The difference between the two presidential candidates became profoundly clear to me in comparing their convention speeches. The precise moment of this clarity was when President Obama turned to the people and said, "You did it" -- giving us, the people, credit for the positive changes that have taken place in his first term.
This was Obama the community organizer. This, to me, was a golden example of leadership. A true leader knows how to empower each individual to contribute his or her gifts for the good of the whole. The gift is the focus, not gender, class or race.
If everyone were encouraged to participate by integration of their best ability into the group process -- whether in a family, a church, workplace, governing body, etc., -- we would accomplish much good. The problem sometimes lies in leaders needing to be in control, and sometimes lies in people wanting leaders to be in control. Romney has said he can fix the economic problem from his business perspective. I don't think one person can do all that needs to be done; however, there are people who will want to believe that someone else will take care of it.
This, then, is a twist on the argument the Republicans make that government should not help people to the extent that it does now. They will provide leadership by helping people. To Democrats, this sounds like a shrinking down of resources. Whenever I listened to former President George Bush talk I felt stupid, because he had a way of dismissing the common person. I hear this to a lesser degree from Romney, but it is still there.
I am afraid for our country, like most people these days, and it will take a leap of faith to trust Obama for another four years rather than go back to letting the wealthiest Americans decide how to run this country and provide for the rest of us.
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Personally, accepting my gift and the responsibility I have to use it for the common good means I have to be a grown-up rather than a child who still depends on her parents for survival. That said, there has to be an environment that allows me to do that. Obama is a combination that I find rare, in that he is a leader and one of the people. This is what a true democracy needs.
Katherine Brantner
Duluth
