Oh, great. America, the greatest nation on Earth! All this is predicated on the idea that the predicament we are in wasn’t preventable and that we Americans didn’t see this coming. But, many did years ago. Those in power didn’t care.
So, the USA Today Editorial Board thinks it should tell me and other Americans why we should pipe down and just eat our turkey and one of those reasons involve the election of Barack Obama.
I will let you look at the six they provide. One in particular deserves to be put under the microscope:
1. Optimism still reigns
Despite all the gloomy news, the U.S. remains an optimistic nation. Hopefulness and being American go hand in hand. Even now, surveys confirm that the times haven't altered that basic disposition. Almost two-thirds — 65% — think the country will be better off in four years, according to a USA TODAY/Gallup Poll shortly after Election Day. As that time frame suggests, much of the optimism is driven by the fact that President-elect Barack Obama is about to take charge.
Change is always a tonic. The election campaign was long and bitter, but the clear-cut result confirmed the strength of democracy. It also achieved Martin Luther King's dream that African Americans could one day be judged by the content of their character, not the color of their skin. Nearly 70% of Americans say they have a favorable opinion of Obama, and more than three-quarters believe he will improve U.S. standing abroad. Millions of people are expected to attend his inauguration on Jan. 20.
All presidents fail in some ways, and Obama will undoubtedly falter at times, as well. Future historians may judge George W. Bush more kindly than today's dismal approval ratings suggest. But for now, at least, it seems fortuitous timing for a change at the top.
First, an African American, not African Americans triumphed. If an African American chose to run in 2012, there would still be litmus tests for him or her to pass. And, Barack Obama didn’t choose to take up any African American issues during his campaign so he is not the first black president per se but rather the first president of the United States who you might have seen featured in an episode of “The Cosby Show.”
Barack Obama did nothing to challenge the white power structure. So, if any African American would choose to run for president and do that (like someone who may have consulted the history of Jesse Jackson), that African American would probably not triumph like Obama did.
Second, what is this change? This idea of change is not based in reality and that is proven by the USA Today’s utilization of the phrase, “Change is always a tonic.” Essentially, Americans have been drugged.
Third, Bush is a failure. More than that, he is a war criminal who should be prosecuted. Whether he failed or not is not up for history books to decide. The last thing we want is history book writers writing the history of Dubya because we all know what they've done to the history of Thanksgiving.
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