Monday, January 12, 2009

Obama brings change

You thought I was going to say, "Obama brings Hope" didn't you. Yes. Obama brings hope for Progressives worldwide. HOwever, if you look at all Americans and all human residents of earth, Obama brings change, maybe even extreme change. And that, is the point of this article.

For a lot of people like myself who are either progressive or populist by nature, Obama is basically a good thing for planet earth in general and for America in specific. Bush's lot in the carrot and stick approach has to be seen as the stick(not a fun lot in life for a president). Though Obama in good times might make a great president in these times I'm not sure anyone would make a good president or be entirely what america needs now. So within one year it is possible that Obama will envy Bush's first few years in context with what he is likely to face from within america and from the world in general. One of the biggest problems I can see for the new president is how in the world can he set useful priorities without offending almost everyone. People on the extreme right as well as the extreme left cannot but come to hate him because if he does what is right for our nation in order to keep the ship of state afloat and not sinking from severe recession or war or both will have to be very middle of the road. Basically, bail out the boat and don't eat or sleep until the ship of state is on a good course and out of trouble again. these changes might not come soon. But if they don't come soon enough it could be the permanent or semi permanent end of the United States.

And you in the rest of the world might say, "Well. What's wrong with the end of the United States?" My answer would be, "Do you expect China to be as kind to you or as helpful or to give you as much money for development as the U.S. has if the US goes under?

For people who are racists worldwide, Obama becoming president might be the single most terrifying thing they have ever experienced in their lives. After all, nations have seen nothing but old white men running America since before the Declaration of Independence. And it is important to note that a good estimate of the number of avowed or (closet) racists worldwide is also somewhere between 30% to 50% of the world population. So this could affect the way that America is treated as well.

So, even though Obama might signal hope for you and I and most of the people we know, he signals only change of the most terrifying kind to many people on earth. How they will react to him we can only guess at this point.

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