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by Timothy Flanagan
President Barack Hussein Obama should be settling into office when this issue goes to press. He was elected to change America and to help us realize our hopes and dreams. He may not give progressives what they yearn for, but he has already provided remarkable change and tangible hope for a better tomorrow.
Barack Obama told us in 2004, when he was the keynote speaker at the Democratic National Convention, that there’s “not a liberal America and a conservative America – there’s the United States of America. There’s not a black America and white America and Latino America and Asian America; there’s the United States of America.
“The pundits like to slice-and-dice our country into red states and blue states; red states for Republicans, blue states for Democrats. But I’ve got news for them, too. We worship an awesome God in the blue states, and we don’t like federal agents poking around our libraries in the red states. We coach Little League in the blue states and have gay friends in the red states. There are patriots who opposed the war in Iraq and patriots who supported it. We are one people, all of us pledging allegiance to the stars and stripes, all of us defending the United States of America.”
Obama’s words tugged at my heartstrings for a number of reasons. He spoke after more than four years of the most cynical presidency, feckless incompetence, and crisis of confidence that this nation has seen since the Great Depression. And his message was delivered in a meter and cadence which summoned memories of the speeches of the Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr. Barack may not be Martin, but both men spoke directly to the people of this nation. They pulled no punches and laid truth on the table. They reminded us who we are and what we have become, but instead of pummeling us with doses of cynicism and fear, they filled us with the message that we could be redeemed by clinging to the courage of our convictions. After being told to … be afraid, be very afraid … for the past eight years, now in January of 2009, even in the midst of the worst economic meltdown since the Great Depression, we see hope on our horizon. Even after millions of lives have been squandered in a futile and needless corporate war of aggression, occupation, and exploitation in Iraq … and in spite of trillions of dollars wasted in pursuing corporate ambitions in immoral conflagrations of violence and unconscionable acts of terror … Obama wants to help us rediscover who we are, recapture our spiritual foundations, and pursue the quintessential American Dream.
Recovering from the past
But can we go the distance? Will our sons and daughters be better off than we were? Can he turn around the largest transfer of funds in the history of this planet? Will we recover the peace we lost? Is it possible to restore our reputation and reestablish our credibility and national security?
We begin a perilous journey of discovery this January. In the next several years we will attempt to reinvent and restore the best and most precious parts of ourselves. In this essential moment – as we experience a crisis of faith, suffer economic ruin, and are embroiled in a futile and counterproductive corporate struggle for hegemony – our choices are less than clear. We must make some difficult decisions. We cannot surrender to a sad decline while we wallow in fear and go shopping rather than make sacrifices for our nation. We will not see immediate results. But we do know the direction we must go. And we must go there soon.
In the midst of war, deficits, and dishonor, we now have a leader who promises to show us how to restore the peace, regain some prosperity, and make real progress for our children. Our future hangs in the balance, but there is no other man in America better prepared to deliver on these promises than our new president.
Obama is an anomaly. He is singularly charismatic, brilliant, and a natural leader. He has persuaded voters to elect him, and can convince people to trust him. Obama will be working with the best and brightest, in the tradition of Jack Kennedy, and we have already seen that he is capable of listening to good advice and acting upon it. He is the right man at the right time.
As we consider what Obama can help us do during this critical time in America, we are well advised to remember what William Faulkner said about fear, courage, redemption and the multiplicity of tensions which define American life. We are admonished that “We have to start teaching ourselves not to be afraid. … I believe that man will not merely endure. He will prevail. He is immortal, not because he alone among creatures has an inexhaustible voice, but because he has a soul, a spirit capable of compassion and sacrifice and endurance.” Obama is asking us to trust him and have courage in order to prevail over the reckless incompetence that has brought us to this divide. But can he deliver?
It remains to be seen if Obama will restore habeas corpus, resurrect the rule of law, and insist on constitutional integrity. Yet, while Obama is a young man, his performance during this long campaign has been impressive. Against all odds, Barack Hussein Obama, the first black man nominated for the most powerful office on earth, has confronted and vanquished slurs, lies, innuendo, and incipient racism. He kept his eyes on the prize, and that prize was not simply public office, it was a mandate to restore American values.
Obama will do us proud. He is taking his cues from FDR’s new deal and plans to invest in working Americans so that jobs are created, our infrastructure is repaired, and all ships rise. He used Franklin Roosevelt’s words to rally Americans with “the same spirit that has led previous generations to face down war, depression — and fear itself.” We can revamp our economy with sustainable jobs and building to better prepare for the future. He will also succeed in persuading congress to revise our tax codes to provide more justice for the middle class and more equitable contributions from the richest of the rich.
In addition to these critical revisions, Obama will make certain that working Americans are able to freely choose to form unions and have a voice in the workplace. They must be given this choice so that they no longer face threats or intimidation by employers. These changes will be very real, and will result in the restoration of a healthy middle class in America. The least powerful among us will no longer suffer needlessly. There are, however, some groups who will be disappointed in Obama.
Where Obama stands on policies
While he understands the critical tasks at home, he is a bit out of his depth when confronting the geopolitical machinations that are now in play overseas. If we are fortunate, Obama will get rid of Robert Gates. We need a more responsible secretary of defense. Gates has lied to presidents, congress, and the American people to advance his own political agenda. We cannot afford this hubris and betrayal. Obama has also embraced the Bush policy of “preemptive aggression.”
This flies in the face of American tradition, military intelligence, and common sense. Unending wars and unbridled aggression will not serve the American people well. Rather that redeploying troops from Iraq to Afghanistan while hundreds of thousands of corporate mercenaries continue to exploit the Iraqi people, we must instead disengage from these wars of choice, end the profiteering, and work with our allies to secure peace and security with honor. And it is not only in his role as commander-in-chief where we hope that Obama may grow in the office. His policies and pontifications on health care are a red flag.
Obama has rejected single-payer coverage out of hand. He is so far unwilling to explore a framework for universal health care coverage, a priceless investment in American productivity and competitiveness. When we invest in the health of our citizens, rather than surrendering control of health care and health care delivery systems to ambivalent corporate transnational economic cartels, the American people will continue to pay too much for too little. We should insist on universal health care coverage as a constitutional mandate. Our people should not suffer to preserve corporate monopolies. We need real change, rather than a juggling of the books.
The future
Obama is much more than a juggler, but less than what many Americans voted for. Obama is a centrist. In another time he might have been called a Rockefeller Republican. He has integrity and a social conscience, but is a bit too quick to compromise with plutocrats and surrender to corporatists.
Our best hope is that he will listen to the more progressive elements among the intelligent and well-informed team he is assembling. If he learns from them and accommodates their small wisdom, he may become a Democrat with a big D and stand up to the small-minded plutocrats who have crippled this nation and limited our potential. We need peace and progress, and if Obama hopes to deliver, he must become less willing to compromise and more determined to represent our interests. Obama not only can speak, he can lead. With our help, feedback, and criticism, he has the potential to lead us in the right direction.
Obama’s warning about the difficult road ahead is well-advised. Obama said on election night, “The road ahead will be long. Our climb will be steep. We may not get there in one year or even one term, but America – I have never been more hopeful than I am tonight that we will get there. I promise you – we as a people will get there.”
While this precious kernel of hope is probably just what America needs, it echoes a fatal prediction made when Dr. King said, “Well, I don’t know what will happen now. We’ve got some difficult days ahead. But it really doesn’t matter with me now, because I’ve been to the mountaintop. And I don’t mind. Like anybody, I would like to live a long life.
“Longevity has its place. But I’m not concerned about that now. I just want to do God’s will. And He’s allowed me to go up to the mountain. And I’ve looked over. And I’ve seen the Promised Land. I may not get there with you. But I want you to know tonight, that we, as a people, will get to the promised land!”
Shortly after this speech, King was cut down by a sniper’s bullet. Let us hope we can protect Barack Obama and keep him safe, so that he is allowed to take us to higher ground.
We should stand in support of Barack Obama and be alert to protect him from those who would not allow this nation to change course. Now is our time. We have a new leader whose courage, brilliance, and integrity can assist us as we begin to rebuild what has been destroyed. Let us hope for a bountiful eight years of progress. If we stand together the burden will be lighter and we may have a real chance to make a difference.
Timothy Flanagan is a Portland-based writer, editor and teacher.
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