Houston
The world is potentially a far better place with the election of Barack Obama to the U.S. Presidency. However, "potential" remains the operative word. First, the bleak moment we are in coupled with the unusually powerful charisma of President-elect Obama have raised expectations for his leadership performance beyond what might be considered reasonable. He needs to reduce unrealistic expectations in coming days, knowing full well that what is left of the Republican attack machine will start a vigorous, four-year effort to undermine him any minute now. Just wait.
The truth is that it took the last three decades of arrogance and the last eight years of utter incompetence in Washington DC to create today's mess. Sadly, it will take many years to repair it. No amount of Potemkin village-like “morning in America” superficiality will solve today’s deeply entrenched and thoroughly intertwined challenges. Also, it is always instructive to remember what President Harry Truman said about what he predicted would be President-elect Eisenhower's disillusionment in actually trying to get something accomplished from 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. To paraphrase Truman, "That General is going to come in here and give orders and think that people will actually carry them out." Ike never quite got his arms around the bureaucracy. Let’s hope for all of us that President-elect Obama fares better.
The world is potentially a far better place with the election of Barack Obama to the U.S. Presidency. However, "potential" remains the operative word. First, the bleak moment we are in coupled with the unusually powerful charisma of President-elect Obama have raised expectations for his leadership performance beyond what might be considered reasonable. He needs to reduce unrealistic expectations in coming days, knowing full well that what is left of the Republican attack machine will start a vigorous, four-year effort to undermine him any minute now. Just wait.
The truth is that it took the last three decades of arrogance and the last eight years of utter incompetence in Washington DC to create today's mess. Sadly, it will take many years to repair it. No amount of Potemkin village-like “morning in America” superficiality will solve today’s deeply entrenched and thoroughly intertwined challenges. Also, it is always instructive to remember what President Harry Truman said about what he predicted would be President-elect Eisenhower's disillusionment in actually trying to get something accomplished from 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. To paraphrase Truman, "That General is going to come in here and give orders and think that people will actually carry them out." Ike never quite got his arms around the bureaucracy. Let’s hope for all of us that President-elect Obama fares better.