On inauguration day, a new U.S. president is a demigod, the embodiment of aspirations as vast as they are varied. Over the course of the years that follow, the president inevitably fails to fulfill those lofty hopes. So the cycle begins anew, and Americans look to the next occupant of the Oval Office to undo his predecessor’s mistakes and usher in an era of lasting peace and sustained prosperity.
This time around, expectations are, if anything, loftier than usual. The youthful and charismatic Sen. Barack Obama casts himself as the standard-bearer of those keenest to fix Washington, redeem America and save the world. “Yes, we can,” Obama’s anthem proclaims, inviting supporters to complete the thought by inserting their own fondest desire. Yes, we can: bring peace to the Middle East; reverse global warming; win the global war on terrorism.
Yet Sen. John McCain’s campaign has been hardly shy about fostering grandiose expectations. Speaking earlier this month, while most Americans were fretting about the cost of oil, McCain uncorked one of his patented straight-talking promises: “I’m going to lead our nation to energy independence.” As far as McCain would have us believe, you can take that to the bank.
Will the next president actually bring about Big Change? Don’t get your hopes up.
Both candidates are already a big disappointment, so, that means I’d have to agree with the headline. 😉
Jim Elliott
It does not happen very often, but I agree with the LA Times. I question the sanity of any person who voluntary wanted to be President of the USA for this coming term. Living in a fish bowl for a job with huge deficits, an unpopular war, stagnant economy, skyrocketing fuel and inflation prices, people clamouring for “free” health care but low taxes, etc.
What a mess…
The Founding Fathers created a Republic it changed into a Democracy, they are different or so my classes in government said. Perhaps therein lies the problem.
I think “the problem” is, simply, we now have ‘professional politicians.’ It was never envisioned that it would be this way. And the fact that it is now this way, means that we will always get “the government we deserve,” and we deserve a government filled with self-serving, self-enriching professional politicians. May God have mercy on the United States of America; we certainly have none on ourselves.
Unfortunately on November 4, there will be no square marked “None of the Above”. That, not Professor Bacevich’s global observations, is the reason not to get your hopes up.