For eight years we have endured bad policies driven by greed, arrogance, hubris, ignorance, indifference, and worse. The Bush administration will be remembered as one of the worst in American history. It has driven us into a war with no exit strategy and cost dearly in blood and treasure. It has permitted the economy to go unregulated and spiral out of control. It has allowed the environment to take another eight years of abuse for the sake of our laziness and refusal to change.

The Republican nominee for president, Arizona Senator John McCain, has had a history of disagreement with his party. However, his votes have not differed enough from the President’s over the last few years. His economic policies are about deregulation, despite calling for the opposite. His tax policies benefit the rich and saddle future generations with more debt. His military policies continue a doctrine of preemption.

Illinois Senator Barack Obama, after a bruising primary, has come forward as the leader this nation needs. Sen. Obama has the vision, the calm, and the brains to guide the United States through the challenges again.

This economic crisis, the worst since the Great Depression, will test Americans’ fortitude. American have had it pretty easy over the years in any number of ways. Excepting those alive during the Depression, the vast majority of Americans do not know about suffering and want. Credit has been available, jobs fairly plentiful, and iPods readily accessible. So many Americans, particularly of the younger generation, are simply unprepared. That famous spirit and strength of Americans has calcified.

Sen. Obama’s charisma may be what it takes to unlock that spirit and strength. Tapping into that energy, the nation may have the opportunity to at last make those great strides in health care, national security, and infrastructure.

On the issues, there is no contest. On taxes, Obama is for working families. On the environment, Obama is for a protected and preserved globe. On health care, he is for giving Americans health care they can afford and available to all. On the economy he is for making an economy that works for real Americans. The list goes on. We encourage you to visit www.barackobama.com for specifics.

This blog earlier supported Sen. Hillary Clinton, but from the moment that Obama became the nominee, he has sought to move past the same politics as usual. The hope and optimism that his campaign exudes is real and has brought millions into the process otherwise uninterested or unable to participate. Indeed, together we CAN, as Gandhi said, be the change we seek in the world.

For these reasons and many, many more. Western Mass Politics and Insight proudly endorses Barack Obama for President of the United States.