When President-elect Barack Obama puts his hand on the Bible today and swears to uphold the U.S. Constitution, he will bear the weight of perhaps the greatest expectations this nation has had for any of its presidents. This can be a blessing and a curse.
The swearing in of Mr. Obama is a remarkable step in American race relations. Less than 50 years removed from the Jim Crow era, the United States has elected a black man president. This does not mean that whites and black — or Latinos, Asians, American Indians or other minority groups for that matter — are on equal footing, but it shows that for most voters a candidate’s qualifications trump skin color.
His mixed race, along with his unconventional and unprivileged upbringing, shows that anyone — with the intellect and drive — truly can become president. This is a testament to America’s reputation as the land of opportunity.
At the same time, President Obama takes over a nation facing very trying times. Each day, it seems, the economic news gets worse. Job losses and consumer spending are at record lows. Foreclosures are at record highs. Venerable investment banks have crumbled under the weight of exotic money-making schemes.
Nearly every state faces staggering budget shortfalls, as does the federal government. Without federal intervention, this will perpetuate a downward cycle.
On the international front, the U.S. continues to have more than 100,000 troops in Iraq, where a Democratic government maintains a tenuous hold. Violent attacks have decreased, but ethnic and religious strife easily could re-erupt.
In Afghanistan, the Taliban, which enforces a brutal religious rule, has regained control and Osama bin Laden, the world’s worst terrorist leader, remains in hiding. President Obama must figure out how to strengthen the elected government without relying on tens of thousands of U.S. soldiers, who simply aren’t available for such a mission.
The new administration also must find a way to defuse the tension between Israel and the Palestinians. A tentative cease-fire between Israel and Hamas is a good start, but such agreements have been short-lived.
While Mr. Obama campaigned on a promise of change, which invigorated millions of voters of all ages and races, he also touted an ambitious agenda. Ironically, the country’s dire economic times give him an opportunity to move on many of those agenda items at once. He is likely to soon sign a bill expanding health care for low-income children. A massive stimulus package now under consideration in Congress includes billions of dollars for renewable energy and road repairs, rather than new construction that could lead to sprawl. Increased investments in education and Internet access also are being touted as economic development.
With so many problems to fix, Mr. Obama’s most ardent supporters and his most strident critics are likely to point out that the president has failed to meet our collective expectations. To them, Episcopal Bishop Gene Robinson offered the wisest counsel during his invocation at Sunday’s inauguration concert on the National Mall.
“Bless us with the patience and the knowledge that none of what ails us will be fixed anytime soon, and the understanding that our new president is a human being, not a messiah.”
Amen.