Well, we did it. Barack Obama is the 44th president of the United States of America. By "we," I mean our generation. College students overwhelmingly voted for Barack Obama in November, claiming to be drawn to his message of hope and inspiration while rejecting the politics we grew up around.
This isn't in the least bit surprising. Let's face it, anybody who paid at least some kind of attention to the political atmosphere in the past 20 years or so has had to deal with constant partisan bickering, so much so that it is rare for anything to actually be accomplished in our nation's capital. Politics is, frankly, distasteful for many people who expect responsibility from those in power.
With Democrats holding very large majorities in both houses of Congress, it won't take much persuasion on the other end of the aisle to pass most of Obama's agenda. The real challenge will be that essential promise made to our generation -- the fundamental difference between him and his opponents, both Hillary Clinton and John McCain. It was on every poster and bumper sticker, on every leaflet. We heard it on the radio and saw it on the television. Change.
Not just a change of policy from George W. Bush, but a change in the very fabric that holds politics-as-usual in Washington together. This will be far more difficult than closing Guantanamo Bay or ending "Don't Ask Don't Tell." These changes, while part of Obama's promise to America, are not without a price. In Washington, it is far easier to make concessions or deals with other politicians or lobbying groups than to engage in long, tedious, likely pointless battles that could possibly reinforce the concept of partisan gridlock in the minds of the America people.
Will Barack Obama truly be able to deliver the change he has promised us? One can only hope so. We need to believe, as a people, that our government is about something more than backroom deals and shady agreements.
From what we have seen so far, there is reason to believe. The transition process has been more open than ever before, allowing citizens unprecedented access to the details of the incoming administration.
Obama has had meals and conversations with both liberal and conservative journalists, listening to the arguments of those he agrees with and disagrees with alike.
Continuing with the concept of inclusion, he has placed former rival Hillary Clinton in his top cabinet position, while Republicans such as Gen. Jones, Secretary Gates and Representative LaHood are also featured. The Obama Administration will not be made up of "yes-men."
For Energy Secretary, rather than rewarding a loyal supporter, Obama chose a Nobel Laureate. Important positions are filled by qualified individuals, not big donors.
In his stimulus package, Obama devotes a significant amount of its proposal to tax breaks, typically a Republican focus. This seems to suggest Obama is willing to work on ideas that may not typically fit in with his party's ideology in order to do what he feels best advances the situation. His bipartisan, conciliatory nature seems to go against Washington's partisan, combative modus operandi.
These examples lead me to believe that Obama is on the right track at the start of his inevitably historical first term as president.
President Obama appears to be, as President Lincoln would've put it, "appealing to the better angels of our nature." He has put partisan battles behind him, and has instead focused on the monumental task at hand: an economic crisis, two wars and a growing energy problem.
But therein lies the greatest danger; because of Barack Obama's desire to deliver on these key issues as soon as possible, will he sacrifice those principles of change that he promised to deliver? Will he revert to the politics of yesterday if put under pressure to change policy quickly? Will he become a partisan warrior as Clinton did and claim a right-wing conspiracy? Will he ignore the opinions and ideas of the opposition as Bush did?
Obama spoke a lot about hope; my hope is that Barack Obama will be able to deliver a lasting change to our system. If in four years our government is more open, our process cleaner, and our international reputation restored, Barack Obama will have kept his word to our generation. Maybe after that, politics will be more palatable for us all.
Dan Geroe is a senior political science major and is also president of the Young Democrats at Virginia Tech.
Leave a comment 4 Comments Write a letter to the editor
All letters to the editor must include a name, e-mail, daytime phone number and affiliation to Virginia Tech. Affiliation includes: year and major for students; position and department for faculty and staff; current city for alumni and parents.
Not to take anything away from Sen. Obama's victory - and I do wish him well, as all Americans should irregardless of their policy stances - but it's a bit ironic in this piece (as well as several others I've read) that claim a sort of universal victory over partisanship achieved by a universal reference to 'our generation' which subsequently follows into a litany of lauds for the Democratic majority and all of the things 'we' will finally see accomplished. I'd just like to point out that, while a majority of college-age students did in fact vote for Sen. Obama, there are many other college-age students who did not, and opted for McCain, Ron Paul (where permitted), and several other candidates. It's too early to claim any sort of victory whatsoever, because the man hasn't even taken office yet (as of the time of my comment, at least). I hope he winds up being the post-partisan level headed executive he claimed to be during the campaign, but it's quite premature to assess his victory as a definite victory for the American people. You can't judge the man, positively or negatively, until he's actually done something. To this point, he hasn't - and so judgment is best reserved.
Reply to this Top
"Irregardless" is not a word. And your claim that Obama hasn't done anything yet, continues to be absurd. Overcoming unrelenting and unfounded attacks from the Right to get elected by a resounding majority and electoral landslide is something. Graduating from Columbia is something. Getting into and graduating from Harvard Law is something. Becoming, and serving as, President of the Harvard Law Review is something. Serving in the Illinios state-house is something. Getting elected to and serving in the Senate is something. Well, if you mean that he hasn't consistently bloviated on the CT message boards to revel in his un-echoed opinions, you're right, he hasn't done much. Now please commence with three separate reply posts of 200 words each. Luv ya.
Reply to this Top
First things first, I don't always proofread everything I write on here. I make a whole-hearted attempt to maintain good standards of grammatical and spelling accuracy, but sometimes things slip through the cracks. "Irregardless" is labeled in the dictionary as an 'irregular word,' more of an awkward combination of 'regardless' and 'irrespective,' and has been used colloquially for the better part of the last century. The point I made about Sen. Obama regards the nearly-universal appraisal of utter success of the Obama Presidency when he had not, as of when I wrote the comment, actually done anything as President. I don't discredit his previous successes as an academic and a politician, and these may be legitimate harbingers of future success to be expected from his administration - but until the success is realized, it remains nothing more than speculation.
Reply to this Top
Hope and Change are not policies. He has as much knowledge about the military as my alarm clock. It will soon be realized he is not the savior that you Libs think he is. He isn't even the first black president, because he isn't full black. I'm not racist it's just a fact.
Reply to this Top