President Obama Represents Hope

While die-hard Republicans are dismayed at the election of a Democrat, I am obviously thrilled at our choice.

I think President Obama's two terms in office will be a bright spot in American history. Yes, two terms. He is going to pull the economy out of the toilet. He is going to get some resolution to our overseas issues, like Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan. He is going to be more flexible and is already perceived as a man to work with, not against, in international politics. And in politics, how you are perceived by others is half the battle.

Yes, the Repubs are having fits, but they have only their party to blame. Even my Dad, a die-hard Republican, told me that he has to hold his nose to vote for the lesser of two evils. That is a telling statement. "The lesser of two evils."

The Republican Party has lost touch with its own membership.

I truly believe that most people are moderates with a few wild swings one way or the other. The Party has catered a little too long to the right wing wack jobs that fill the airwaves with dramatic statements, misrepresentations, and flat out lies.

Yes, they have a right to their opinions, but while they've been shouting BS to the winds, the massive silent majority in America spoke with their votes.

President Obama represents hope.

Hope for enough of a change to make a difference.

Now, I'm not deluded enough to think people want big changes. No, no, they absolutely don't.

What people want is to live decent lives, have a good job, a roof over their heads, food to eat, a nice vehicle to drive, an education for their kids. Americans like their toys, yes, but mainly they want to be secure in their lives.

People want to go to work, come home, watch TV, maybe play a sport, enjoy their families. They want to be able to tailgate now and then at the stadium. They want to eat out now and then. They want to be able to go to the doctor when they're sick, so they get better.

They don't want to be sweating over the checkbook trying to figure out how to pay the increasing mortgage (because the broker lied to them about the advantages of that low-rate adjustable mortgage -- believe me, don't blame the victims of fraud!!).

People don't want massive changes in the American system. They just want to live their day-to-day lives and be able to retire someday.

The mortgage meltdown was only one more symptom of the failures of the American economic system. I'd take it back to the Enron debacle. That was the beginning of the meltdown. We just didn't know how big the lies were and how far entrenched into our economic system they'd become.

President Obama isn't going to be able to perform miracles. But he is going to take charge and start working on behalf of the PEOPLE of America. Unlike all too many politicians, he hasn't forgotten where he came from -- middle class working people.

President Obama represents new hope in America.