Obama: American President or Rock Star?

The last month or so there has been a growing uneasiness around the country. What was at one time this great feeling of "Hope" has slowly turned to frustration and concern. When we as a country elected Barack Obama as our new President, there was a ground swell of excitement at what he brought to this country: youth, racial diversity, charisma, new political blood, forward thinking. But that excitement has now been tempered as he is trying to put forth his plans for change, the change people so desperately wanted.



This whole change in dynamics is a result of unreasonable expectations on the part of the voting public. Is begs the question, "Did the people of this country elect an American President or a Rock Star?" It might sound like a ridiculous question, and I am sure many will criticize me for it, but if you hear me out it should make sense as a legitimate thought.



Go to any flee market or tee shirt store on the boardwalk or China Town in New York and you will see tee shirts and hats and the such with Obama's face or name on it. We have never seen such a thing for past presidents unless it was to ridicule them for something they had done in the past. Now I understand that this President is historic because he is the first one to be of color, and that is fine to be celebrated. My concern has been the idolization of this man, making him an icon before he had even taken office. He became a Rock Star in this country before even setting foot in the Oval Office. And this is not a race thing, because there were and still are just as many white people who are guilty of this as blacks.



But this kind of effort can be dangerous, because as much affection as people have for this President for his speeches and persona, once he took office he had a job to do. Sure, the Presidential election usually boils down to a popularity contest, we all know that. But what is most important is that the person we elect has to make decisions that effect all of our lives. So once in office, this President, just as all others in the past, has very hard decisions to make, and they aren't always going to please us all. What you had was these extremely high expectations that were and probably still are too high for even the best President to meet. And so what you are seeing now that the car companies are still struggling and banks are not lending money and the debate is ongoing pertaining to health care, is a sort of backlash from people who saw Barack Obama as the savior of our country.



The problem with either side of the argument is that the story has not been written yet. we are not even a full year into his presidency, and people are either crying foul or defending him to the end. But this is an ongoing term, and there is a long way to go. For the millions who voted for Obama based on "Hope" and "Change", these were simply catch phrases, designed to capture your attention and key on your bitterness towards the last administration. But when it comes down to it, whether you are Right or Left, conservative or liberal, white or black or any other nationality, it's all about doing what is best for OUR country. This President will be judged on how well he heals the open wounds our country has, not by how popular he is or once was.

I think it was great that so many people became active in this past election and came out in record numbers to vote, because that is what makes this country great. But lost in that is the issue of WHY people became so interested. Sure, a lot of people likely turned out because they were concerned at where the country was headed, but a much higher percentage came out because they were mesmerized by this new, fresh face who spoke so eloquently and told them what they wanted to hear. And not to say it was the wrong decision, but to vote simply on that alone can be dangerous. But the real problem is those are the same people who are outraged at the fact that this President is taking any criticism whatsoever. They again hold him dear to their hearts, as a Rock Star they idolize. The truth of the matter is he is our President, and every President, from every generation, Republican or Democrat, from Lincoln to Kennedy to Clinton to Bush, has taken on criticism, both warranted and not. They are politicians, lawmakers, the keys to our freedom and future.

So please, look at this President as you should any before or after, as the leader of this great country we live in, not as a Rock Star. Do not expect more from him that is possible, and do not feel it is a personal attack when someone points out his short comings. It doesn't matter which side of the political aisle you fall on, we are all in this together...