I wonder...Can Obama Pull it All Togther?

(Sorry for no paragraph breaks--can't get program to give me them either by spacing or indent)

Now, those of you who know me, know that I am rarely a political person. However, this morning President-elect Barack Obama spoke on the state of our nation's economy. This is twelve days before his inauguration as President of the United States. This is twelve days before he has any power to enact his policies. This morning he served as U.S. Tour Guide on our ride to Destination Recession. Pointing out Greedy Banking & Mortgage Court, Consumer Over Spending Blvd., and Congressional Blind-Eye Way. He showed us his map of Reformation and Rehabilitation. Identifying the need for broad, sweeping change and creation of employment for the millions of unemployed workers to generate national cash flow. He will create work on our infrastructure and renewable resources while protecting police, fire, and education services. Tax breaks and unemployment extensions will be given. Affordable health care for all Americans is a goal. In five years, all medical records must be accessible electronically. This will ensure costly tests will not have to be repeated. There will be many more stops along the route.

His directions to Solvency and Stability Street are broad and unclear. I felt unsettled by the largess of the map and the lack of direct specificity. I felt he quickly jumped over Affordable Health Care Way. Maybe he doesn't have a real plan for this or maybe he just doesn't want to step in the Hillary Clinton Health Care Bog of Death. We'll find out in twelve days.

What Guide Obama did make clear was that the turn around starts TODAY! RIGHT NOW! We have no more time for equivocation. For all the many directions mentioned, there were two essential stops. Firstly, Obama was smacking the collective Congressional ass; putting an end to bipartisan, me-first temper tantrums. Lastly, he's trying to pull us, a nation, together.

It will take a long time to recover from our illness. Our addictions will be hard to conquer alone. Even though he doesn't yet have power, Congress does. They have twelve days in which they can get a lot of work done. He wants them all to know that he's watching them with the Stank Eye even though he can't give them orders. He knows that Wall Street is watching and unless action is taken, a month could make recovery perilous.

Ironically, today a Financial Summit commenced in France hosted by French President Nicolas Sarkozy. Economists, government leaders, and intellectuals were invited. The two day focus is on overhaulin' and rethinkin' capitalism. The specific focus is on re-regulating financial markets as free market capitalism is out of control. According to Sarkozy, "certain aspects are amoral. I agree with him on this point. It is time to think in new directions and without destroying it, add values into the system. The U.S. Ambassador was in attendance but many felt more officials from the United States should have come. This meeting is a prelude to a larger meeting that will be held in two months. This meeting will include our newly elected president Barack Obama.

NOW is the time for Rehabilitation of the People by the People. TODAY Barack Obama became not only our tour guide but, apparently, our sponsor. Today I felt HOPE! Having hope is what makes the difference between swimming and drowning.