Today is the Big O’s day. He will be sworn in as the 44th president of the United States at noon local time, ushering in a new era of US politics.
A new era? Depends on how you look at it. We already covered some aspects of this, but the last 70+ days of the Big O preparing to become the top dog have given some clues as to what the US and by extension the world can expect from the MoFo-In-Chief at least in the very beginning of his term.
Firstly. Forget revolution. That has already happened. The mere fact that the US didn’t split along the lines of Orry Main and George Hazard is surprising enough. Even more surprising (to an outside observer, at least) is the fact that the country seems to be totally cool with it. Despite all the hubbub about the colour of the man’s skin, it is no longer an issue and it seems as if it never was. But that was the revolutionary moment of Obama presidency. Short of actually driving around in a purple limo as well as releasing the files on JFK, Roswell and 9/11 CIA involvement, there is little that Obama can do to eclipse the moment when he became the first African-American to win the US presidential elections.
Secondly. Forget revolution. Revolutions are popular in times of deep and/or protracted economic crises. Just as Russians or Germans. But Barack Obama was not elected to replace the current order of things, but to mend and restore it. You can be sure that while tackling the economic crisis, Obama and his administration will not reinvent hot water but will rather try to find the right combination of known measures. If there ever was a hint of socialism in Obama’s policies, it was long overshadowed by the crashing sound neo-liberalistic stupidities made when they crashed with the harsh reality and when staunch believers in the free market were nationalising banks and insurance companies faster than you could say Federal reserve.
Thirdly. Forget revolution. Even if he ever entertained any such thoughts, the new president will not make a U turn with regard to Middle East, Iran or any other troubled hot-spot. Especially not with she-Clinton as the secretary of the state. She’s there to ensure that America gains friends without losing a lot more ground. Dubya and Rummy excelled in that particular department, but you can be sure that Israelis and Palestinians will not be rushing into each other’s arms just because the man was elected president. Nor will Iran go “here, have our plutonium. No, really, have it. We just didn’t like the other guy”.
But that doesn’t mean that The MoFo in Chief does not have his work cut out for him. It starts today and it won’t stop at least for the next 1461 days.
At least there’s no danger of another four years of blundering Bush in the White House. And may I say I was pleasantly surprised someone still remembers Orry Main and George Hazard. As it happens, I just finished re-reading the last North and South novel (called Heaven And Hell, for those interested). John Jakes not only wrote an entertaining historic novel series with the N&S books, he also managed to help you understand the complexity of the issues and the juxtapositions, not just between North and South, but also between members of both sides in the years before, during and after the American Civil War through all layers of society.
Tying in with Barack Obama becoming president today, from those times to now has been less than a 150 years. That a black man – albeit one not having a slave ancestry like other African Americans – now is president of a country that in part was built on slave labour is a positive feat. The tasks at hand aren’t easy, but at least for now President Obama seems to be able to inspire and motivate his fellow Americans to work together to get out of the many pitfalls that have been left by his predecessor (who should remain unnamed from now on out of shame for all the disservices he did to his own country and the rest of the world) and the global economic, political and environmental situations.
Everyone except the most foolharded naif will acknowledge this will not be solved in a short time, but even a hardened U.S. sceptic like myself hopes Obama will keep if not most then at least several of his promises and is allowed to carry most of those through by the end of his first term and can then move on to his second term to do even more. But in the end, we can only wait and see and hope that the belief in ‘Yes, we can’ stays with the people of the U.S.A.
Please tell me you were joking about JFK, Roswell and 9/11 CIA involvement. It must be a joke.
It is not Obama’s skin color that is the problem. It is his socialist and communistic leanings. It is the mass amount of corruption that has been brought to office. It is the puppet like dependence on a teleprompter, recently he didn’t even know it was someone elses speech until he thanked himself for coming. Never mind that all the vedio tapes of the incident were immediately confiscated.
Obama is dangerous and aims to destroy the foundations that have made the US a great country. There is a lot of anger in the populace these days. That anger is directed at Obama for his agenda, which is not one that will solve the economy or anything else. It is the simple goal of seeking additional power for the federal government. One must won der how many people will be paid off behind the scenes before the US dollar is completely worthless.
To those aimless Bush haters, you don’t get it and you never will get it, no point in trying to explain it to you.
As Douglas Adams so aptly wrote years ago,
The President in particular is very much a figurehead – he wields no real power whatsoever. He is apparently chosen by the government, but the qualities he is required to display are not those of leadership but those of finely judged outrage. For this reason the President is always a controversial choice, always an infuriating but fascinating character. His job is not to wield power but to draw attention away from it.
Forgive me, but if anyone, Douglas Adams was describing George W. Bush. I for one don’t hate him. I do think, however, that he was an inept, irresponsible and incompetent president. Much like what Adams wrote.
As for Obama – only time will tell. From an outsider’s perspective I can tell you that the US was great because it knew how to combine culture, sense of freedom, diplomacy, economy and military power.
But since the latter took over duing Bush/Cheney reign, things rapidly went downhill. And now its up to Obama to pick up the pieces. Can he do it? Hopefully. But it may turn out to be bigger than even him.
Dear pengovsky:
My Douglas Adams quote is aimed at Obama, you already know that though. It’s a cleaver little trick you attempt to turn my words around.
As I have already said, Bush haters don’t get it and they never will. I’ve spoken with a number of them, you are just like all the rest.
Time has already spoken, Obama is clearly the worst president in the history of the United States. This Country is in serious trouble until we can get rid of the Democratic Socialists and try to reverse the damage they are causing.
You are correct, you are an outsider. I am living in the United States and have done so for 50 years. You are wrong, whether you can see that or not is not my problem to solve.
Well, for your sake as well as mine I hope that you’re wrong and I’m right. If, however, you’re right and Obama is the worst there was, then we’re in deep doo doo.
Just for the record: I wasn’t trying to turn your words around. I just wanted to point out that it can apply to someone else than just Obama.
Fair enough, the Douglas Adam’s quote could apply to others.
However, I would not apply the Douglas Adams quote to Bush. While people may have independent opinion’s on Bush, he did have strong guiding principles that were his own. While he was a bit too off the cuff during a few speeches, the teleprompter was not his sole guiding light.
I choose the quote specifically for Obama because more then any President in my past, Obama appears most like a puppet being guided by others. His need for the teleprompter is also not a good sign.
The Democratic House and Senate now have a President that will sign trillion dollar earmark and pork laden bills. These same politicians in the House and Senate had primary roles in allowing the 2 GSE’s, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, create the basis of this World wide economic crises. If Obama were really in control, these people should be exposed. Yet they remain in power and under cover.
Bush tried for 7 years to reign in these GSE’s and was blocked everytime by the House and Senate. He saw it coming but couldn’t get the Democratic leaders to take action.
Should you doubt this, research the names of the people, past and present, on the board and in executive positions for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. Largely, these positions are where politicians go for pay back.
Thank you for the forum and place to post my concerns.
MexDF.Independient.Press report:A week ago, the very well known TV fuurte teller was arrested by Colombo city sri lankan Police because he preticted the President of the Nation would be removed from the Government of Sri Lanka. Without giving details of statements about the e-mail sent to President Rajipakse, the argentinian horoscope man also added in his homepage, wwww.zodiacguille.com, two URLs, one corresponding to Mr. Chandrasiri Bandara and, of course, the other: His Excellencyb4s official site. Up to now, I couldnb4t log in Chandrasirisb4blog; it seems stars arenb4t helping he joked. but to Presidentb4s site is quite interesting and easy to contact His Excellecy Many astrologers all over the world are on esoteric expectation about the Sri Lankan Government decision. To finish, Don Zodiac Guille said: I would respectfully like to have a look on the Mundane Astral Chart already built by Mr. BANDARA because the Police want a logical explanation about those political predictions on President Manida Rajipakseb4s destitution .Don Zodiac Guille ended saying : Astrology is a millenary social practice so we have to moderate our concepts when a Country Chart is going to be published specially if the land situation is difficult