Watching coverage of the up coming inauguration of Barack Obama makes me realize that no US president has ever had to live up to the expectations placed on Barack Obama. A poll released ahead of Obama’s swearing in showed that nearly 80% of Americans believe he will make the country ‘s economy better within his term. I think America is in for a rude awaking. While the US may ride high on the Obama feel good train for a few weeks or even a few months, the reality is the US is still in the worst economic tailspin since the great depression. There is no way Mr. Obama is going to live up to the expectations placed on him. It’s impossible, no one can live up to this kind of hype.
The incoming President is about to take one of the biggest economic gambles in history. He is inheriting a trillion dollar deficit and he’s going to spend another trillion or so more to prime the economic pump to get America spending again. Spending money you don’t have to project an image that things are going well is nothing new. People do it all time. And we know where those people ultimately end up.
America is in debt to the tune of almost $10 trillion. It’s very possible that number will become $14 trillion after Obama’s first term. I find that extremely scary but hey, 80% of Americans believe in this guy and hope goes a long way, even in the face of stalk reality.
Tomorrow will be a historic day. The swearing in of the first black President of the United State. It’s a day that I thought would never happen. For one great day, my friends in the US can forget the fact that they voted for George Bush twice and look forward to not having to make their mortgage payments or put gas in their cars. Well, at least that’s what this proud US citizen is expecting.