Following the example of Vermont.

I have said before that my favorite American state is New York. Well, this time I would like to take some time to say something positive about another state of the Union. It is actually a state I have not yet had the pleasure of visiting (I would like to see all 50 at some point). I am talking, of course, about the Green Mountain State: Vermont.

Just recently, Vermont became the first state of the Union to pass a universal health care bill. It is hardly surprising that the state which has Bernie Sanders (probably my favorite member of the United States Senate) represent them would be the state which takes this historic first step.

One should not be surprised, however, considering that it was also the first state to outlaw slavery and the first to have a universal public education system. Those two steps went on to be replicated in every state. One would hope that the same will one day be said of universal health care. As much as I love the United States and wish to live there, it is shameful that it is the only country in the Western world without a national, public health care system.

The small, rural state of Vermont has taken a big political risk (when one considers the opposition that the Democratic party's watered down version of health care received) so it is vital to anyone who wishes to see this spread across the United States that this program works and works well. I sincerely hope that it will, and I (as of the time of writing) have no reason to believe that it will not. If Vermont's system does succeed (in terms of caring for its people and in terms of value for money) then there is also no reason to believe that other states would not want to replicate it.

It is exceedingly rare in modern day politics to feel a real, tangible sense of hope. This is especially true for me as a natural cynic and (as I like to think of myself sometimes) a young curmudgeon. So often expectations are shattered, but I am prepared (realizing how foolish I will appear if I am wrong) to believe that this fantastic first step is indeed that: a first step. I do not know if the United States of America will see full, national, universal health care in my lifetime but I am prepared now to believe that it is possible at some point.

I would like to close by congratulating everyone in Vermont who contributed to this bill becoming law, although the uninsured of Vermont are probably more thankful than I could ever be at this stage. Vermont has done something truly positive for its people, and in today's global political climate that is all the more impressive.

Well done, Vermont. Here's hoping you start a trend.

Election 2012: It's very, very slowly getting started.

Something seems odd. Maybe it is just my own impatience but it feels like we should be further along in the 2012 presidential cycle by now. Admittedly, it is still over a year before the American electorate makes their choice, but I thought that by now we would have a better picture of how things were going to go.

We do know (utterly unsurprisingly) that Barack Obama will be running for re-election. It also appears as though he will do so unchallenged at the Democratic primaries. Opinion is divided among the political left about whether or not this is a good thing. Personally, while I do not think that Obama should be officially challenged in the primaries, the more left-leaning members of the Democratic party should be more vocal in their criticism. A primary challenge at this stage would do more harm than good. The elected Democrats need to develop a backbone (If they want to know how, maybe Independent Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont could give them a few tips).

As for the Republican ticket, they need a nominee and yet their field of possibilities is weak to put it at its mildest. They have Newt Gingrich (the face of the GOP from the 90s) officially running, Mitt Romney (former Governor of Massachusetts), Tim Pawlenty (former Governor of Minnesota) and Senator Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania (if you have a moment and are not at work, just Google "santorum") all as potential nominees. Those are just some of the more serious candidates (but considering that we are talking about the GOP that description seems hardly appropriate).

There are still outsider candidates being talked about. Some because they are relatively unknown and others because they should be considered dangerous morons. One of the unknowns is Herman Cain, CEO of Godfather's Pizza. He actually performed admirably in the first GOP debate according to the Fox News panel (take that information with as much salt as you feel is necessary), and could make for an interesting primary season.

As for the dangerous moron wing of the Republican party, we have Michele Bachmann (who I have discussed previously) and Sarah Palin, who is apparently laying the ground work for a run at the White House. Neither of these candidates should be given any control of the most powerful nation on Earth. The fact that they are both Tea-partying, climate change deniers who refuse to accept the secular origin of the United States should really stop them from being taken seriously at all. Sadly, in the modern day Republican party these are seen as assets rather than hindrances.

The biggest problem the Republicans have is that none of the listed candidates really come across as a strong challenger for Obama. I would have said that former Governor Mike Huckabee would have been their strongest bet, but he has decided not to run this time around.

Obama has all the advantages at this point. He is the incumbent. He got most (but not all) American troops out of Iraq and was the president responsible for the killing of Osama bin Laden. The Republican who emerges from this very wide field of possible candidates has a tall order ahead of them. It will make the primary and general election seasons very interesting. I just wish things would get going.

Yes, I am one of those annoying people who loves elections; especially in the United States.

Motivation, Writing and Other Thoughts.

I cannot escape the feeling that this blog is being neglected. I seem to just write one piece and then leave it for along time before something moves me enough to write again. This system worked when I would find the motivation to write a piece every week or two. Lately this has not been the case, as you can no doubt see when you examine how far apart the last few entries have been.

There is not much I can offer in terms of justifications or excuses for this lapse in output. I realize that I should be writing as much as possible to keep my command of English up to a level that does not resemble the brainless rantings of a newly literate chimpanzee. I realize that a strong body of writing can only help if I ever want to make a living and a life out of it. Believe me, it is something that I so wish to do. My time at New Statesman was a taste for me of something I would like to explore.

With that in mind, it appears as though my lack of effort is not forgivable. Which is true. It is not forgivable. We, as children, are told to follow our dreams. Follow our hearts. Do not give up. The problem is the sobering, looming specter of reality. I do not want to delve too far into the fantasy versus reality question, or even the current economic and political climate I find myself in because I have touched on both issues before. They are, however, factors in what has become a very demotivating period in my life.

There are only so many times one can conceivably knock at a door without answer before turning away and trying another door. The sad reality is that the door I am standing in front of is that of writing. Journalism. Political journalism to be specific. American political journalism to be even more specific still. I would also relish the chance to write at length about religion. Or American history.

In fact, I am in the middle of trying to broaden my own knowledge of my favorite country's history. I am currently reading 'Setting the World Ablaze: Washington, Adams, Jefferson and the American Revolution' by John E. Ferling. It is a very interesting look at America's first three Presidents as each of their lives built towards the War of Independence. I am not yet halfway through this book but I am thoroughly enjoying it. While I have already read books on Jefferson (and as such some of the parts about him are familiar), the stories of Washington and Adams are equally fascinating. I hope that I can continue my education on the founding of America in the coming months and years.

I appear to have drifted from the point slightly. Going back to the door metaphor; the door of political journalism creaked open in November of last year (during my aforementioned stint at NS). That said, it felt like as soon as the door had opened slightly it slammed shut once again. Once again I am on the outside knocking.

I have been knocking at this door for months with no answer. I have even been knocking at neighboring doors too (non-political journalism, PR, communications etc.) with much the same response. After a while, the idea of following one's heart seems like a hollow one indeed. I am, at my core, a rationalist and a realist. Maybe this door is not something I am to walk through.

It is tough, because I see people that I admire at different stages of their journalistic career (people like Laurie Penny, Mehdi Hasan and Christopher Hitchens to name three) and they are doing what I want to be doing. I am under no delusion that I can walk onto a publication and immediately be at their level, but it is disheartening that I cannot even get onto that bottom rung (I am mixing metaphors here, for which I apologize) in order to work my way up.

After a while, the motivation to keep trying begins to wane. I must admit that driving forty minutes to the Job Centre every Monday is also a factor in the depletion of my psychological reserves. The black cloud above my head is telling me to leave the doorstep and try another house. It is a shame because the house looks so fulfilling from my view.

Despite all this, I will endeavor to write more regularly. I shall try to force myself to do so. I just hope that the entries I force myself to do are not obvious due to their awfulness.

Time, as they say, marches on...