Today was a big day...

It really was: in one 24-hour period, we saw the end of the Fairness Doctrine here in the US AND the end of the Qaddafi regime in Libya.

Granted, neither is completely gone... yet. The Fairness Doctrine doesn't die (once and for all) until it's replacement policy is published and placed into action. That might take a few days. Qaddafi's regime doesn't officially die until he is found and the last vestige of his government is removed (once and for all). That, too, might take a few more days... but it is coming.

Both of these events are big... HUGE for the Obama Administration, and humanity in general. And, frankly, both surprise me.

I'm still trying to come to grips with what possessed the President to recommend this sort of "reform" from the FCC. We've discussed the Doctrine here often in the past, and Ryan and I (at least) have had some loud and rousing discussions about its merits and failings... but I think we both agreed that if it was going to go away forever... the last person we thought that would do it would be someone Obama appointed to the job.

Six months ago, Obama said that the US involvement in Libya's "revolution" would last only days, and only two years ago (June 4th, 2009, to be exact), in his Cairo Speech, he said "I know there has been controversy about the promotion of democracy in recent years, and much of this controversy is connected to the war in Iraq. So let me be clear: no system of government can or should be imposed upon one nation by any other. " Despite criticism from both his party and much of the liberal world, Obama maintained the US support of the NATO actions against Qaddafi and his forces... and the rebel victory is clearly (but not solely) linked to this support.

Were Obama a smart man (or one that surrounded himself with smart people, which is the next best thing), he'd be explaining that US efforts in Libya are NOT interventionist in nature... but are supportive of freedom and liberty as expressed and detailed in our own founding documents. We are not "imposing" American democracy on Libya... freedom and liberty cannot be imposed, by the very nature of the words and ideas. We are supporting efforts that reflect our own fundamental principles, and any risks or costs associated with such support are well worth it.

We are going to look back on the Obama legacy (be it one term or not) for DECADES to come, and have no end of things to complain about... but I really don't think either of these are going to ever be among them. I could almost say I'm proud of the man right now...