Observing The Inauguration

     I can’t believe all of the different things that this inauguration appears to mean to each person that i talk to or read about.  Some people are moved to tears by the inspiration of it all.  Some people are in awe of the historical nature.  For others it is more personal; they have invested so much of their own personal hopes and dreams into the candidates for the office of the President of the United States.  Observing the inauguration is a very personal and a very public thing.  The swearing in of the 44th President of the United States is a solemn occasion and is observed by all in a variety of ways.

      For quite some time there has been indiviual stories on the news about individuals who have made the trek to view the ceremonies in person…some have borrowed money to get there or made amazing sacrifices to fund the trip.  Others who are content to watch from their homes watch avidly….others in dismay.

      Supporters of candidates who did not win the nominations have differing views and opinions.  I watch and look for conflicting emotions on the faces of those who could have been in a different place during todays proceedings..and yet…i see pride, joy and excitement in their faces.

       Watching the former Presidents and the mixture of emotions and memories flood their visage is truly something to see.  Their wives remembering their time in the spotlight…reflecting on the changes since their moment…you can see the strength that it takes to endure the pressures and the passage of time.

        It is no simple time …the respect of the responsibility, the solemness of the swearing in…the honor…the pride…the exaltation…it is such a mixture of the past, the present and the future.  Truly…can feel the waves of deeply held beliefs and expectations.  For this one day, we can enjoy the coming together as a nation.  There will be time on another day to examine the differences, the disappointments, the frustrations and the solutions to problems that exist…For now…today is momentous!  I am thrilled that God is acknowledged as the ultimate authority of our nation…I pray that President Barack Obama submits his actions to be wholly acceptable to the only person who he should be in submission to at this point and that is God himself.  May God bless our nation…and may we live up to the standards that he expects from us.

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A Historical Moment In Time-Presidential Inaugurations

       It is a historical moment in time, this presidential inauguration of 2009; just like every other presidential inauguration since the beginning of the United States.  Yet, this one feels different.  It feels as though this particular inauguration is getting more attention than any other one, in my memory.

          I did not personally vote for Barack Obama…still, i can appreciate this moment…as it will be a moment of history as well as a moment for our future in America.  There is hope, excitement, fear and anxiety, as this nation faces huge difficulties.  That hope and excitement creates an air of expectancy; yet, we must temper that.

          To hear the media tell it…Obama is the answer to all the issues facing the nation.  That can not be,  he is just one man after all…even though he is a powerful man.  It isn’t fair to put that kind of pressue on him.  He cannot fix all of the issues facing this country in a way that is going to satisfy everyone.  There will be frustration, there will be disappointment…and, there will be a reality check for those who believe that things can only go up from here.

           The reason for that is…President Barack Obama is human; he is not God.  I believe that he realizes that…but, there is such a building up of who people think he is; that i think it builds a false sense of what he will be able to do.  He will represent the people…not just the black population, not just the white population or the male population.  I do think he will do his best.  I do think that he will accomplish much…but, it will be in partnership  with the Senate, the Congress,  and even the citizens of the United States.  This country will change…for better or worse who knows?  History many years from now will be the judge; when we look back to this period of our history we will have the advantage of knowing what came before and after.

          The Presidency is also a conditional thing; people forget that you must balance your expectations with reality, because reality is based on the conditions during that president’s time of the leadership.  The reality is that there are foreign governments, there are terrorists, there are internal struggles that create situations that each and every President must face during their term in office. 

     What we as a nation want to know is that our leader is a strong person, a person of good moral fiber, a person of commitment and a person who we can trust; we want a president who is wise, who knows good counsel when he hears it, a person of integrity who knows how to balance compassion and strong leadership.

          I say for now…let’s enjoy the excitement of the moment.  Let’s celebrate with the Obama family at this accomplishment. Things will get real soon enough with all of the demands of the office on the President, his family and friends.  This is a huge accomplishment and honor; but, let’s not forget it is also a sacrifice.

            The sacrifice comes by way of a sacrifice of schedule to have family time whenever they want it; it comes with pressure like no other job, it comes with a lack of privacy, it comes with media scrutiny that is justified; and, with scrutiny that is not. 

          So for now, can we not just honor the new President of the United States…acknowledge his tipping of the hat towards President Lincoln and his respect for the man and the office…while quietly considering the possibilities before us? Let’s celebrate our patriotism with our fellow citizens and not let ourselves be divided at this time…let’s look forward to the future and it’s impact on us and those around the world.

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Political Grudges–Is Being An Independent, Free Thinker Against The Winds of Change?

      Well, the political grudges and paybacks have begun according to news reports.  It appears that there are those within the Democratic party who are holding a grudge against Sen. Joe Lieberman for publically supporting Sen. John McCain for president of the United States.

       Sen. Joe Lieberman was a Democrat when he ran for the Vice Presidency in 2000.  He is now an independent; but is still on the books, registered as a Democrat.  Senator Joe Lieberman spoke his mind about Barack Obama in September.  He was spoke on the subject during the Republican National Convention.  There was some outrage expressed and it appeared to shock the political world that he threw his opinion out there in support for John McCain; because, Sen. Joe Lieberman often sides with the Democrat party on issues. 

       The Democratic party has not forgotten that Lieberman went against the Democratic choice, Barack Obama.  My question is…if he was an Independent…why is it such an outrage that he would choose to support Sen. John McCain as his candidate of choice for the Presidency?  Doesn’t Sen. Lieberman have the same rights as you and I to choose who he thinks would make the best choice for the leadership of our great country?

       Today it was widely reported that Senator Lieberman had a meeting with Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid…a Democrat from Nevada.  It appears that Reid is seriously considering removing Sen. Lieberman from his position of chairman of the Senate Homeland Security Committe.  Majority Leader Reid allegedly offered Sen. Lieberman a lesser committee position on another committe; if he would continue to align himself with the Democrats to make policy decisions.

        It appears that Sen. Lieberman is taking some time to consider his options.  However, I ask you…since our new President ran his campaign on change…Is being an independent, free thinker against the winds of change?  Or is this a political grudge that has evolved into some sort of payback.  Or, is it business as usual in Washington, DC?  And, if it is true that it is payback time for going against the public party line…who’s going to pay the price next?  What does this say about the future leadership of our country; how will it be run during the next four years? 

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Great Expectations-The Presidency Of The United States

      Now that the historic 2008 election for the President of the United States is over and Barack Obama has won…there will be great expectations.  Obama really ran on the platform of “change”.  As the agent of change…he will be watched and judged in a way like no other before him.  Everyone is expecting miracles; and miracles, is what this nation needs.  Families are looking for stability in their lives.

       As we have demonstrated to the world over the last few months…we have to get our finances as a country and as a world under control.  We must heal the breakdown of credit and the housing industry…the buying, selling and foreclosure of homes.  We must address the nations dependency on oil from foreign countries.  We must investigate and explore alternative forms of energy.  We must address the dwindling funding that forms the foundation of education in both lower and higher education.  We must find a way to insure those who have no medical insurance.  We need to apply some solutions to the social security flux which will drain the funds because of the aging population.  We must repair relationships with countries around the world that have been badly damaged over the last 8 years.  We must continue to protect ourselves and others who are under siege from terrorists around the world.  We must insure that our children have opportunities before them that children from other countries have. 

        I say we meaning, African Americans and all Americans, Democrats and Republics, conservatives and liberals, men and women…it doesn’t matter who you are…we are in this thing called life together…and that is how we have to approach solutions to the problems that we face as a country.

        With an unprecedented stacked deck of Democrats in the House & Senate, as well as a Democratic President, we will have great expectations from Barack Obama as leader of the United States. Republicans have taken the heat for the condition of the United States for quite some time…now it is time for Democrats to prove their worth as they lead our citizens.  

         Is President elect Obama up to the task?  He had better be…because it is unacceptable to think about the alternative; and, the impact it will have on this country if he fails at any one of the aforemented issues; as well as many, many more issues which are in need of major renovation to become healthy once again.

         Hopefully, we will not, in our zeal to affect change in this country, continue to attack the basic values of conservative America.  We are seeing escalating legal attacks on the defination of traditional views of marriage and family.  We have people who are determined to stretch the defination to include gay marriages as a legally recognized state of marriage.  There are those who seek to further liberal ideas such as legalizing marijuana and prostitution; or expanding the limits of abortion.  It seems that traditional values in this country are being turning upside down…what has been considered to be right is now viewed as wrong and is prone to challenge.

        There is some real resistance against such change, from those who consider themselves conservative; to fight and stand up to those challenges; by those who not only believe in a liberal view of rights and responsibilities but, those who seek to change how we govern ourselves regarding those issues.  So is Barack Obama up to the task of effective leadership of such diverse approaches to life?  Time will be the judge! In the meantime, citizens of the United States have a right to great expectations.

       

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Oprah Starts New Career?

         With Barack Obama getting the nod from the Democratic party on Tuesday evening as the Democratic nominee in the bid for the office of President of the United States…Oprah is celebrating.  She has said that she has been doing the happy dance all day.

         Oprah also allegedly said, she is ready to go door-to-door for Barack Obama if he so desired her to; which brought to my mind a vision of Oprah becoming a modern day salesman (woman).  Is Oprah starting a new career? 🙂

            Is she ready to start a new career as a pitch person for the political movers and shakers?  Her influence is quite powerful.   After all, Oprah has conquored the television talk show circuit, produces movies, she is a book club afficionado, and she is an advocate for initiating education; by planting a school for young African girls.  Oprah is a magazine owner… she is a successful business woman, as well as, an expert at branding herself in any area that she wishes to explore.  She is a smart woman…a beautiful woman… a seasoned business person; and, she connects with people in extra-ordinary ways. 

            She appears to accomplish what she sets out to do.  She definately did her best to bring attention to Barack Obama’s campaign.  Between television, her magazine, interviews and the campaign trail…Oprah definately has the platform to draw potential voters to the election process.  She also has a powerful impact in the areas that she makes a commitment to.  Oprah is nothing but passionate about the things that she chooses to spend time doing.

          People either love her or they don’t…but, most people do have an strong opinion one way or the other.  How will this opinion affect the vote for the President of the United States, come time for the actual election?  Time will tell.

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John Edwards Endorses Barack Obama

         In Grand Rapids, Michigan, today, John Edwards endorsed Barack Obama as his choice for the Democratic nomination.  His words were powerful.  Those same words were met by cheers and shows of encouragement that rival the excitement of any famous rock band’s groupies.  This does not bode well for Hillary Clinton.

          If John Edwards had spoken like this at any of the debates when he was vying for support in his own candidacy he would have gotten the nod himself.  He had the crowd in the palm of his hand.  What this means to Hillary Clinton’s campaign, is that they are in even more of a fight then, they were a week ago.  It is probably an uphill climb.

           There have been reports that the Clinton campaign was given a heads up about Edward’s decision to back Obama.  It will be known as a dark day to them…one they may not be able to overcome.

            The thing is…it seems to me, that over the last few years; the parties that are involved in politics, have forgotten the plight of the average John and Joanne Doe.  The working class man & women are struggling in ways that threaten to fracture the so called middle class, to such a degree that there will no longer be a definative middle class.  People are hurting financially.  The medical insurance plight of America is creating a whole new kind of poverty…those who have insurance; but, not enough to survive caustrophic illness.  Those without insurance get very little medical care at all. 

        These issues are what is fueling a need for change.  Whether Obama is the one to do it…who knows.  The republicans are watching the duel between Obama and Clinton closely, mark my words.  This contest of power is going to challenge the Republicans in a way they have never been challenged before…running against the first African-American or, against the first Woman to run for President of the United States.  John McCain is going to be up against some pretty persuasive people.

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