A Great Day for America
What a monumental day. No matter whom you voted for or what shade your voting blood may be (mine runs purple – a combination of blue and red depending on the issues and the candidate), today is a great day for America. Even if you voted for McCain and feel that Obama is nothing more than a well-oiled marketing machine, it is time for all of us to look at the bigger picture.
Before I get on my soapbox (and, believe me, its coming), you can check out Barack Obama’s Avvo Profile and Michelle Obama’s Avvo Profile by clicking on each of their highlighted names.
OK, now the soapbox . . .
Our Founding Fathers and every U.S. President thereafter found it incumbent on our great country to be a leader for fledgling democracies around the world. Now, we can debate the ways this “democratic beacon” ideology has been manifested and received. Some see us as a vanguard, others an imperialist. But, whatever the case, striving to be a beacon for the rest of the world is the right thing to do. Why? Because we owe it to ourselves and the world to be all that we can be – to build a nation that is a better mousetrap, that increases everyone’s standard of living, that is the most transparent, innovative, competitive and caring nation on the planet. If we do it for ourselves, then others will follow. It’s funny, we pursue such lofty “beacon” goals at the corporate level everyday, but when considered in the national or global context it is dismissed as a pipe dream.
In Barack Obama I see a man who has the IQ and desire to take the United States to a higher level. Through leading by example and exploring the moral high ground, I think we have found a president who will constantly ask himself, his staff and the country, “What is the right thing to do?” He won’t always get it right, and as President and as a country we will continue to make many mistakes. But as long as we always try to do the right thing, we will have succeeded.
And, in a way, Barack already has a head start. He has a country that wants to do the right thing – to build a better place. His own election could not be more emblematic. To have at least half of the country – most of whom are not African American – elect someone who does not look like Marcus Welby M.D. is radical shift in American democracy. Such a shift only comes from a collection of people who are focused on issues, rather than skin color. Wow – now that is a country I want to be part of.
Congratulations to President Obama on running one of the most well-executed campaigns in history. It was a level of execution that would make even the most seasoned CEO proud. Congratulations also to my former co-worker and friend Julius Genachowski who President Obama appointed as Chairman of the FCC. Julius has the smarts to truly take our communication infrastructure into the 21st century.
What a great day.
Mark
