When I watched the VP debates, I couldn't help but reflect on that Sarah Palin's views are exactly Reagan's mantra twenty-five years ago - lower taxes, smaller government, decreased regulation, defeat "evil", antiabortion, etc.
And twenty-five years ago, I - more or less - believed in the same mantra. Reagan was an inspiration for the times. I even volunteered for Reagan's second term re-election bid. That was probably the last time I was really excited about a Presidential election.
In the twenty-five years since, I've come out, traveled the world, ingratiated myself into minority and international communities, and attended an Ivy League institution where I completed my graduate studies. I've made a conscience effort to take myself out of my comfort zone and learn about the world, different cultures and different beliefs.
And while I still posses some of Reagan's conservative fiscally views, I don't posses ANY of his conservative social beliefs anymore.
But what destroyed my belief in the conservative mantra the most is George W. Bush. He declared war on an innocent country for no tangible reason. He views the people of Iraq as "evil". They are not. They are just people, human beings. Bush has also completely mismanaged regulation of the financial industry. And because of the war and the huge financial bailout, the country's debt has sky rocketed. Now a days, I'd rather vote for anything that isn't conservative.
And while I don't support many of Obama's proposed social programs, I do support his focus on the middle-class - as opposed to the super rich and corporations like Reagan and Bush - and I most definitely support Obama's plan to withdraw U.S. troops from Iraq, as well as his desire to mend international relations.
Obama's liberal leaning policies are far from perfect, but they're much better than the current direction the country is headed under the Bush-McCain policies. It's seems like it's time for the pendulum to swing in the other direction.
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