The Spirit Of Hope

January 20, 2009 saw the swearing in of President Barack Obama, the first African American President of the United States.  This was a momentous occasion for many.  For many others, the swearing in of President Obama was a symbol of defeat of a hard fought campaign.

For many, including myself, President Obama's swearing in ends a dark period in our nation's history. For all of President Bush's faults,the most dissapointing was the mood of the nation that existed during President Bush's eight years.  While a President cannot make monumental change to the daily life of ordinary Americans, a President can do much to set the mood of the nation  President's tends to act in the abstract, looking at the nation as a whole. The total effect of any change on each individual is minimal when it comes from the federal level. Direct change comes from local governments - ironically it is those elections most people do not pay attention to.

When President Obama took office he inherited a load of problems almost unheard of in recent memory. Just to name a few, the economy was near collapse, two wars raged with no exit plans and failed administration, conflict with Israel, high unemployment and problems with the environment. How much can we really expect from President Obama from the start? I think too many expect too much and this hurts him in the short run.

What excites me is the change in the national mood that the election of President Obama brought with him to Washington.. President Obama brought the prospect of hope with him to Washington. Obama preaches hope. More importantly, his supporters believe in it. What Obama brings to the table is an environment of positivism. A belief that anything is possible. Many people call this naivety, but I believe it is the right message to bring and something that was desperately needed.

President Obama may not change the world in his first 100 days, or even in his first term, but at least he brings a spirit that makes many of us believe that the change can happen. Simply put, the nation feels good about itself again.  It is this spirit that will hopefully make people believe in the government and the nation as a whole again. And we together can lift each other out of the problems that plague us today.

Just my rant.

Thanks for reading.