A while ago I put up an 'I support Barack Obama' banner on this site. Why bother, you may wonder? I figured I'd write a small post on why I support Barack Obama.

So... why do I bother? I'm not American and some people may argue that voids my right to even say anything about the US elections. First of all I will be living in the United States very soon hopefully which means the current US elections do indeed affect me to a certain degree. Secondly, the political direction of the United States affects more than just the United States. Finally, my fiancee IS American and what affects her, affects me one way or the other. The US elections affect the entire planet and world politics. Simply because the United States are (still) the world's number 1 superpower, if not the only superpower. In short, these are important things that affect everyone including me. I cannot donate to any campaign for obvious reasons I agree with. I cannot cast an actual vote, again for obvious reasons. I can however voice my opinion and 'do my part' in that way.

I was gonna write a whole lengthy article explaining my reasons but I figured I might just as well condense it all into one of those infamous top 10 lists. So here's my 10 reasons why I support Barack Obama:

1. Voting with Bush 90% === FAIL.
2. McCain's campaign is funded by Big Oil and large corporations while Obama is funded by real people.
3. Obama doesn't deal with lobbyists (legalized corruption in my book). McCain surrounds himself with them.
4. 'Trickle down' economics don't work. History has shown us this much. More money for regular people does.
5. McCain's campaign focuses on negativity. Obama's campaign focuses on actual issues.
6. Capitalism is great. Completely deregulated capitalism / corporatism isn't. Look at the current banking situation to see why.
7. The real possibility of Sarah Palin ending up being president is a nightmare.
8. Getting more people healthcare isn't socialism, it's only humane. Healthcare should be a right for every person.
9. McCain's supporters scare the hell out of me.
10. The world needs change. I think America needs change.

Finally, I'd like to invite everyone who thinks that Barack Obama will turn the USA into a socialist state to educate themselves through the links below.

• Socialism
• Communism
• Fascism (for Andy Rutledge and others who brought this term into the game)

So here it is. This is why I support Barack Obama. For those who do have the right to vote in the US elections: Vote wisely. Make sure you get your facts right * and vote for what you really stand for. There's a lot at stake.

Finally, feel free to discuss in the comments. Opinions that strongly oppose mine are just as welcome as opinions agreeing with mine as long as they're written in a civil manner.

Note: Like in any campaign, both camps have had their fair share of bending / twisting the truth. Educate yourself on the issues that matter to you instead of letting negative advertisement lead the way.