Obama inspires America’s youth, but can he deliver?

In his song Waiting on the World to Change, John Mayer says America’s young people do care about politics, but they don’t participate because they don’t believe their voices can make a difference in a system that’s rigged to ensure those who have power keep it.

Barack Obama challenges such people to dare to hope, to reject cynicism and join together behind him to challenge that system. If his early success is any indication, Obama may be accomplishing something rarely seen in American politics. During an Iowa Caucus with record turnout, it was young people and independents who gave him the win.

The same didn’t happen Tuesday in New Hampshire, so it’s too early to know whether the Obama movement is real.

No matter who you support in the presidential race, it’s hard to argue that Obama’s ability to inspire young people isn’t a good thing. More important than any political view is ensuring that young people are engaged and ready to lead this nation into the future.

I’ve been listening to Obama’s plea to the youth of America for months, wanting to believe it would resonate, cynically suspecting it would not. I’m 29 and have been frustrated with the inaction of my peers since I first became interested in politics as a teenager.

The thing is, I’m as cynical about our nation’s political system as anyone I know. But that has never stopped me from participating. I write about politics for a living. I’ve voted in every election since I turned 18.

I believe Washington is corrupted by the influence of Corporate America and partisan bickering. I’m interested in the Unity08 movement because it takes aim at those problems, and I’m skeptical about whether Obama or any other Democratic or Republican presidential candidate would be a real agent of change.

I watched the candidates debate on Saturday. While some of the Republicans used the “change” buzzword during the debate, none clearly defined what they mean.

On the Democratic side, Hillary Clinton said it means ending GOP domination in Washington. John Edwards said change involves taking on special interests that have a stranglehold on Washington. Obama agreed, but said change also includes inspiring citizens to take control of their government after kicking out the special interests. Bill Richardson said calling for change has little value unless a candidate can back it up with a history of enacting change.

Clinton agreed, and also said “having the first woman president is a huge change.”

True. But the fundamental change that’s needed – and for which Obama is calling – transcends gender, ethnicity and political affiliation. That’s the reason Obama’s message inspires young people. My problem is that my cynical side doesn’t believe the president can change the system. I believe Obama intends to make such change, but Clinton had a point on Saturday when she said Obama should guard against “raising the false hopes of our country about what can be delivered.”

Can Obama inspire and lead a movement that changes Washington? Iowans were apparently convinced he can. I’m interested in the Unity08 movement because I’m not convinced he or anyone else can accomplish such change from within.

I believe Americans want the sort of change Obama promotes. Time will tell whether they believe he can accomplish it.

A version of this article was published today in the Albuquerque Tribune and on the Diary of a Mad Voter blog published by the Denver Post’s Politics West and the independent Web site NewWest.net.