Anyone who knows me knows that I am not a fan of Barack Obama. I have watched as he has consistently failed to lead, made decisions that ran counter to his campaign promises, and failed to help the very people who elected him President of the United States. I believe my fellow Americans, friend or foe alike, would agree. However, last night’s State of the Union address gave me pause. Instead of seeing the Obama of old, I saw a new, changed Obama. He wasn’t the same man that took the oath of office last year.
Generically speaking, I believe people handle adversity in two ways. They either let it beat them, or they use it to make a comeback. Obama appears to be tacking into the latter. Last night, Obama acknowledged his mistakes and said he deservedly paid the political price. Shortly thereafter, he called everyone out and put them on notice. He told the Democrats that they have a responsibility to the American citizens and that they can’t “run for the hills” with the largest Democratic majorities in decades. Then he turned to the Republicans. He told them that saying “no” to everything and requiring a “super majority” to get anything done in the Senate is not leadership. He further said that if that continues to be their strategy, they will be responsible for governing too. What struck me the most was when he said “We don’t quit. I don’t quit”.
What I found most interesting last night was the smug attitude of the Republicans. They looked like the super rich that have been harming our country for the last decade. They looked like the greedy bankers, lobbyists, and investors that created the second Great Depression. With unemployment at 20%, they showed up in expensive suits and wearing watches that cost more than most people’s annual salaries. But what was most striking was their lack of respect for the President. The expressions on John Boehner and Eric Cantor were priceless. It bordered on racism, in my opinion. Even worse, they looked bored and many of them tinkered with their Blackberry devices instead of respectfully listening. That is outrageous. Even despite this lack of respect and smug attitude, President Obama got them to their feet quite a bit in the second half of his speech.
Although I begin 2010 with continued skepticism toward President Obama, I do have reasons to hope. It seems like he has learned from the failures of the past year and is ready for a fight. I hope that the conviction he showed in last night’s speech translates into action because ordinary Americans like me are hurting. We need help and quite frankly, we deserve it. Mr. President, you have afforded yourself a second chance. I hope and I pray that you take it. Not for me, not for any one American, but for us all. John Swanagon loves the United States of America and is tired of a handful of greedy, ruthless people trying to destroy her.