An American Gift

This nation is about to complete a transition of power that will be the most unique transfer of presidential power in our history.

A conservative son of Texas, George W. Bush the 43rd President of the United States and son of the 41st President, himself, the son of a blue blood Connecticut Senator, will transfer the power of his office to a son of a Kenyan immigrant who abandoned his son and returned to Kenya while Barack Obama was still a baby.

President Bush leaves office at a low point in his Presidency with an economy in shambles and a vocal minority on the left calling for a Congressional investigation into the actions that the Bush administration took to keep the nation safe since the events of 9/11.

President elect Obama enters the office a media superstar, embraced by the world as America’s newly anointed messiah. A super hero who will don his star spangled cape and lead this nation and the world out of a global recession toward a new found prosperity, while keeping  terrorists at bay and at long last bring a lasting peace to the Middle East.

Neither man is wholly who they will appear to be tomorrow.  History, in its’ own time will bring  perspective to the Bush Presidency and the soon to be President Obama should relish the inaugural festivities and the adoration of the masses for it may soon whither as he takes up the mantle of governing.

The images that will resonate around the world as the Bush family departs the White House and the Obama family takes up residency at 1600 Pennsylvania avenue, will broadcast a clear and succinct message to the world about America. That in the world’s richest, most powerful country, the greatest gift America has given the world is hope. The hope that any man or woman no, matter their race or their station in society, may aspire to the world’s most powerful office and attain it.

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Inaugural Rally:Market Poised For Gains

Investors can expect an inaugural rally this week as Barack Obama is sworn into office. Wall street is primed for a rally as investors shake off negative news and embrace the anticipated stimulus package in the promise of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Plan.

Obama and his economic team will move swiftly to secure Congressional passage of an $825 Billion stimulus package designed to reignite the economy. Cash will begin to move from the sidelines and into the stock market as investors recognize that as challenging as current economic conditions are,  it is time to begin selective investments in stocks of  solid performing companies that have seen valuations decline in many cases to multi year lows.

 Investors will begin to recognize the benefits that both consumers and corporations will accrue from lower energy costs,  including $35 per barrel oil, while ignoring their concern of rising unemployment. Combined with a feel good pscyche in the market this week stocks will move higher.

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At This Time, On This Day: Greatness Sought

Barack Obama is clearly a student of history. He has studied the Presidency of Abraham Lincoln and allowed comparisons to be made. As the first biracial President of the United States, President elect Obama is already assured of a place unique in history, for becoming the symbol of a democracy whose electorate has proved to be color blind.

 One does not become President without a desire for greatness. Selflessness and humility, characteristics that we admire and expect from great leaders are learned and developed from life experience. The desire to attain and achieve great things resides within and is nurtured by opportunity.

It has been noted by some, that Barack Obama lacks the depth of experience more commonly associated with those who have sought and been elected to the nation’s highest office. What the world will quickly learn, is whether or not he has had enough life experience to hone the character traits that are vital to serve a nation. 

There is no doubt that he possesses the desire to accomplish great things. The American electorate has chosen to provide Barack Obama with the opportunity to achieve greatness at a time when clarity of vision and force of will are required to lead a nation and a world seeking a return to more prosperous times and the safety of a secure homeland.

It is in our nature as humans to seek solace from the symbols of security our leaders represent. It has been that way since the first human litthe first torch and grunted follow me. It is also our nature to project great powers upon our leaders to solve the problems of our day. The men and women we elect to lead us are generally spun from our own cloth however, we quickly forget that, as they assume the mantle of power, replete with all its’ trappings. 

As the America prepares to annoint Barack Obama its’ 44th President  it would serve the nation well to reflect upon the enormity of the task ahead of this new administration. Those on the left and on the right should seek unity of solution, with an urgency, perhaps not exhibited since  the second world war, with respect to addressing the economic crisis we are mired in.

We do not know what additional challenges will confront this new President as his term progresses and what future opportunities for greatness may evolve. There will be ample opportunity though in the coming weeks for us to judge the new President and determine if Barack Obama is capable of  providing the leadership necessary to infuse a sense of urgency into both government and business institutions to reignite the economy and inspire confidence in consumers and investors.

For the sake of this nation we pray that he is able to answer the clarion call of greatness as it presents itself. For while the nation celebrates his ascension to the seat of power, with a series of spectacular events in Washington leading to his inauguration on Tuesday, the world is waiting to test the mettle of the man.

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Lower Expectations: Yes We Can!

A nation, which has prospered for over two hundred years as an aggressive, entrepreneurial collection of innovative, inventive people, with a can do spirit,  is succumbing to a lack of will, fueled by an onslaught of lowered expectations and weak business and political leadership.

Their is good reason for a lack of confidence in our economy, given the rapid decline of the housing market, the corresponding credit crisis and near implosion of our major financial institutions. Wall street reacted to the credit crisis by delivering its worst performance since 1931, wiping out $13 trillion dollars of investor wealth. If that wasn’t enough to rile the markets, the financial crime of the century has been revealed by Bernie Madoff as he confessed to a $50 Billion ponzi scheme further impacting confidence in the stock market.

As expectations lower, unemployment rises and confidence continues to decline. We are weakened. We are battered. We are held captive by a media that profits from crisis hype and provides aditional fodder for lower performance.

The nation needs inspired leadership to step into the void and begin raising the bar once again to restore confidence in our economy. With oil hovering near $35 per barrel and the commodity bubble having burst, consumer spending power is increasing while corporate margins are improving.  

President elect Obama has led the charge to lower expectations for the nation as he prepares to assume office. Like any CEO he understands the need to provide a cushion for support in the event that he and his team are unable to deliver against campaign promises. This is not the time however, for rhetoric that lowers expectations and asks the nation to sacrifice and accept that we have entered the age of austerity.

Rather, it is time to sing glorious the entrepreneurial spirit from mountains on high and call for the best of our nation to shake off the shackles of this economic winter, raise the bar and spring toward the stars.

 As President elect Obama prepares to deliver a much anticipated inaugural address he needs to inspire a nation and restore confidence to an American public in their institutions and their ability to sustain the most powerful economic engine in the world.To do so he should recall the three words that became the mantra of he and his supporters during the 2008 campaign. Yes we can!

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America The Blended

The inauguration of Barack Obama,  as the 44th President of the United States,  represents  the dawning of a new era in the American experience. A nation that fought a bloody civil war over states’  rights to allow slavery and endured a century long battle for civil rights,  will witness a son of a Kenyan father and a white  mother, with Midwestern roots, take the oath of office on the very bible that Abraham Lincoln took the oath as the 16th president, while the nation prepared for a war with it self.

Lincoln’s America was a country of  great divisions. North and South, rich and poor , black and white. An industrial era was beginning as east and west were linked by rails laid by Irish laborers working from the east and Chinese laborers from the west.

 A decade before the war, Cyrus McCormick introduced a mechanized harvester that began to transform a predominantly agrarian society and laid the groundwork for modern agriculture,  resulting in less labor  and higher yields,  precipitating the transition for many, from farm to city,  a trend toward urbanization that has continued to this day.

In the vast plains of the west,  the thundering roar of the buffalo could still  be heard,  giving no credence to the echo they would become,  while Native Americans remained stewards of this vast land not having yielded to the influx of immigrants that would soon come from the east flooding the plains with their dreams and aspirations.

Today,  America is the great cultural and social blender of the world. The nation that began as an outpost for Europeans  seeking religious freedom , has become the wealthiest country in the world. Much of that wealth, derived from the  diversity and richness of its’ people.  

It began with the British, the Dutch, the Germans, Italians and Irish. Joined by the Spanish, the Africans, the Scandinavians and Poles. And in later decades,  the Chinese, the Japanese,  Eastern Europeans, Persians, Arabs and people of all religions and cultures throughout the world. Decade after decade,  America has embraced people from all cultures and strata of society welcoming them to participate in the great social experiment that this nation has become.  

As Barack Obama enters the White House the world will gaze with astonishment at the marvel of  America’s  first President of mixed race. No matter, the politics, conservative or liberal, democrat or republican, one has to take pride that this nations electorate has looked beyond the color of a mans’ skin as a prerequisite for election to the nations highest office. In the Age of Austerity,  America is rich with the quilted fabric of its’ culture.

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