Barack Obama’s election is the single most historic moment I have personally lived through. It’s not just a historic American moment — it seems like most of the planet is cheering at America now. Seeing how much of a personal stake so many people around the world on every continent feel that they have in our presidential election, and hearing the cheers echo around every time zone, the election will perhaps be looked back upon as the single moment of the start of the real 21st century in which we find that, as we face so many global-scale and networked problems, we truly are all in it together.
We asked the contributors here at How You Can Save The World to weigh in on President-elect Barack Obama’s victory. Continue reading to find out how they responded.
Today, I feel very proud of this country. We rose above the fear, the racism and the myopia. We ignored the lies and distortions. We rejected divisiveness. How cool is that? — James Daly
What a night.
I hope — and I expect — that Obama will be a great president. And we really need one right now. But, at the moment, it’s not so much the victory that I’m thinking about, as the electoral process itself. It’s just sort of amazing. What a crazy, eff’ed up process. It takes far too long, costs far too much money, and is almost guaranteed to deteriorate into all the things that make us crazy about politics — the boring stump speeches, the ritualistic lies and exaggerations, the ugly back-room deals, the advertising sleaziness… And yet, after all that, this election really did produce the best candidate for president and gave him the job.
So, it works, at least some of the time. — Steven Weber
If one looks at all the energy and environmental options on anyone’s table (including that of Senator McCain) asking, “What can knock 5 million barrels per day of oil out of our demand by 2020?,” all the answers cost way more than oil at $60/barrel. Nuclear power, so-called clean coal, synthetic and true biofuels all cost money. While we have a lot of opportunities for improving efficiency, the record of the last few years is one of a very slow improvement. And CO₂ emissions are an even greater challenge.
We do not need a crash clean energy program — every previous program has crashed because the results, however green, are still out of reach compared to cheap and subsidized fossil fuels.
With the greatest barrier to improving the health of our environment, reducing CO₂ emissions, and finding energy alternatives about to leave the presidential office, the most important thing President-elect Obama can do is figure out how to end the subsidies for hydrocarbons and subsidies for farm ethanol, tax oil to level the hidden costs to the economy, and above all tax all CO₂ emissions. Virtually all of this money can be refunded promptly through lower payroll taxes and lower income taxes.
Three presidents (Ford, Carter and Clinton) have tried and failed to change the national perception about the role of the price of energy (and by extension carbon) as a key element of change of direction. Hopefully as president Obama can summon the strength to be different. Our own world depends on it. — Lee Schipper
I hope that the election of Barack Obama provides hope for all that Americans can overcome and transcend the arrogance and fear-mongering of the current administration, and move once again towards playing a positive role in the world. — Brian Sager
The election of Barak Obama to be our next President — capped off by a moving speech that illustrated why he was elected by such a large majority — promises a new progressive era for America. The President-elect has made clear that his presidency will be one of inclusiveness and participatory democracy, a perfect invitation for our community of “civic scientists” to lend their voices and hard work to help President Obama and his new team deliver a bright future for our nation and for the vital role that science and technology will need to play. — Neal Lane
Obama’s win fills me with tremendous optimism. I look forward to seeing who he appoints and the progress his administration will facilitate. Of course I hope, among other things, to see an edible garden on the White House lawn in 2009, and more importantly to see America’s international image transformed into something we can be proud of. As happy Americans are cheering this morning, “Yes we did!” — Sarah Rich
This Visions Forum is the first installment in a three-part series. • See part two by clicking here • See part three by clicking here
