OBAMA SET TO BEAR AMERICA's ALBATROSS

Obama set to bear America’s albatross
Call to service key in bearing this load

By Chinta Strausberg

When the clock strikes noon today, Tuesday, January 20, 2009, Vice President Joe Biden will have already been sworn into office, but the nation’s financial, racial divide, healthcare inequities, educational deficits, environmental weaknesses, and foreign relations demise will fall on the shoulders of President Barack Obama.

Obama, who will become the 44th U.S. president and the first African American, will adhere to Article II, Section I of the U.S. Constitution by taking the following oath:

“I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully execute the office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States.”

While I fear the honeymoon with President Obama will be short lived, thank God America will never be the same again. It will truly be the dawning of a new day, a new nation—one where the 1886 Statute of Liberty will take on a new meaning—one where she will not only welcome immigrants, tourists, and those returning home, but people of all races and religions who want to experience the American dream.

Her torch will become symbolic of the hope that more than 62 million Obama supporters wielded in the ballot box on November 4, 2008. It will become the beacon of change and the beginning of an era that will seek to rectify America’s past wrongs and America’s violations of human and civil rights. It will represent an era where equity will be the cornerstone and the litmus test of the Obama presidency.

No more affirmative action for the wealthy. Let fairness ring from all corners of this nation. The light from the Statute of Liberty will expose every single unfair policy, law or practice and it shall be changed.

The light will represent the truth in exposing and finding viable solutions to the financial quagmire President Obama inherited. The light will shine on new ways to fix old problems like stabilizing Social Security, public hospitals, restructuring student loans, rebuilding America’s infrastructure that includes creating millions of jobs—much like the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC), a public works program President Franklin D. Roosevelt began for young men whose families were unemployed. It was included in Roosevelt’s New Deal during the Great Depression.

Well, President Obama, I believe, will have to come up with a modern day New Deal…the Obama Deal…one that will call on his domestic army of 62,527,406 supporters to help him get the legislation passed he needs to change America. This nation’s finances are on life support, and America needs a face-lift.

However, Obama will be caught in a Catch-22 situation when it comes to repairing America’s weakened economy. With joblessness on the rise, foreclosures multiplying across the nation, Wall Street, which made bad choices, seeking more financial bailouts, the need of yet another economic stimulus, immediate fixing of the monitoring of America’s markets and investment houses, Obama will have to come up with a number of creative short and long-term fixes.

While President George W. Bush enjoyed a $2 trillion surplus thanks to President Bill Clinton, today the nation’s deficit is projected to be around $1.2 trillion. America is in a very deep recession the likes of which has not been seen since World War II, according to The Congressional Budget Office (CBO).

The CBO predicts the “enactment of an economic stimulus package would add to that deficit” and that the deficit predicted for 2010 “falls to 4.9 percent of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) still high by historical standards.”

According to a January 19, 2009 article written by the Associated Press (AP), this government has provided $192.3 billion to 257 both large and small financial institutions in 42 states and Puerto Rico as part of a financial bailout plan. Those in foreclosure didn’t get a dime of this corporate welfare and that is not fair. Wall Street got a bailout but those on Main Street are falling out of jobs and some committed suicide.

Stores like Circuit City are still going out of business, and people on Main Street are still losing their homes due to foreclosures. President Obama will have to restructure the banking system including reforming the Federal Reserve (central banking system) that was created in 1913 and the same banks that are part of today’s financial problems.

I believe Obama should fire the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System and replace them with his people. I am also leery about giving Wall Street another bailout without their giving up something in return especially the golden parachutes, which smack in the face of people standing in unemployment lines across America. Why should CEO’s get millions of dollars just to say goodbye? Something is wrong with that picture.

Bad financial times have a ricochet effect that’s bad for business. There is a lock down on credit, which affects lending institutions that trickles down to businesses that need loans to meet payrolls. Consumers are leery about spending and stores are closing as a result. This results in massive job loss across the nation.

President Obama has inherited a mess, but I believe in time he will right the wrongs left at his new doorsteps at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue—his new home that ironically was partially built by slaves, but he will need his army ready and willing to help him execute the change platform he ran on.

Obama has already put out a call for volunteers to help him put back the broken pieces of America which has clearly fell off the wall. He needs his supporters to rebuild and restore each community—block-by-block until this nation has been restored.

Mr. President, this nation is ready for change. While expectations will be great, we look up to you for leadership, but it feels good to know we have a President in the White House who first looks up to God for the answers. Congratulation, President Obama, and may God guide and protect you every inch of the way—until America is healed from his past human rights and financial sins.
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