Tuesday, January 20, 2009

CHANGE!

I want to say congratulations to now President (no longer President-elect) Barack Obama. I look forward to see what the Obama administration has to offer the citizens of the United States.

What I haven't like though, are these allusions and comparisons to past Presidents, namely Abraham Lincoln and to a lesser extent Thomas Jefferson. Obama and Lincoln have only a few things in common: 1.) they are both from Illinois, 2.) they both were elected President of the United States, 3.) they were sworn in using the same Bible, and 4.) they were both over 6' tall. Outside of that, not a whole lot in common. Some pundits have made overly strong comparisons, saying Obama is in the tradition of Lincoln and Jefferson.

Barack Obama is no Abe Lincoln. He is no Thomas Jefferson. Lincoln become Lincoln after what Lincoln did, what he went through, the decisions he made and the results thereafter. (Oh yeah, then he got shot in the back of the head which helps to cement a legacy of martyrdom.) Jefferson became Jefferson by helping to lead a fledgling, ragtag group of states through a revolution, the Revolution, and to help shape the documents used to govern the country that emerged from the Revolution.

The challenges Obama is facing is nothing like what those men faced or had to deal with. Will he be compared to Lincoln or Jefferson in history? Is a comparison valid? We will have to wait and see in 4 - 8 years. He will either be the next FDR or the next Jimmy Carter (both of whom are despised by Bresh).

All I am saying is to give the guy a chance. If I can't criticize him yet because he hasn't been in office, then you really can't praise him (at least to that extent) because he hasn't done anything. To all the crazy Obama fans, lets see what happens.

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