Originally posted by seacapt Les, what exactly has Obama done to make your life better today than it was 4 years ago? Please don't cut /paste that list you've put up in the past.
I think a major source of disagreement is due to people arguing from a macroview against people looking at things from a microview. We all know that both perspectives are necessary, but that at times one view temporarily needs to take priority. A small company can rely on bookkeeping by hand, and whoever is responsible for that needs to be skilled in the details of keeping records that way. If the company grows a little at a time so that tweaks to the system are all that’s needed to keep in step with growth, then the microview continues to suffice for a bookkeeper.
But if the company suddenly takes off and becomes far more complicated, then an entirely new computerized system becomes necessary. At that time the macroview needs to be the top priority until the new system is implemented. Of course, people who only understand how to keep physical books have to learn computer accounting, some may even lose their jobs if they refuse to see the bigger picture and insist on looking only at how things affect them.
Similarly, every so often people outgrow their government. When we started the US nobody foresaw how our society would grow and change. Certain government principles seem eternal, but others were only relevant to current conditions. When the “system” needs to adapt to how human consciousness is evolving (and consequently human systems), that calls for a leader who sees macro enough to guide the country toward a more fitting system. This type of leader, when he or she shows up, helps us progress, which is why we now label them “progressives.” In opposition to that are those who are affected negatively by change, people who have to retool or learn new ways (such as living without slaves), and people who are scared because they are too shortsighted to see where the change is headed or why it will eventually be better for everyone.
To more directly answer your question, what Obama is doing for me is leading us to a more inclusive society, and I can see that will result in a richer, more productive, and safer society overall. If I have to sacrifice personally now to ensure that future generations have it better, then I am proud to be living in a time when I can join the ranks of people who have payed it forward, who've sacrificed for all the great stuff I now take for granted.