How long has it seemed that we were waiting for this day? Even considering the scorched earth left behind by conservatives, it has become possible to think ahead, to theorize, to plan, to enjoy the sense of possibility provided by the inauguration of Obama and the advent of a Democratic administration.
It has been so long since we could look towards our government for help and for optimism. The Bush administration (I can stop calling it the "current administration now!) was determined to destroy people's hopes in government - the very word was pronounced with snarling contempt, even when they were in charge.
They succeeded. The reflex reaction is that "government" is incompetent and monstrous. It is Obama's challenge to reverse that perception. He seems to recognize this key component in implementing his policies. His people have been fanning out to government agencies to boost their morale and sense of purpose. So, I take this as my first expectation of the Obama administraton - that he will restore the very purpose of government.
Second, I believe that he intends to govern as a uniter. I do not know how this will work out, as I have lost any hope or expectations of collegiality from conservatives. Maybe some of them will surprise me.
Third, I believe that he will take constructive action on environmental issues. He has mentioned climate change and environmental issues in almost every speech since the election. I did not expect that.
Finally, I believe he will be more truthful with the American people about the realities of the world today. It remains to be seen whether we can accept living in a world where we are not the Favored Child.
And an aside about the departing Unlamented: it is becoming easier to explain what happened and why it happened in the past eight years. In my opinion, Bush acted to achieve the following goals: to destroy people's confidence in government; to destroy the social safety net and the rights of workers in order to force them to compete in a "lean and hungry" way for the available jobs, to remove any impediments to the exploitation of natural resources by destroying the environmental movement, to insure the preservation of the state of Israel, and to achieve a long term hegemony for the Republican party. I think these Bush goals pretty adequately explain what has happened in the past 8 years.