Monday, January 19, 2009

Obama to be sworn in as U.S. President

And in other news, it was damned cold in Vancouver, Canada today. Most of the recent snowfalls have melted, due to rock salt rather than a change in temperature, I think. I shivered all the way home from work, even though I was walking quickly. I stopped at the corner store and got some food for dinner. It was an OK day financially, not much but i didn't lose anything. I think I'll be ahead in the long run. Later in the day I went for coffee with Jane, and she read the paper while I read more of my book, Paul Johnson, Modern Times. It's bed-time for me.

I'll see about up-dating this four years from now.

6 comments:

truepeers said...

You remind me of people who think Christmas is a good day to go collect some frequent flier points.

Dag said...

I'm going to have to be more careful about telling you my secrets.

Eowyn said...

So, dag, obviously you've invested your heart and soul into the inauguration of President Obama ;)

On a serious note: As an American, I can't help but be thrilled that an African-American has been elected president. Having grown up since infancy surrounded by people of color of all types, I learned to hate the insanity of bigotry, and instead learned to admire the aristocracy of intelligence and kindness. People are simply people, and I feel it has hamstrung the forward progress of our country to deliberately exclude good minds for stupid reasons.

Having said that, Obama's politics -- certainly the early stuff he spouted, obviously pandering to the far-left base -- left me very, very cold. Of course, his message became more center-based throughout the campaign (this happens to all politicians, trying to pander to as many as possible so as to get elected).

But what I'm hoping for -- indeed, praying -- is that the message that has emerged during the transition period, coalescing into today's inaugural speech, is indeed the blueprint for how Obama's administration will move forward. To wit: changes will be made to improve government oversight, but that expansion of government will not be the result. This is not Democratic politics as usual. Obama will need to be a world-class surfer to manage many opposing viewpoints -- and, just because the Republicans are in temporary disarray, doesn't mean they won't come back with a vengeance if the president imposes stuff like too many new government agencies on the American public.

As I said in my own corner, I am willing to give the new president a chance. But he's going to be on a fairly short leash, my-own-opinion-wise.

I DID like his speech, whether he wrote it himself or had it written. Let's see if he will deliver on it.

Dag said...

DAMN! I missed Obama's speech. I was cleaning the bathroom and it just slipped my tiny mind that the man was on tv. Oh, heckerooni, I say. Bad. Bad.

So, now that I missed the big talk at us all, I guess I have four years or so to watch and wait and see how the man does his job. I'm not a man to dismiss him for no reason, and so far he hasn't given me reason for anything but sitting and waiting to see what he does. He might surprise me. If so, I'll let it be known to anyone who cares to follow my opinions in print. I don't wish him ill, I worry exceedingly about my nation and my fellows. Compared to Sarah Palin, I'm not getting the man I want in office, so my expectations are low. That's to Obama's advantage. for what it's worth.

Now that his speechifying is over, I guess I don't have to clean my toilet again for a long time....

Anonymous said...

Dag, I think this list could be tailored to fit your needs...

http://www.e-nterests.com/familyhtml/top10excuses.php

Dag said...

Phew! I was running out of things to tell Obama. He calls and calls and begs me to come for dinner. I don't want to be rude, you know, but really....

So, thanks mucho, Walker. You're my saviour.