level. Otherwise, with friends like us, who needs enemies? 

Just calm down. Take a deep breath. Everything will be alright. That doesn't mean that I agree with whatever Obama says, or think he's "The Messiah." Politicians should always be held accountable to the people in a democracy.

What if Obama was the perfect progressive purist on issues we'd could all agree on? Think about this: what do you think the right wing smear machine would do with child rape issue, which my good old "Yellow Dog Democrat" father is so upset about? Don't you think they would then say "Barack Obama is FOR child rape." You know they would say that. Or if they thought he was a Muslim for not supporting faith based initiatives. Or they would say about the FISA law, "Obama is against protecting us from terrorists by not listening to them." Or what if he came out for gun control? No, no, no, NO! These aren't the things that you talk about in a general election. He isn't vehemantly condemning these things, and he is brilliantly navigating through this election process. This not about being as tried and true about policy as he was in the primaries, and if you think it is, you are completely missing the point, and do not understand the way an election works.

Obama will deal with policy after he gets elected, but he can't blow it in the meantime, so don't get in his way by going off on a tirade against him. He's got a 17 million dollar campaign against him just from the NRA, so he doesn't need us to join in the circular firing squad. The ONLY thing that matters is electing him instead of John McCain.

There is plenty of time to hold his feet to the fire after he is elected, to reverse the FISA decision, etc., and we have heard from him that he welcomes that input. If you have paid any attention at all to any general election process, you would know that both sides tack to the middle in the general. On the other hand, if progressives demand that Obama supports everything they like, then that is kind of childish. He is dealing with this election in an adult fashion. Everyone that is so upset with on this or that policy that they don't support him any more because of these things frankly need to grow up or shut up and go home until the election, because they're just going to cause problems. Don't rock the boat! He's winning!

For further explaination, go to http://airamerica.com/lionel/blog/2008/jun/27/obama-america-stuck-middle-you

By the way, I haven't posted on this site for several months, and upon returning, I would like to commend all of you bloggers on VOA for organically and collectively, developing and maintaining such a vibrant responsive blog community. MIC invited me to participate on VOA in the first place after looking at my own pathetic blog, if I wanted more interaction from various sources. The point is, together we can accomplish things that are not possible on our own.

I have tried posting on "Voice Of Pennsylvania", and I have gotten no comments. Crickets. Because there is only one post every month or two, and it's ususally contains very mundane comments, like American Idol, etc. But I will try to start some meaningful conversation, like you all have done in your home state.

You are very fortunate to be able to communicate with each other in such an in depth way in your local area, and I commend you all for caring so much about the issues, and being so active, no matter what side of the isle you are on. This blog community, despite it's faults, has a dynamic personality and character. Voice of Arizona is amoung the louder Voices Of America! Long live VOA! I lived in Tucson and Pheonix for a few years in the late 80's, and it is a beautiful and mystical land, filled with various voices. That's what I love about America.

Keep speaking out, and thanks for all you do,

- Scott Manley, Coordinator, MoveOn's Operation Democracy Council of Greater Pittsburgh

If you are interested going beyond the blogs and e-mail, and getting out there in the street, consider joining your local Arizona Operation Democracy council at www.moveon.org/team