Thoughts on the Election
Carie Jeleniewski
11/6/2008
The election of Barack Obama for president on November 4, 2008 means many different things to all different kinds of people. There has been so much talk about what the election will mean to individuals, the country, and the world, that I almost feel as if those words have become my own. As if all the hype and rhetoric could come streaming out of my own mouth. Now, in order to answer this question I feel as if I must take a step back from the buzz and really ponder my own sincere thoughts. What does this election mean to me?
I don’t know how quickly things will change in America after Obama settles into the Oval Office. Indeed, my worst fear is that nothing will change. Regardless of my initial reservations, the most important thing his election has done for me already is give me hope. I certainly don’t need to stress to others how difficult times are in our current economy. Everyone is feeling the pressures of unemployment, the weakening dollar, debt, gas and home heating fuel prices, healthcare costs and so much more. How I manage to scrape up enough money to pay rent, car loan, and cell phone bill is beyond me. I am darn tired of homemade turkey sandwiches and carrot sticks for lunch, that’s for sure! So, I am so incredibly hopeful that Obama will make it a little easier for me to find a job, make more money, fuel my car and heat my home. I pray healthcare will become more affordable so that my own grandparents can get the medical care they need to live as many more healthy years as God may grant them. Most importantly, I hope that with Obama in Office he can begin improving our general way of live so that everyone can rest a little easier at night.
This election, to me, means that we can begin repairing our image on a global scale. This may sound naïve, perhaps self-centered, but I want other countries to like America! Our public image has been tainted over the past eight years. Aggression, war, isolationism, double standards, and poor decisions have left global citizens with a sense of dislike and skepticism about America. The words “public diplomacy” did not appear in my mind’s eye to describe what I wanted Obama to accomplish with other nations until our guest speakers joined us on Wednesday evening. Mohammed Kalil described his work as a public diplomat in Saudi Arabia and when I heard him speak about the role he plays in creating relationships and even karma I eventually likened this to what Obama can do for America. I am not convinced anyone really thought of Bush as a diplomat, even though he was literally the face of our country; the man who represented the United States of America. His face was not inviting to other countries, of that I am certain. Hopefully, the new face and the new politics of Obama will show other countries that we are tolerant, we have the ability to adapt and to change, and that we invite discussion and better relationships with nations around the world.
Last night I was watching The Big Idea with Donny Deutsch on CNBC and he had on a guest who was talking about the necessary changes to be made in our government now that Obama is in office. I fully agreed with him on many points that he made and I wondered just how we, as citizens of the US, could have let the government get away with so much. The fact that we are unable to track exactly how our tax dollars are allocated and what it is being spent on, who gets paid to do what in Washington, and who is accountable when something is not done properly is preposterous. Now that we have elected a new president, who will appoint a new cabinet, I hope he will make our government agencies transparent, put an end to wasting our precious tax dollars, punish those in government who abuse their privileges, hold politicians accountable for their actions, and ensure Washington handles our money and our political matters responsibly.
This is what the election means to me. These are some of the matters that I hope will be addressed with our newly elected president. Is any of this really too much to ask of our government?
I don’t know how quickly things will change in America after Obama settles into the Oval Office. Indeed, my worst fear is that nothing will change. Regardless of my initial reservations, the most important thing his election has done for me already is give me hope. I certainly don’t need to stress to others how difficult times are in our current economy. Everyone is feeling the pressures of unemployment, the weakening dollar, debt, gas and home heating fuel prices, healthcare costs and so much more. How I manage to scrape up enough money to pay rent, car loan, and cell phone bill is beyond me. I am darn tired of homemade turkey sandwiches and carrot sticks for lunch, that’s for sure! So, I am so incredibly hopeful that Obama will make it a little easier for me to find a job, make more money, fuel my car and heat my home. I pray healthcare will become more affordable so that my own grandparents can get the medical care they need to live as many more healthy years as God may grant them. Most importantly, I hope that with Obama in Office he can begin improving our general way of live so that everyone can rest a little easier at night.
This election, to me, means that we can begin repairing our image on a global scale. This may sound naïve, perhaps self-centered, but I want other countries to like America! Our public image has been tainted over the past eight years. Aggression, war, isolationism, double standards, and poor decisions have left global citizens with a sense of dislike and skepticism about America. The words “public diplomacy” did not appear in my mind’s eye to describe what I wanted Obama to accomplish with other nations until our guest speakers joined us on Wednesday evening. Mohammed Kalil described his work as a public diplomat in Saudi Arabia and when I heard him speak about the role he plays in creating relationships and even karma I eventually likened this to what Obama can do for America. I am not convinced anyone really thought of Bush as a diplomat, even though he was literally the face of our country; the man who represented the United States of America. His face was not inviting to other countries, of that I am certain. Hopefully, the new face and the new politics of Obama will show other countries that we are tolerant, we have the ability to adapt and to change, and that we invite discussion and better relationships with nations around the world.
Last night I was watching The Big Idea with Donny Deutsch on CNBC and he had on a guest who was talking about the necessary changes to be made in our government now that Obama is in office. I fully agreed with him on many points that he made and I wondered just how we, as citizens of the US, could have let the government get away with so much. The fact that we are unable to track exactly how our tax dollars are allocated and what it is being spent on, who gets paid to do what in Washington, and who is accountable when something is not done properly is preposterous. Now that we have elected a new president, who will appoint a new cabinet, I hope he will make our government agencies transparent, put an end to wasting our precious tax dollars, punish those in government who abuse their privileges, hold politicians accountable for their actions, and ensure Washington handles our money and our political matters responsibly.
This is what the election means to me. These are some of the matters that I hope will be addressed with our newly elected president. Is any of this really too much to ask of our government?
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