Voting with Your Head, not Your Heart

When I was a silly teen I must have voiced some silly liberal position to my optimistic dad, who shook his head and said, "well, if you're not liberal when you're a teenager you have no heart. But if you're still liberal when you're an adult, you have no head."

I was invited to a television news/chat program here in Barcelona the day after the election with some other Americans living here - to feel us out on our opinions. There were 6 of us, and I the only one who hadn't voted for the Anointed One.

The other Americans were an educated bunch - a lawyer, a business school professor, a psychologist, an exchange student from Brown and a businessman. Not one of them could or would articulate a single Obama policy that had swayed him. They just took turns waxing eloquent over Obama's excellence as a human being. When the Spanish journalist suggested to the student that she had committed "an act of faith" and commented that the "messianic" attitude toward Obama made her uncomfortable, they all defended their enchantment (Obama is one of the few who come along now and again and merit our trust)), and we never got down to policies.

Before I went on the program I was a bit worried I might be nervous on tv and say something to embarrass myself, but I came away embarrassed for this bunch of adults fawning over Obama like teenaged girls at a rock concert, and embarrassed and scared for all of us over what this says about our electorate.

I like your blog. Keep it up. I am trying to get back to mine after a hiatus.