Rookie at the Helm

Everyone who campaigned against Obama said that he lacked the necessary experience to run the country, and he seems to be in a rush to prove them right. Despite promises of a new ethical standard, renewed bipartisanship, and and end to wasteful government programs we have seen the exact opposite so far. In the last few weeks we have watched as the White House nominated old cronies with tax problems while attempting to bully Republicans over the stimulus bill, a bill which is full of expensive waste.

On top of all of it, I am most disappointed that the message of hope has been traded in for a message of fear. It gives citizens the distinctly uncomfortable impression that president Obama has learned new, scary facts about the state of our nation since inauguration day. Facts that he was not aware of during his campaign. Facts that are dark and worthy of fear.

Meanwhile, the faithful Democratic Party is in denial. What mistakes? Daschle is a saint who earned $5.2 million without peddling his influence! It is NOT OUR FAULT, Bush did this!! It is this last message that worries me most. I am left wondering if the Democrats know how to move forward. Is the Obama victory really about moving into a new era, or was that just the cover story for a bitter old guard focused on revenge?

All the while life goes on for the rest of us. But it doesn't feel right. And our hope for a new tone is quickly melting into old cynicism.