Posts Tagged ‘president’

Oh-My-Bama!

Life is very interesting…

It’s interesting how people in general live blinkered lives only to remove these blinkers when involved in an emergent situation. Yesterday I listened to a radio host spit fiery words about President Obama and how he had failed miserably in his capacity as president.

You see, according to this host President Obama had made so many promises to the American people and had fallen short. I kind of let out a small eek and had to suppress my disbelief at how insular and narrow-minded many people seem to be.

My question to these so-called “real American people” is, how much have you accomplished in the last three hundred and sixty five days? Running the biggest government in the world efficiently and trying to appease over three hundred million people at the same time is no small feat.

In my view, it’s time that all inhabitants of America take a close look at what is happening around the world and not just what’s outside their front door. It’s easy to pick and complain about our own situation but compared to the majority of the world we still have it good.

Count your blessings and be patient.

Oh-Bama

The honeymoon is well and truly over. Eleven months into Obama’s presidency it seems as if the American people may have lost faith in their Messiah. His approval rating has dropped below 50% and shows little signs of improving. So what’s the most powerful and influential man on the planet supposed to do?
I have a little anecdote that might help Mr. President turn things around or at the very least put some perspective on the whole matter at hand.
In 1980 when I was about to start secondary school in the UK, or high school to my American friends, I was dead set on going to Fairfield Grammar. It was close to my house and all my primary school friends were going there. To my utter disdain, my Mum decided that Cotham Grammar, a school that was located further away and where I would know absolutely no one would be a better choice. You see, she knew that Cotham was a “better” school and more strict. I only cared that I would be in a place that was familiar to me. I couldn’t give a toss that this school might put me on a better educational path.
I cried and begged and sulked and stamped my feet but she would not budge on the matter. I thought that she was cruel and heartless. A few months after starting at Cotham she came up to me one day and admitted that she empathized with my trauma and had wrestled with making the decision with her head and not her heart.
This stuck with me and made me realize that sometimes you have to overrule your heart based on what you believe will make a better future.
In my view President Obama has made several decisions solely with his “head” early in his presidency and I don’t fault him for that. I just believe that in making those decisions he might take the time out to really explain to the American people that we all have to sacrifice and make tough choices. These might not seem at all appealing now but will be the building blocks for a stable future.
If he can make Americans feel like my Mum made me feel once she opened up and explained her thoughts, then he will be well on the way to boosting confidence in his ability to lead and in his decision-making processes.