Inauguration Day

Throngs are in the nation’s capital in a spirit of optimism thinking that President Obama will save the economy, end wars and “bring us together,” whatever that means. Millions braved the sub-freezing weather to celebrate hope and to overflow a woeful undersupply of 5000 port-a-johns. Thankfully it’s not summer.

It is a good thing to have our first President of African descent. If nothing else many minority children will see that they can do anything and be anybody in this country. Too often people of color don’t put the hard work in to succeed because they are defeatist and for much of our nation’s history they were correct in thought. They can now look up to a well-spoken leader who doesn’t jump on every racist slight, real or perceived, for political gain. Hopefully today’s youth will see more clearly that we’re all first of the United States of America, not some group with a hyphen. They may see that the game is fair rather than stacked against them.

A new wave of optimism is sweeping the country, according to polls. 71% of Americans think the economy will improve and 72% think the stock market will bounce back. Evidently 1% of those polled don’t think the two are related. In addition, 84% think that President Obama will help them lose weight and 93% believe their Uncle Jerry will sober up, stop mooching money and get a real job. Optimism is good for an ailing economy and necessary for recovery as people stuffing mattresses with cash halts the velocity of money (the “V” in GNP=M1 x V).

What’s really great about President Obama is that he’s not George Bush and, even better, he’s not John McCain. Another four or eight years of a Republican President trying to make friends and getting slapped around for it would be difficult for this Conservative to take. In a sense the outgoing Administration failed but only because President Bush allowed it. He lost the nation after the response to Katrina because he failed to articulate that FEMA is not a first-responder. He was already teetering because he couldn’t explain that Saddam’s missing WMD’s were there but went “poof” and that WMD’s was only one of many reasons for invading anyway. A President McCain would similarly cross the aisle with a big smile and good intentions and take flurries to the face until he’s a punch line. Let President Obama try to work with Sen. Reid and Speaker Pelosi. A Republican cannot.

To President Obama’s credit he’s treated our outgoing President with dignity. Since the election he’s refrained from taking shots at President Bush and hasn’t called for investigations or arrests, unlike many in his party. President Bush may be able to ride off into the sunset quietly, as he should. Here’s my hope for change: The Office of the President will be esteemed and respected no matter how one feels about the current occupant. Today we’re not hearing ”He’s not my President” and worse as we did eight years ago. Maybe we can all have a renewed respect for the Presidency that can continue on to the inevitable next Republican. Hopefully on the way out the White House employees won’t take even one “w” off of a keyboard, scribble funny titles on office doors or steal the furniture. It’s a good thing that housekeeping isn’t scrubbing DNA out of the Oval Office.

I wonder if I’m the only one scratching his head at the new President’s moves since the election. His only stated reason for challenging Hillary Clinton for the nomination was because of her misguided stance on foreign policy, meaning her vote for the Iraq War. She’ll be in charge of foreign policy even though her husband Bill has ethical issues with foreign cash. His Treasury Secretary nominee Timothy Geithner doesn’t know how to file a tax return and his Commerce Secretary nominee Bill Richardson resigned because of a corruption scandal. Don’t forget the Blagojevich circus and who talked to whom when about Sen. Obama’s choice of replacement for his Senate seat.

But who cares? You the electorate wanted change and you wanted it big and fast. However the Iraq War seems to be status quo with Bush’s Defense Secretary Gates in place even though Sen. Obama campaigned on the idea that we’d be out in 16 months. Afghanistan will see a buildup as President Bush promised and planned. Guantanamo Bay won’t close immediately but perhaps by the end of the first term. The financial bailout Bush started will continue unabated. All this non-change must be unsettling to you. Woops, there’s more! The Obama camp believes that V.P. Cheney’s warrantless surveillance is legal as is detaining terrorists without trial.

There really isn’t much change so far and not much more on the horizon, save for some issues regarding gays and drilling restrictions. That oozing down the streets are bromides about change and hope, perhaps not what’s coming out from under all those outhouses. It’s mystifying to me that no one seems to care that the bulk of policy on the important issues will remain the same. Sen. McCain was to be Bush’s third term, wasn’t he?

What’s hard for me to get my arms around is how one person who hasn’t done anything yet can generate so much excitement. I’ve avoided the “savior” comments thus far but I wish someone could tell me what President Obama has done in the past that would make one think he’s going to be one. He may end up as a greater President than Lincoln or Jefferson, but also could be worse than Carter or Johnson (Andrew or Lyndon, take your pick).

A caller to a radio show this morning is on the right track when he said that liberals tend to have no faith in God so they put their faith in people. Being a savior is a daunting task and I wish our new President well. No pressure.