Define “Politic”

pol·i·tic(pol-i-tik)
adj.
1. Using or marked by prudence, expedience, and shrewdness; artful.
2. Using, displaying, or proceeding from policy; judicious: a politic decision.
3. Crafty; cunning.

I grew up in Chicago. I grew up a Democrat with Independent, Liberal overtones in Chicago. I was an activist, and a campaign worker for Democratic Congressman Abner J. Mikva who taught me a lot about what is right, and what is possible. I also grew up in a time when people actually debated issues and discussed, and still went into smoke-filled back-rooms to hammer out a compromise that wasn’t perfect, but often worked.

Just back from a week in Chicago visiting my daughter, and my granddaughter - two evenings, when Ellie Bean was safely in bed, sitter at home, my daughter and I went out touring the city which has changed so much in the six years I’ve lived in Los Angeles. Mayor Richard M. Daley (the Younger) has turned the entire lakefront into a park - it is magnificent. And when I’m back there, away from blogging, safe in thoughts of my granddaughter and her perfect, immediate world, I look at things with a more politic eye.

Senator Barak Obama (D-IL)defines Politic for me. He grew up politically as an activist on the streets of Chicago, and he doesn’t shy from compromise. This is not an endorsement of Obama, nor is it a criticism. I simply think he can get things done. He’s one of several Democrats running for President who I think could get things done. And no, he’s not perfect.

But he is a consensus-builder. He believes in bi-partisanship, and compromise, and pounding out a solution, and he gets things done. He is practical, and right now, we need practical.

Paul L. Williams, a lobbyist in Springfield and former state representative who is a supporter of Mr. Obama for the Democratic presidential nomination, characterized Mr. Obama’s attitude as, “O.K., that makes sense and sounds great, as I’d like to go to the moon, but right now I’ve only got enough gas to go this far.”

We want peace. We want an end to the destruction of our Constitution. We want so much, but perhaps we only have enough gas to go so far? We have a lot of work cut out for us, and we need to find a leader who is capable of building bridges and finding solutions. Is it Obama? Is it John Edwards? Is it Mike Gravel? I ask this in all seriousness. I want solutions. I want an end to the arrogance of greed that the present administration wields like a club, and I want decent, affordable health care for all US Citizens, and I want affordable housing for all US Citizens - how best to achieve this? I ask, in all seriousness. How best to get a POLITIC solution, how to find a solution?

(cross posted at Journeys With Jood)