He Was Full Of Fury

During The Campaign

Will His Rhetoric Become

Pragmatic And Actionable?

by Johnny Gunn

It will of course be a long way down the road before we will see any changes in our lives, in our government, in our relations with the rest of the world, but it isn’t too early to look at some of what might come about following the January inauguration of Barack Obama and a very heavily weighted democratic congress.  It is also in February that we will see what the election of a democrat weighted Nevada Legislature might bring to the table.  The one constant in all of this is what was called “change” during the campaigns.  The question of course is, what will those changes be?

Mr. Obama will have to make some very early decisions, maybe even before the inauguration, about the current economic crisis in the country.  The general population doesn’t trust our government, according to a significant poll recently, and as things stand right now, it’s safe to say there is very little trust in our banking and mortgage industries.  While a president has limited ability to actually make changes, the policies of the president carry considerable weight in congress and in the business world.  With a democratic congress, the president should have an open door for bringing the crisis under control.

A move like that would also bolster the public’s feelings toward its government.  There would be little chance of creating a national health program, which would entail large tax increases, when the current economic conditions are such that millions are out of work, homes are being foreclosed on, and small businesses are folding left and right.  Mr. Obama’s economic policies must be sure and quick if he is to have any kind of effectiveness for other programs.

Until Mr. Obama announces his cabinet, it will be difficult to ascertain his international policies, and hopefully, with his limited knowledge of international relations, he will rely to an extent on Vice President elect Joseph Biden whose background is international relations.  Our current policies seem to be, “do it our way or get invaded.  If we don’t actually invade, we will threaten you with invasion.”  We are waving that big stick and screaming at the same time.  This type of foreign policy hasn’t worked in the past and it certainly isn’t working today.

The symbol of the United States as a world leader, and that symbol has stood its ground since World War II, is now more a caricature than representative of strength, virtue, and personal freedom.  Our policies have destroyed the ways of life of millions in Iraq, and that must be corrected, we have almost made an enemy of former friend India, our meddling in Georgia has led to death and destruction, Afghanistan’s opium trade is at an all time high because of us, Pakistan, a supposed friend, harbors those wishing to destroy our way of life, and North Korea is a continuing question.

When all of that has been digested, somebody sitting in a large office on Pennsylvania Avenue will have to spend a great deal of time trying to put some kind of non political handle on the issue of oil, coal, renewable resources, and world air pollution.  You asked for change, it looks like you may be getting barrels full if Mr. Obama is up to the job.  And he can’t do anything without congress willing to work with him.  The current crop of congressional leaders are in his party, but they have been less than effective in the last several sessions.

Welcome aboard, sir, and good luck.

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Cartoon by Thomas Nast, April 12, 1874