I am 50 years old. I lived through the 60's thru to the Naughts. I have seen race riots, class riots, shootouts and disco. Drugs devestated my family. I still have student loans to pay. My best and worse years were the 80's. I made lots of cash, spent lots of cash. I watched friends die from AIDs, dropped like flies they did. I lived through Reagan, Bush Sr and watch neighborhoods fall to crack. I watch meth make its way through the SW. Police corruption, government corruption, sunny days, cloudy days, the girl scouts, Mother Teresa...
For some of you, your life is just beginning, you're in your teens, 20's and 30's. I did not expect a recovery for me. That is not why I voted for Obama. I did not really care about the billions to the corporations, no matter what, it was not coming to me, trickle down or trickle up. There was going to be debt for some generations, that was inevitable. Our national debt was huge. And grew unbelievably more in the last 8 years. Our children's children were already paying for that. I just have to trust that those billions paid off those jerks and we can begin to see some change happening in the financial sector, if not today then within the next years. But short of eating the rich, they will always be there. Greedy people will always be around. We have to be diligent and pay attention, so they do not get over on us. If money is too easily gotten...then there must be a catch... Is Obama suppose to fix that for you?
Why I voted for Obama, was not for now, but for the future. It may be a luxury because I am 50 and well...I never thought Change was coming to me. Not even healthcare change. But I do believe it will come for the future. I believe that he will try to make it happen and I hope significant changes happen, but I do not believe that it will be rooted until the future. A new generation has to realize that. Seems this one is too stuck in its ways.
Just being an African American President is a really big deal for me. His chance to put people on the Supreme Court is a really big deal to me. He is changing how we percieve, that is Change. It may not be evident now because we are struggling, desperate for a better right now.
These times are hard, but just how much harder would they be under the Republicans. These times were going to be hard no matter what...there is a bigger picture and it is not the now... I never believed that my life would change all that much because Obama became President. But I do believe that he will affect generations to come in a positive way.
That is why I voted for him. Not for me. The mess is way too big. But for future generations.... my nephew's children and their children and their children.
I do not think anything could change drastically in 6 months. It took us over 300 years to get where we are now. It may take us that long to get on the right track. To be truly the home of the Free and Brave....all people are created equal not matter your gender, creed, color or sexual orientation.
Obama is just a step towards something better. I hope for that. He is not a Messiah that will fix all the your woes, the countries woes or the world's woes. He is not a magician and he never said that he was.
He is just the beginning and I hope that the people who come after him move forward in a direction away from what brought us to this place.
I am not saying to stop fighting and just lay down and die. Make him do whatever issues you have. Fight for it.
I have been disappointed in the world for a long time but I have to say, that no matter what, Obama is a bright light for me after so many, many years. But I never thought that his Change would be for me...it might be for you :)