A New Reason for Hope

At the request of a reader, (yes, I actually have a few readers) I am enlarging the font in this blog.
Sometimes, it's great to be right. I said in September that Sarah Palin would be a liability to John McCain. Where would the race be today if he had picked Joe Lieberman, who would have allowed him to reach across the aisle to Independents and more conservative Democrats? We can only speculate.
Strolling past a TV on Friday night, I heard a commentator say this is arguably the most important election in 150 years. Not being a scholar in the area of presidential politics, I cannot agree or disagree with any legitimate authority. But it is clear that Mr. Obama's election signals the beginning of a new era of hope for the American people.
Given the economic possibilities, hope may be the most precious, intangible commodity around soon. I pray that we do not experience a lost decade similar to what Japan went through when their bubble burst. But if we do experience an extended period of contraction and retrenchment, our sense of national unity and pride will be severely tested. Then we will see if we degenerate into partisan squabbling and turf wars or pull together for the common good.
Another prayer that needs to be said is that no sick person assassinates Mr. Obama for the sake of his twisted agenda. I'm sure it's a subject already being discussed in some of the darker corners of our society. 9/11 is a national wound that has still not healed. Mr. Obama's untimely death would take even longer to recover from.
I was only two and a half when JFK was killed, but I remember my mother and many other people talking about where they were when they heard the news, like the moment was frozen in time. I want to remember where I am when Mr. Obama hands the reins of goverment over to a worthy successor, whether that person is a Republican or a Democrat. It may seem a little premature to look so far forward, but if a dire economic situation unfolds, the long term view may be the only ray of hope we have. That in itself would be a sea change in the American psyche, and would probably serve us well. It's too bad a crisis has to unfold before we can experience some positive evolution, but Mr. Obama is a worthy first step. On this day, I am behind him 100%.