President Elect Obama

I am not be like the hateful democrats or republicans who when their candidates lose goes on the attack just out of anger. The new administraion will either earn my support or disappointment on their individual merit. The people have spoken.

The anger directed at the Bush administration has several facets. Questionable elections, 9/11, war, conspiracty theories, big oil and an economic meltdown were no help to his legacy. Much of the problem was that the republicans in general only made weak attempts at PR while the democrats went on the attack before the last dangling chad had fallen. The fact that the economy was set to burst and that burst came sooner rather than later was due to other economic pressures (eg: war costs, oil prices). Without these added burdens to the economy it is likely there would have been bigger collapse within a few more years of active growth and overextension of credit. Most likely during a later administration, and Obama would likely still be an up and coming obscure senator.

Obama is inheriting some major problems set in place not only by Bush, but in all fairness, Clinton and previous administrations and Congresses which, for self-promotion, piled the problems on. Now Obama will have to deal with these previous policies and attempt to straighten them out.

I still wonder if the campaigns were over issues, judgment, substance and record, whether he would have won. To say race wasn't a major factor is ridiculous. Minorities revelled in his campaign and election way out of proportion to whites. And whites were voting out of trying to show that they are progressive as far as racial factors are concerned. I would have prefered a truly colorblind election to be on the issues. The fact that he is African-American should just have been a footnote.

As far as I am concerned, the bar is set very low for his presidency. His greatest accomplishment may have already passed, being elected to the White House. If he does nothing else, but continue to vote "present" and give an occassional inspiring speech, his name will be on high schools yet to be built, books yet to be written, and airports. His face will be on a stamp. If things get any worse over his first term, Bush will still bear the blame. If things improve, even slightly, he will be revered.

Whatever is in store for America still appears to be a big question mark. I feel that as we observe who Obama selects to be his transition team, we may get a glimpse in to what will come. I also think he has only one "change" speech left in him (his inaugeral address) before that rhetoric needs to change. And although I don't agree with his apparent ideology, I won't be like the Bush haters and start attacking. I will try to be even handed and won't reward points to any side until I see what happens.