The Historic Nature of the Obama Administration

So, today we'll witness history. Barack Obama will take the oath of office and become the POTUS - the First black President of the United States of America. A very distinctive landmark that a very short generation ago could hardly be conceived possible in the next 100 years. The atmosphere is nearly intoxicating. Claims that more people will view the televised inauguration than will tune into the Super Bowl are bandied about on network and local television alike – these are not unrealistic views either.

So, history has been made. What now? Can the new President rise above his race? Barack Obama was born into his situation. By reason of his parents' union, not by something Barack Obama did. Can his administration create a legacy that supercedes what has become an historic event? President Barack Obama is coming to office at a very difficult point in our nation’s history. We’re fighting wars on two fronts, the economy is faltering, and the national debt is rising at a historic pace and many other problems...

What does the new President propose in answer to these pressing concerns? In mid-December, President Barack Obama called on congress to pass a stimulus package with a price tag between 650-750 billion dollars – he admitted he would accept up to 850 billion. Whoa! That’s a lot of dough! Is this what we’re getting as an answer to these problems? Is this spending programs marketed as stimulus?

Much of Barack Obama’s “middle-class tax cut” goes to people with no federal tax liability. It provides a $500 per worker tax credit. Is $20 a week in welfare going to stimulate the economy? That’s not even enough to feed my family pizza on Friday night!

He suggests his plans will save jobs. Boy, I hope so. The number of jobs he’s saving, however, seems to be rising. On November 22, Mr Obama claimed his plans would save 2.5 million jobs. On December 20, it was up to three million. Then, it was over 3.5 million. By the middle of last week, the claim exceeded 4 million jobs. It doesn’t matter how impossible it will be to verify how many jobs he really “saved.”

I’m pretty interested in what Barack Obama has promised as far as job creation is concerned. Since there are so many people already out of work, there needs to be something we can do for those people. The President’s plans include creation of more than 450,000 jobs in the “green” sectors and an additional 244,000 government jobs. You know there are less than 7,000 people working for companies the manufacture solar cells in America? The largest wind equipment maker employs just over 2,000. This will be very easy to track and a lot of people are watching. Expanding the government by 244,000 jobs will be the largest expansion of the government since LBJ’s Great Society.

I am honestly very hopeful for our future. I hope the hyperinflation that could happen from the rapid influx of new money into the market doesn’t hurt too badly. I hope some of the claims people who know more than I do are absolutely wrong. I hope our country gets stronger. I hope we will be victorious against that band of “gadianton robbers” we call Al’Queda. I hope. See, I am not hopeless.