I have been off-roading and spending quality time with my sister and my best friend here in Cedar Crest and not even watching the political news. But I get these alerts in my e-mail from New York Times and they said Obama was again heading to the hill to confer with Congressional leaders and Republicans on his economic stimulus bill!
Wait this is a sitting president. Not a president elect or a presidential wannabe. GW Bush spent eight years enshrined in the Oval office! He never even invited a single Democrat to the White House until his final two months in office. And President Obama has not only had everyone up for lunch and conference but is going once again to the Capital to confer with the opposing party!
For those of you looking for signs that he is fulfilling his promise for change look no further. This is a huge change. And not only is he talking to them but asking questions like, "Do you have a better suggestion?" Boy is this a far cry from the belligerent, "I am the decider" we have all become so used to in almost a decade of disastrous leadership.
But it takes more than just one side to make for bipartisanship. Come on Republicans get into the spirit of this new cooperation. Let's all pull as a team to get us out of this quagmire into which we have sunk.
We are not Republicans and Democrats or liberals and conservatives or Red States and Blue States. We are Americans all in the same state of economic collapse with an eroding infrastructure and an over-dependence on foreign imports be they oil or Parker Toys with lead paint from China. If you cannot cozy up to the opposition at least give President Obama an honest hearing when he comes to your house to extend the hand of cooperation.
I see that Republicans were jostling to have their photographs taken with him!! Pity they decided to cozy on up after already having made the decision to go against Obama.
ReplyDeleteGWB was inhospitable anyway and as far as I could see, socially immobile! But he has gone and a new day has dawned.
Obama is showing the true spirit of bipartisanship that he promised, but Republicans insist on playing by the old Washington rules - party first, American people later. Obama's going to have an uphill battle trying to change the way things are done in Washington, but he's been such a breath of fresh air this past week - speaking intelligently and articulately, doing a little "dressing down" (as in, sans suit jacket) and working to serve the American people FIRST. I keep pinching myself to convince myself that yes, this incredible, amazing, intelligent, articulate and inspiring young man IS our President! It's going to take some doing, but my hope is that he CAN change the way business is done in Washington to where it once again serves THE AMERICAN PEOPLE. They work for US, not the other way around, and Obama gets it. Thank heavens we have a leader who truly knows how to lead and who, I hope, will break down the old barriers that have kept things so gridlocked for so long in Washington.
ReplyDeleteThank you Sally for a very thoughtful comment. Yes, you are right I do have to keep pinching myself. I think because he was so active as president-elect I sometimes fear GW will pop in and burst the bubble. Obama is amazing. I realized that when I worked with his campaign toward the end.
ReplyDeleteWe have to have this stimulus package but even more important is the breakdown of politics as usual. I am so tired of Red State/Blue State and the divisiveness of the last eight years.