Excited about Obama?

Millions of conservatives are scared silly of Barack Obama and his policies.  They are offshoring bank accounts, setting up medical services outside the U.S., and purchasing guns at an increased rate. (So at least gun retailers have a little business in this economy.)  While it may be inappropriate to call me a conservative, (I haven't found anything to call myself and don't really care to, but it would probably be best to call myself a "liberal conservative",  as the term goes) the fact is that I did vote for John McCain.  I disagree with many tenets of Barack Obama's governmental philosophy, most basically his opinion on the role of government.  There are, however, many notable things I do agree with him with, while disagreeing with John McCain. (And there are even more disagreements I have with Bush administration policy than I do with McCain.)  But as I see the events of inauguration week unfold, I ask myself, should I excited for this?

One of the things that scared me the most about Obama's election was that one party would have control of the government.  The level of control the Democrats have will be unprecedented in recent history.  It is not the fact that it is the Democrats who will hold the power, but the fact that any party will.  I believe power corrupts, and I believe that both parties abuse their power.  I think it is better when there are two parties in Washington that both have legitimate power.  I believe in the importance of checks and balances.  During the campaign, I was distraught because Obama was preaching bipartisanship while his record showed virtually none.  That fact could really not be debated, but his words could magically make people believe. So, his record coupled with a Democratic Congress and likely Supreme Court, didn't make me feel too secure.  Not to mention his oft-talked about actions that seemed arrogant.  (Like his presidential seal and stage set at his DNC speech.)

However, Obama has THOROUGHLY IMPRESSED me with his humility and his pragmatism during his transition.  I have been stunned In his choices for his cabinet, to what he has said, to the polices he wants to work toward.  He has even started disagreeing with Nancy Pelosi before he is in office, which is a positive development.  I now have faith, which I don't think is blind faith, that Obama will be more in his policies and will be more moderate.  

I would like to think that Obama will lead to a new era of politics.  To a fresh start.  Not a messianic era where everything will be solved, as some would like to think.  But a fresh start for a tired and troubled country.  Politics is cyclical.  In the U.S., there have been easy to recognize periods like the Era of Good Feelings, the Gilded Age, and the era of laizze-faire Republicans in the early 20th century.  In the words of Obama, I'm not naive enough to think one election will change everything.  Racial politics will still be there, though hopefully to lesser extent.  I hope his presidency means a lessening of the power of racial politics.  I am also not naive enough to think one election will totally change people from their uncivil political discourse.  I don't think that is possible.  I believe race problems, and to a much larger extent corrosive political discussion, are human nature.  Seemingly, anyone with a brain could realize that our left vs. right, them vs. us politics, with our hateful talk and mindless, ignorant thinking is immature, stupid, wrong, and very unproductive.  Apparently, though, most Americans don't have a brain because they haven't learned this lesson.  And I don't think they ever fully will.  I wish people would transform the language these use to talk about politics and thoughts on "the other side", but that is unlikely they will give up the grip of this type of politics  So, even though I think there will always be unkind political debate, I do hope this election changes the tone a little bit.

Also, I am happy the inauguration is finally here after what has seemed like years since the election.

Lastly, of course, is the fact that he is a black man (or half black) being elected.  (Of course historically he would have been considered just "black" because he has one drop of black blood in him.)  I am ELATED, THRILLED, ECSTATIC that a black man is being sworn in as president.  I can't even put into words what this means.  

So, today, I am excited that Barack Obama is being sworn in.  I would have loved for it to be John McCain.  I would have liked for it to be Hilary Clinton.  I've always thought she would make a very fine president.  However, I am tempted to almost say that I could would rather have Obama than anyone else being elected.  To me, right now, I am almost more concerned that there is a change than the specific policies.  In some ways, right now I almost have a philosophy of realpolitik in regards to some policies.  I think to get this country running again, we need a total different direction, a shock.  Because it is not really how the government will operate, but the people response.  Economically, this is the big determinant.  So, today, I can really say I am excited about Barack Obama's inauguration and can enjoy it.