In one weeks’ time…
The Nation, nay the WORLD, will be watching as Obama is inaugurated. Many see him as the lightning rod for change…and maybe he is. I personally dont think much earth-shattering is going to go on, I think it will be business as usual, seeing as how Obama is already demanding that Congress authorize the remaining $350Billion from the bailout boondoggle. That surprises me, in fact. I have a sneaking suspicion that there is more to this bailout than we will ever know…and I deeply resent that the beneficiaries of this bailout dont have to account to the public for PUBLIC monies!!! Im sure Obama has far more socially conscious plans for this money, but the fact remains, someone down the line will be picking up the tab for the unmitigated recklessness of those mortgage lenders. And it should have been THEM! Actually, they should NEVER have gotten the $$ in the first place!! If a small business owner makes a bad business decision and his business folds, nobody rushes to hand him money to stay in business…..Im just saying.
Anyway, back to Rose-colored Inaugurations. I do think Obama is more concerned about the Average Joe than the Bushwhacker was (no, I KNOW he is) and goodness knows, we desperately need to get those damn War Hawks out of the White House. Time for transparency again, and accountability, and if we get that restored, I will join the world in feeling hopeful again. I’d like to see the entire lending industry get a HUGE overhaul, starting with the major credit lenders. They should have strict accountability, and transparency and there should be strict oversight to that sector. I’d also like to see the energy producers, particularly big oil, be strictly regulated. The obscene profits they’ve garnered over the last 8 years have been a black eye on the face of every consumer. I’d like to see the Environment protected again, and a new commitment to the arts and sciences. Time will tell if Obama cares about those things as well…
On a final note, Hillary will get a chance to shine in her own right. It wasnt quite the role I wanted for her, but she may yet sit in that Presidential seat. I hope so.
Its ALL Blarney!! 
Yeah, I don’t trust politicians in general and don’t believe Obama will necessarily be different — we’ll wait and see just which people he owes favors to in exchange for assisting his ascendancy to the White House. The economic bailout situation is by turns sad, disgusting and crazy; my uncle’s a macroeconomics professor at Stanford who used to work for the feds including Greenspan, and he added his name to a long list of signatures opposing the first bailout plan.
Like your preferred priorities for Barack. Glad to see Hillary will be in the White House once again, although I kind of was hoping she’d be selected as Secretary of Health, Education and Welfare. Regardless, her foreign policy experience should be valuable in helping repair our diplomatic status and image abroad. And maybe Sen. Ted Kennedy’s effort to push forward universal health care will bear some fruit if even setting a precedent or two, some kind of learning experience for the future. I feel Obama might be able to keep the healthcare system from sliding further into its abyss; at any rate he’ll be better than John “nation of whiners will get a $5k annual credit” McCain.
Agreed. I also signed onto the petition for CA Universal health care, if you’re interested I can get you the link….
update: I just sent you the link for the CA health care initiative, and would you be surprised if I told you I am now getting traffic from the infamous Horsemanity crowd? Yes, it seems their pathetic lives were too frigging boring without me. I’d almost be flattered, almost.