Up, Down and Around Our Town

A truly historic week. No doubt about that. The election of Barack Obama as the 44th President is both ground-breaking as it is newsworthy. There are not enough words of praise to put into context the impact of his election. Now the hard part starts.

From his pulpit that he used so well, he is now faced with a $10 billion a month rent of our troops in the Middle East. Not only is that "war" not winnable, the drain on the resources of this country are starting to become significant. Perhaps he'll start there.

Our unemployment rate is above 6.5%, the highest number since Jimmy Carter. (Remember those days?). Unemployment becomes employment when business is confident enough to create jobs. Government does not create jobs - the American Free Enterprise System does. But, in order to hire employees, business has to have a market that can be worked and grown. Perhaps I should add the term "domestic" market to keep the outsourcing at a minimum. Maybe he'll start there.

The only problem is that two of the biggest industries are now backpeddling. The auto industry has so much inventory that remains unsold that there is simply no way that they can compete to the level in which they are accustomed. While Toyota, Nissan and Honda, among a few, have consistently performed better is not necessarily a testament to their quality as it is to their ability to price a vehicle that is within reach of the American consumer. That requires production changes and major changes in the cost of doing business. Maybe he'll start there.

How nice to see Nancy Pelosi reach out to the UAW as they look for some financial backing in trying to reinvent themselves. For that matter, how nice to see Nancy Pelosi do anything. With a commanding lead in the House, the Senate and now the White House, perhaps he should start there.

Back to the housing thing. Big item #2. Lack of housing? Nope. Lack of people with the resources to buy a house ?(see above on enemployment). Perhaps the housing industry and the lending industry can get together and match up people with houses they can actually afford. You know, if we don't do that, there could be a major credit crisis on Wall Street. Oh, that's right, we've already been there. This problem has been (?) fixed with about $800 billion tax dollars going to keep the credit industry afloat. The key to that is getting people to buy those foreclosed houses and actually make more than two payments. Cleaning up that mess will take awhile. Perhaps he'll start there.

But, there is no doubt that he is starting on a high note. Mandate? Not sure of that, but there is a compelling reason why people got involved in this (and his) campaign. Where to start all of the changes he has spoken towards is hardly a short list. It is an daunting list. Overwhelming. My hope is that he will surround himself with some fresh faces whose sole mission is to improve what we have been doing. Or not doing. My sense is that he'll start here.

A couple of thoughts. W was in the Rose Garden saying goodbye to his own staff, wishing them well and saying thanks. He was also telling them that they were out of work in about 10 weeks. This man is not the pariah that he has been compared to. He was, and will always be, a victim of his own short-sightedness and poor timing. 9-11 did occur on his watch, as did Katrina. He made a poor decision on the former and no decision on the latter. But, since September 11, 2001, we have not been attacked again. And, like him or not, we haven't had any of the fraternity house games with loose women that perpetrated his predecessor. An even trade? No. And now he can start there, mostly likely in Crawford, Texas. I wish him well.

Final observation. I kept watching newscast after newscast trumpeting the election. From the comparison of Lincoln freeing the slaves to Joe Louis knocking out Max Schmeling to Jackie Robinson integrating baseball in 1947 to the Martin Luther King legacy. I saw Jessie Jackson crying and Oprah celebrating. Does that mean that this election evens the playing field for all of the racial hatred of the past? Does this now mean that all is forgiven? Barack Obama may be our first African American President, but he is now the Commanding Officer for all Americans. Let's not lose sight of that simple fact.

I have great expectations. I have great fears. I am not alone. For all of the speeches, dollars and rhetoric that was shared over the past 18 months, reconnecting the White House with America should be somewhere on that list. My hope is that he will start there.

Goodness knows he has many choices and I am confident that he will change history. By changing politics. The wounded Right will mount their smear attacks starting now (just as the Far Left would do if the tables were reversed). My hope is that there are enough Big issues to overcome those petty ones that keep getting thrust upon all. Including President Obama.

What is undeniable is, for the first time since 1980, 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue is without a Bush or a Clinton residing there. That's a good start.

As the story of his first 100 days is written, I'll share the hope and potential with my hero; she'll see much more of the outcome than I. I hope she gets to meet him. Particularly since she shares the same name as his youngest daughter. He did come here to fill sandbags. The flood of top priorities that he is facing will require more than sand, but will nevertheless require the teamwork that will get that job done. We'll all be watching. I think he knows that.

Till next week, and as always, I remain.....