BARACK OBAMA'S LEADERSHIP ACCORDING TO Ph.D. PSYCHOLOGYST JON H. McCAINE...

The office of the presidency is more than just a position of policy and executive decision-making. It is our most tangible and visible symbol of democracy. The individual who holds this office is not merely a representative of the government of the United States but, more importantly, its people. The individual who holds this office is not merely the Commander in Chief of the military but also the leading advocate and spokesperson for the beliefs and principles that our military is charged with protecting. The office of the presidency is far too important for it to be handed to the individual that is the most popular, the most well known or the one who has simply been around the longest. This may work for the president of a high school because becoming the president is actually in and of itself the goal and intention. Ask yourself this question. Other than being the president, what do you remember about what your school president did for your school ? If you were the school president, what did you do that had a lasting impact on the quality of education in your school?

Throughout history there have been individuals who possessed a clarity of vision and a strength of conviction that others found compelling and inspiring. In this nation, we have become obsessed with searching for heroes and finding admiration for others as a result of their actions. The admiration of others, however, has little to do with inspired leadership. Heroic action may result in well deserved admiration but admiration is passive. Inspirational leadership is not a function of what a leader is capable of doing or has done individually. Inspired leadership is about what a leader is capable of inspiring others to do collectively. Popularity is about admiring another person. Inspirational leadership is about being motivated to believe in your own potential to make a difference and acting on that belief with confidence and conviction. High school elections are not won because the candidate has wide appeal across the school population. These elections are won by the individuals that can get the greatest participation from the people who already know and support them. It would be a shame to see our presidential elections headed down this path once again.

Who would win the election if every single eligible voter cast a vote ? It would be the candidate that includes not only the voices of support but also the voices of dissent because this is the American way. It would be the candidate who possesses a vision of challenges and opportunities inclusive of the broadest spectrum of the population because this is America. Barack Obama's appeal crosses a broader spectrum of the population and it continues to grow as he demonstrates the capacity to defy traditional boundaries of political party, social class, and regional economic interests. America greatest asset is and always has been it human resources. The capacity to galvanize a broad spectrum of the population to identify and pursue what is in the best interst of this nation will be the key to effective leadership in the future.

Within the balanced message of personal and social responsibility is a simply truth that resonates with anyone. If you are an honest and hard worker in whatever vocation or geographical location, you have a right to be safe in your homes and communities. You have a right to fair compensation for the work you do, and you have a right to a secure future whether it is education for your children or quality health care for you and your family. Barack Obama will represent the American people not just its government and make an outstanding President by challenging us to be responsible citizens, challenging our government to be more responsive to its citizens, and challenging the world community by use of what has always been our strongest and most influencing force...the compelling example of an open and democratic society.

In the continuing pursuit to "form a more perfect union" , the establishment of justice remains a vital aspect of this intention. The fundamental concept of fairness which is at the root of justice does not presume that each and every one of us are equal but that each and every one of us should have equality of opportunity. Our success or failure would then be contingent the capacities and skills we have at our disposal including the strength of our commitment to achieve the end results we are seeking.

The pathway to a more perfect union lies in our sense of being united around the notion of justice for each individual's or collection of individuals' right to being treated with basic fairness in our society. Insuring "domestic tranquility" is contingent on the belief that injustice and unfairness are undesireable and will be confronted when identified and encountered. The notion of a "common defense" also presumes unity will prevail in the presence of an external threat that places the safety of our citizens in jeopardy. Our "general welfare" can only be preserved when threats both domestic and foreign, are identified and eliminated. National security can not be narrowly defined by the strength of our military forces but must include a robust economy and the preservation of our civil liberties.

More so now than ever, in this election, the registered voters who are neither republican or democrat are getting alot of attention because it is clear they will represent a critical swing vote along with first time registering voters in what is shaping up to be a potential deadlock between the traditional voting populations. The candidate that is the best equipped to lead us forward will be the candidate that has the most inclusive vision of justice and the broadest capacity for its application. If we are to truly "secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity", we must recognize that loyalty to anything other than the principles and intentions of the constitution places these very principles in jeopardy. This includes loyalties based on political party affiliations, loyalties based on race, gender, religious preference or lack thereof.

These loyalties represent the greatest threat to our democracy today because they blind us to our most vital common bond; our beliefs in the freedom and justice of a democratically run society and a government that represents the people rather than rules over them. The crossover voting from one party to another can be a sign of free and independent thinking or misguided and misplaced loyalties. Voting for a candidate purely on the basis of gender is irresponsible and narrow minded. The most obvious examples in this election are women who were staunch supporters of Hillary Clinton who have crossed the political aisle in support of Sara Palin, two women who have diametrically opposed views on virtually every issue of national significance. However, the more numerous examples will be the millions of men and women who do not believe a woman can or should hold either executive office and who will vote accordingly. This is precisely why in a nation of so many highly qualified women, it has taken so long for women to emerge as viable candidates for election. Gender prejudice has always been an issue in our national elections. It will continue to be in this election though not as big an issue as race could be.

As with gender, race, culture and ethnicity have been long standing factors in our election process. The reluctance to admit this is surprising but the failure to see it is naive. Voting for a candidate based solely on race, ethnicity or cultural background is also irresponsible and narrow minded. Once again, the most obvious examples are Black Americans who are supporting Barack Obama who know nothing of his political views or prospective policies and were not going to vote in the general election had he not won his parties nomination. It is also true that the more numerous examples will be White Americans consciously or unconsciously uncomfortable with casting their support for who they will perceive as a "black man". This will not be because White Americans harbour more prejudice. It is a simple matter of mathematics and proportion. The misplaced prejudices based on gender and race will influence this election but, hopefully, will not determine the outcome. It also represents another reason I support Barack Obama in his bid for president of the "United" States of America

The U.S. Census Bureau estimates the current population of the United States is 284,800,000. The population of White Americans is 211,872,000 or 75.1%, by far the largest ethnic group in our country. The 2nd largest ethnic group is Hispanic/Latin Americans estimated at 35,305,000 or 12.5% of the general population. The 3rd largest ethnic group is Black Americans estimated at 34,659,000 or 12.3% of the population. Why is this significant ?

What this means is that the overwhelming majority of men and women who support Barack Obama are not Black Americans, not "people of color" or other labels descriptive of ethnic and cultural minorities. The overwhelming number of people who support Barack Obama for president are White American men and women who have been touched by his message of hope, inspired by his vision of change, and believe his ideas and policies will improve the quality of their lives because they believe he understands their economic dilemmas, social concerns, and life priorities. We need leadership that is committed to addressing the diverse needs and challenges of an equally diverse population. We need leadership that can address these needs with credibility and effectiveness. We need leadership that unites and this another reason why I support Barack Obama...

"I am Jon McCaine and I approve this message"