Obama: A Breath of Fresh Air In an Otherwise Gloomy Place

It didn't hit me until Obama was sworn in, Bush was gone, and the new administration got going with all kinds of new appointments and news conferences that I realized how much a gloomy fog has lifted. Obama certainly is a breath of fresh, a burst of clean ocean current in what is otherwise a gloomy cloudy horizon. I think we were all sagging under the Bushies backward looking leadership where everything good and decent seemed stilted and placed on a stinking shelf i.e. economic reform with teeth that can really help all of us, moving toward a green planet, keeping civil rights alive, making appointments at least with people in them who are not dinosaurs who will impede progress, will stop the torture, and keep the flames of equal rights for equal work going-witness the Letbetter bill, albeit that came out of Congress and Pelosi. appointing George Mitchell as an envoy to the MIddle East was a stroke of genius. Hope Mitchell can make things work for all our sakes. He has a great track record. Another first at least in a long time is that Obama mentioned the word unbelievers in a speech that included all forms of religious persuasion which really riled up Born Agains, some from the Afarican American community who said non believers should be considered less than not equal to as Obama had implied. Hail to the Chief on that remark which I think I heard him utter a second time. Amazing.

The job situtation is just terrible but at least it isn't a bad job situation with the Bushies and Cheneys around. Obama did slip up with the inaugural invitation to Rev. Rick Warren but I forgive him as it appears he wants to move in the right direction when it comes to Gay Rights. We all keep thinking it will happen soon, the end of Don't Ask, Don't Tell. Some more federal protections for Lesbian and Gay folks and thankfully it seems the Obama administration will figure out a way to get rid of the Defense of Marriage Act that says there is now way the feds will ever approve our Gay Marriages in the States that now allow them. Obama is against that policy and he can remove it. He already removed the ban on offering contraception/condoms to medical clients in health care settings in Africa who are being treated for AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases. Things are looking up. I can breathe again. We all can.

P.S. I was saddened to hear Obama compromised to the Republicans on the economic stimulus package. Heard he gave away the part on contraception and the Republicans voted against the package anyway. The Stimulus package was passed in the House by the Democrats. Now it has to go to the Senate. I do like the fact that Obama included the National Endowments for the Arts in his economic package. I hope he doesn't compromise on that aspect too as art teachers and artists and performers need to eat and pay their bills too.