Tuesday, April 14, 2009
THE OBAMA EFFECT
I was in a plane going to Denver and seated next to me was a gentleman from Italy who lives in Germany and works in the auto parts industry. I asked about the state of the European economy and he reported the same kind of economic malaise we are experiencing in America. But he made a curious comment, he was hopeful the "Obama Effect" would have positive impact on the the world economy. Imagine that, the Obama Effect, that's what he called it, the Obama Effect. I see it everywhere and I just don't get it. What is it about this man that inspires such devotion? What has he done in his short live, and much shorter tenure in the Oval Office, that makes him so popular?
He hasn't discovered a cure for cancer. He hasn't built a bridge. He has not really accomplished anything, beyond being a black man who won the Presidency with false promises. Change we can believe in was his mantra. However, it appears to be business as usual on Capital Hill and in the White House. Tax cheats and lobbyists run amok, in charge of my country.
Look at the financial system for a moment. The big companies got the government money. They kept the so-called toxic assets. And they get to recognize capital losses on their tax returns. The toxic assets are homes that one day will recover their value. Yet Obama and Geithner keep giving corporate titans money, with almost no restraint. Conveniently, they can rail on corporate compensation - AFTER THE FACT.
Well, my fellow Americans, the only Obama Effect that I see is that my 401K has lost half its value. I am putting more money into it to make up for what Wall Street has stolen. The Obama Effect is that I will have to work more years before retiring and I have less disposable income today than I did before Obama.
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2 comments:
You should have put your money in a sock. As a means of savings, the sock has is continually overlooked as they do nothing to help accrue interest or protect your physical tender itself. However, it seems as though you lose less money with a sock account. =)
As with any prez, you cant fully asses the impact of the administration untill they are gone. I voted for Obama because I felt letting a Palin near the white house would negate my entry in The Book Of Life.
Prez is loosing popularity steadily. It wont be long before his blackness is moot if it isn't already. Even so, I cant imagine any president walking into the decades of leftover political goopity goo. I would feel like a maid in a frat house after initiation. ( Wow. I think that is a pretty good analogy.) I imagine the frat boys (or their analogical counterpart) saying stuff like "why are throwing that out?" or "why are you moving the couch?" The fact of the matter is that there are somethings that need to get done and I know the first question I would have is 'where the hell do I start?'. He deserves at least the recognition of have the balls to follow the Bush disaster.
Also, Obama wants things to be different. He may not know how to change things but he sincerely wants it and people relate to that cuz they want it too. I personally don't think he can fix the country, but he is trying things that no one else has or has even wanted to. That (for lack of a better term) rebellious spirit is what has historically brought about radical change be it through war, diplomacy, policy, or whatever.
One inspiring trait of the President is that he genuinely relies on his faith to the point that it is common knowledge within the American populace. That makes him different from some of our recent previous chiefs. There were some others that were like this. They were typically ( and arguably) good Presidents.
It must be said that there has never been a perfect president. I know we all know that. But picking a president is a lot like picking a girlfriend. You'll never find the total package, but you can find the one that tips the scale favorably. I picture these discussions like a couple of school girls talking about boys. "I dont know if I like Obama or not. He kinda reminds me my ex-prez. Remember Kennedy? I still miss him sometimes. Or at least things about him. And, I don't know..., Obama is kinda cute."
Remember back in the day when you were told that it was the right thing to 'respect the presidents decision because he is the president'? I remember filmstrips in black and white (clearly government issue) saying " we must trust" cuz "he's got some tough desisions to make". I guess those must have stuck cuz, at the very least, I understand those statements. I, at the very least, have come to understand that I do not want his job. Do you?
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