Obama does mean change, here's why

Tuesday, August 19, 2008 by Dave Winer.

It's so obvious it's almost mathematical. 

After eight years of Bush -- if Obama is elected, everything will be different. 

Instead of a President who shoots from the hip and trusts his untrustworthy gut, you'll have a President who gets educated, and chooses teachers who really know their stuff. That's the change Obama will bring to Washington. The rest of it, if you were thinking that all of a sudden one day Washington would work in a fundamentally different way, we can argue over whether it's desirable (I'd say it's not) but we wouldn't have much argument over whether it's possible -- it's not. 

And by the way -- when Bush shoots from the hip, he's probably actually doing what the defense and oil industries tell him to do. He's like Columbo, it's easier for them if we think he's a bumbler, no need to look any deeper.  

So the first change you'll get from Obama is that he's not Bush. That alone is a lot of change. Now let's stop worrying about it and get on with making sure he wins. (And we, like the Republicans, should do everything and anything we have to do to win. Sorry if you don't like it, but it's too important, too much depends on it.) 

Think of it like this. One day you're using Windows and wake up the next day and all your computers are running Mac OS X. It's still a computer. It's still fundamentally the same experience. But it works a bit more logically, and you don't get in trouble as often. It's not foolproof, but it's a bit better. 

If you prefer Windows to Mac, switch them around.  

McCain, even if he hadn't changed his tune and started acting just like Bush, saying the same nonsensical things that make you think he's now working for the same people Bush is (defense contractors and the oil indiustry), would still be a poor choice re Obama. On the other hand, want to have your eyes opened? Watch the movie Why We Fight and then ask yourself if Obama might not be owned by the same people. If he can prove he's not, then we really might be getting some substantial change. 

There are truths to the way our country works that are never talked about on the national stage. Change is possible at that level, but those industries will still have a seat at the table when Obama is President. Eisenhower warned of it in his farewell speech. It's serious stuff. 

Bush gave into these people because he is one of them. His VP is a defense contractor. We know at least that Obama is not one of them. Change? Big change.  

I wish the leading icons of the Democratic blogosphere would listen to this and stop worrying about the superficial distinctions. This piece was prompted by a Josh Marshall piece on the subject of change. Marshall is great when he doesn't ponder impossibilities. Let's focus on who owns the Presidency and be happy if we've been able to introduce a little pushback to the defense and oil industries, this will make change, if we in fact are able to.