My better nature coming through

Written by: Jack Bucci on Nov 26, 2008 10:21 AM EST

I won't waste any time bashing the Bush administration, as it's been done by finer minds than mine, and to be honest, harping on his legacy of mismanagement at this point is like shooting fish in a barrel.  I would like however to put my best foot (and reconciliatory) attitude forward, and throw out some thoughts on where we go from here.

While I celebrated the Dems and Obama's victory along with the rest of you,  I was apprehensive at the thought of the monumental challenges the party in power would inherit.  Should the ousted party engage in their traditional obstructionist tactics,  our historic win might be thwarted.  I envisioned President Obama's white house looking more like a war-zone bunker than Camelot.

I have to admit that my initial reaction may have been premature.  Seeing how quickly a new cabinet and financial team was put together, and watching President-Elect Obama taking charge already, is a confidence builder for the entire nation, Republican and Dems alike.  He is not content at leaving a lame duck administration to fiddle recklessly while the country slips deeper into the multitude crisis that are affecting millions of Americans.  Never before has the 60 days proceeding a presidency been more important than the first 100 days after inauguration.  While it's true that we only have one President at a time,  having an ineffective one in a time of crisis, puts Mr.Bush in the negative catagory.

While there were many historic aspects of this election, maybe the most relevent may be the fact that despite the barrage of negative ads and misleading commentary leveled against Obama and the rest of the Dems, the vast majority of the country wasn't buying it.  It is obvious that folks are just fed up with the partison and hateful nonsense that has plagued our politics for too long.  This revelation leaves an opening for a leader of Obama's stature to bring together an America that is not just ready for change, they're starving for it.

While more and more missteps, miscues, mismanagement, and dowright illegal acts from the Bush years are revealed to the American public in the coming months,  it will be difficult to hold back the outrage and the urge to be vindictive.  In the interest of moving forward and truly enacting the type of change that is needed to heal this country, it will be necessary that we keep our focus on fixing the mess rather than strictly assigning blame.   I'm not advocating a forgive and forget policy though.  Accountability is needed in order that our Constitution never again becomes a doormat to be trampled on by future administrations.

While the challenges that face us as Americans are great, so is the spirit which our country has faced past difficulties.  I have confidence that we now truly had a leader that can accomplish great things, and that we have now reached a turning point in our politics that will lead us to a brighter future.

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