So let me get this straight, now, in addition to voting for him, I have to tell him how to do his job too? Man, I knew I should’ve voted for Ron Paul.
—Frank Iero, My Chemical Romance, Leathermouth
To begin, it’s important that we put the current economic crisis in perspective. Although seemingly deep and protracted, this recession has lasted just over a year. The recessions of ‘78 and ‘81 were greater in scope and overall adverse effect to the economy. Yes, current economic conditions are feeble and growth is anemic but we’ve yet to enter a period of hysteria.
The rudiments of this crisis are deep and far- reaching; no single solution, or man for that matter, will undo the damage suffered as a result of years of systemic malfeasance and gross incompetence. My expectations of Obama are measured against the tragic experiment in failure of the Bush administration. Obama’s greatest achievement will simply be the rejection of Bush’s outright partisanship, blatant cronyism and far-Right extremism. America is yearning to be governed by a rational centrist and despite the left’s most ardent wishes and the right’s most pessimistic beliefs, Obama will not govern as a liberal. His senatorial voting record may highlight his liberalism but his appetite for consensus will ultimately drive him toward the center.
What we can expect is what we’ve been denied these last eight years: A well-balanced commitment to both the middle class and American business. A focus on re-growing the economy through massive infrastructure projects and an investment in green initiatives like solar, wind and bio-fuels. A muscular foreign policy that integrates soft power with an emphasis on keeping America safe but also addresses the underlying factors that fuel terrorism in the developing world. A no-nonsense approach to education that seeks to better compensate teachers while at the same time holding them more accountable. An education system that emphasizes school choice and matches the commitment of the federal government with the performance of individual schools. Lastly, Obama will reinvigorate our democracy by inspiring volunteerism on a massive scale. He’ll lessen our cynicism about government by demanding our involvement in it and increasing its transparency, and most importantly, he’ll reshape our image in the world.
—Johnny Y, Rev Theory
Well, it’s good to see he’s got so many Americans behind him, and that he genuinely seems to want to change things, but he’s just one man. Inspired leadership can influence a lot of people to use their heads more, but right now the world’s going down fast, and it’s gonna take a change of human nature to repair it. As the population grows, humans become more like the animals —they try to elevate themselves above, and although I try to do my bit, I’m afraid I’m just going to be sitting back watching while we destroy ourselves. See you all in hell!
—Ben McCrow, The Rotted
