Obama Must Beware the Gap Between His Rhetoric and His Politics
President Obama has had an outstanding start. He has demonstrated the capacity to lead and to manage on the national scale. For example, he is to be commended for his remarkably forthright reform views on education and his determination to connect all Americans on the Web. He speaks forcefully on behalf of introducing more merit pay for good teachers and dispensing with bad ones, and creating more charter schools because of their successes. This is remarkable because it is a frontal challenge to one of the most important support groups of the Democratic Party, namely the teachers unions. Obama is courageous in his insistence that education is a critical issue. Education, including retraining in new skills, is where the future of our country will be shaped and ensured.
Yet his convictions and charm will be enough to carry the country forward only if his policies are adequate to meet the financial and economic crises. Similarly, his willingness to meet and treat with the enemies of America will not pay dividends (notably in dealings with Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan, and Russia) unless America's economic strength is restored.
There is a palpable sense of hope in the country, even as everyone's eyes are trained on one person: Obama. He is our nation's leader and teacher who still retains the trust of the class. He has succeeded in evoking huge expectations and hopes; the challenge now is in living up to them.
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Reader Comments
No Gap Between Pay and Play, As Usual
"So far, concerns over Obama's policies have not translated into a loss of public support despite the rise in the numbers out of work."
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Which may testify to how much the Republicans are disliked. People aren't blaming Obama and are increasingly recognizing the persistent Goebbels tactics of the GOP. Incidentally, offering us a "Listening Tour" is pouring salt on the wound.
The GOP is struggling to keep its diminished power. I hope it costs them a bundle.
Priority...NOT AGENDA
Through all the mis-reporting of the TParty movement, the major complaint against the Obama/Pelosi/Reid team is a huge amount of mis-directed spending. GWB did not enter office expecting 911 but that is what he got and that became his priority. Obama entered office knowing about his "911", the economy. This crisis has not become his priority, rather an excuse to forward his agenda with a price tag never before seen in history.
Despite the "confidence" reflected in the polls, no one has the confidence to spend or start a business or to hire new employees.
I believe America will eventually stumble out of the recession but will find it has a BIG DEBT hangover from all the Obama kool-aid they've been drinking.
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