President Obama: His Agenda and the Roadblocks of Reality

Recent events in Tunisia, Egypt, Jordan, Bahrain, and Libya have once again pulled President Obama away from his desire to socially re-mold America. It is funny how many of our nation's presidents have suffered from this malady. Several of our presidents have been swept into office with an aggressive agenda and been knocked off course by unseen events. A four year term also creates a mere snapshot of an opportunity to reshape who we are. The simmering cauldron in the Middle East has sent a tremor of trepidation throughout the White House. No one can know for certain just how the tension in the Arab world will continue to unfold. I cannot imagine how uneasy Israel may feel at this very moment. So, what is a president to do? Rather than Monday morning quarterbacking our president, I would only recommend that he tread lightly. We are navigating through unknown waters. The Middle East is changing before our very eyes.

Now he has to also confront a budget cutting House of Representatives, and governors who are aggressively trying to get their state's budgets in order. So much for spending our way into prosperity. Any one of us who manages our own fiscal affairs know that you cannot spend more than you bring in and survive. It is amazing that President Obama tried to market this philosophy. Wisconsin is representative of our nation's financial struggles. We can only hope that the governor has the fortitude to hold the line and force those who want to stick their heads in the sand to face reality. We can no longer ignore our situation however; I fear that we're now observing a vast game of 2012 political chicken. Thankfully, the governors of Wisconsin and Ohio seem to have forced the hand of politicians in Washington D.C. The legislators who have fled Wisconsin so that they don't have to vote should be ashamed of themselves and their constituents should not tolerate this behavior. Have we been reduced to a child like belief that if I don't get my way I can take my toys and leave?

The next two years could well be a turning point for our nation. Will we follow a path of personal responsibility or will the narcissism of select groups drag us down into a pool of fiduciary mediocrity? While we must learn from our world neighbors, we need to forge our own way. This independent streak is who we are. Will we follow others down a path or blaze a new one for others to follow? As for me, I've got my compass, a solid pair of hiking boots, and uncharted terrain to explore.

De Oppresso Liber