Losing Faith With President Barack Obama
August 26th, 2009 |
No one could envy President Barack Obama’s election victory in November 2008, taking over a Country mired in a sudden economic collapse and responsibility of a deadly war in Iraq, and Afghanistan. Many people secretly admitted at the time, the road ahead for the new President, would be one of the toughest for 79 years.
The remarkable honeymoon period the new President has enjoyed, has come to a sudden close, as Americans are beginning to realize their could be no quick fix to the problems of a previously badly managed, and unsustainable economy. And Barack Obama may offer hope and change, but no real miracles.
Internationally Barack Obama has changed the World’s opinion of America around, and even created goodwill between bitter rivals of the old Government. This goodwill may have upset many opponents, but has actually solved many potential disputes without the need to resort to limited war or threats.
This is one legacy forgotten, when ordinary people are facing a tough year balancing their debts with the new reality that living in America in 2009, is far tougher and stressful then before - Especially those still hanging onto jobs, facing unemployment and a debt cycle created by accumulating too much debt in the past.
In congress the Republican party is effectively weak and divided, one reason perhaps staunch opponents of the current government are openly demonstrating against President Obama’s promised changes - such as healthcare. This may be getting the effect they wanted, causing an atmosphere of mistrust and suspicion on the street level- instead of in the senate were an opposition traditionally functions more effectively.
Change does not come easy, especially economic and social reforms in an era of debt and economic decline. Change often translates to suffering, unwanted life changes, and even loss of hope, when President Obama promised hope.
Yet the reality is, the old economy failed because it was unsustainable and badly managed. The loss of all those trillions of dollars were made before Barack Obama was elected, and the new President inherited the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, plus an economy that was in meltdown.
The reality of the new President may disappoint many, but if we look at the fairness of the situation. Internationally, the US now has a lot of goodwill, instead of mistrust, whilst the economy has stagnated, it has not melted.
Great expectations may always lead to disappointment, and perhaps people believed too much in fairy tales when they thought, Barack Obama could create miracles, when in reality it’s a miracle itself the economy never completely melted.
Read more about life in Jakarta- a City of contrasts, where the uniqueness of a modern world is still entwined in belief of the mysterious. http://books.google.com/books?id=N4YmX6Oxb_8C&dq=isbn:1596821396
One Response to “Losing Faith With President Barack Obama”
By Chris Henderson on Aug 30, 2009 | Reply
You must bear in mind that the Republican Party is not the only one divided, and I have no idea where you found the tradition that opposition is more effective in the Senate. Traditionally, it is the will of the people, expressed responsibly or not, tht makes the big differences. It was our President who resorted to the town halls because his losses of Democratic support for his plans in the Senate were due to re-election fears.
Finally, it is worth pointing out that both presidents Bush and Obama made the classic blunder, Bush in defense, Obama in economic recovery, of forcing infringements upon human rights that are the extreme ideals of their respective parties. The crises made them think they could get away with it, but we noticed.