Obama-One Year Later

It was one year ago today that the United States of America elected Barack Obama President of the United States of America. So, as the far left feels deflated and calls Obama "timid" and the far right is going to "tea parties" to protest the various slights and hardships of being white and having an upper-class income in 2009, it is a good time to evaluate what is going on in our political world.

For instance, what would really be different if McCain had won? How would your life personally change? Would you really be any different or happier? Other than praying for the health of McCain, what would you do differently?

The same number of young people in the military would still be fighting and dying in Iraq and Afghanistan. Amina's brother and NINE of my former students would still be currently serving in two war-zones.

We would still have a massive health-care problem, the economy would continue to bottom-out, and people would still continue to be happy or sad on a daily basis. We would still have freedom of religion, freedom of the press, freedom to assemble, freedom to debate, and the freedom to listen or watch whomever we like.

I think that the reason that people are feeling let-down by Obama is because his campaign was such a fascinating horse-race that actual governing seems somewhat boring. He has not had a moment (like Bush after 9/11) where the country really rallies together. Instead we have a continual economic decline and the daily drip of bad news. People just seem sort of worn-out and want to take a break from politics.

Ultimately, the one-year mark means nothing, it is how Obama performs when or if something horrific happens on his watch and how he responds to it. His legacy will be how he asserts himself as a leader and thinker in the coming three years.