My Hope for Obama

With the Coronation–er–Inauguration in full swing, both on the mall of Washington, and every square inch of every television, it seems somehow unpatriotic to speak a word of caution and moderation into the sycophantic media love-fest that everyone is caught up in.  But a few things must be pretty clear by now.  No man can live up to the hype or the hope this day portends.  As I write, the television is on GMA and Charles Gibson is reporting that the buildings in Washington are a little brighter today and Lincoln is sitting a little taller in his chair at the Lincoln memorial.  No kidding!  He just said that.  Such is the promise of this day to such as this totally objective “journalist.”

It is a wonderful day that the United States has shed (hopefully) the last vestiges of its long and sordid history of racism and will be led by its first black president.  I said led, not ruledby Obama.  (He made the unfortunate comment during the campaign that he would be ready to rule on day one.  Let us hope that he simply misspoke.)  He is not our new potentate.  He is our new president.

Duvall Patrick noted on one of the morning shows yesterday that people said of Obama’s campaign that “hope is not a strategy.”  Said Patrick, “It turns out that it is.”  So, with a nod to Obama’s campaign “strategy” let me offer my hope for Obama’s presidency. 

1.  I hope that he remembers who he is.  It became achingly clear during the campaign that Mr. Obama had a megalomaniacal streak, fueled in part by the cult of personality that grew around him.  I hope he remembers that he is only a man.  He is not the king.  He does not possess sovereign authority.  He is bound by the Constitution of the United States of America. 

2.  I hope he forgets some things he promised.  I hope he chooses not to yank troops home from Iraq before that nation is stable enough to sustain its fledgling democracy.  I hope he forgets that he planned to end the Bush tax cuts.  I hope he forgets that he promised to socialize the health care industry, about 1/7 of the U. S. economy.

3.  I hope he continues to surprise me with some of the decisions he has been making.  Most of his early nominations have been laudable.  He seems to really desire to reach across party lines and get input from others with different view points.

4.  I hope, against hope, that he gets no chance to appoint any Supreme Court Justice who will most certainly reflect his pro-abortion view.

It was recently reported that about 80% of the American people now support Obama.  I suspect that means that people wish him success.  (Remember 55 million people voted against him.) Our country faces many major problems right now.  Every American wants those problems solved.  We want the economy turned around.  We want the troops to come home.  We want quality health care for every American.  But the devil is in the details.  There are socialistic answers and there are free market answers.  The former have been tried and found wanting.  The latter built this great nation that might just be unrecognizable 4 years hence.  I hope that is not prophetic.