Minority Report

Once again I am so far out of the mainstream I am practically beached.

Everyone in the country today is ecstatically euphoric about our new president. It's all over FB. All over the radio. I assume it's all over the TV but I don't have one, so I have to assume. Someone even said, "Happy Inauguration Day" to me.

My honest feeling about the change in our presidents is shrugged shoulders and a mild curiosity about how he might (I emphasize might) be substantively different than his predecessors. Yes, he can talk a blue streak. Yes, he doesn't sound drunk. I don't cringe with apprehension about what he'll mispronounce next.

But I guess I take the long view. I question whether he will be radically different from those who have come before him. So far, the biggest comparison I have read about is between Obama and FDR. From a libertarian perspective, FDR is seen as a president who severely worsened an already difficult economic situation through his government programs (I know this sounds heretical to anyone taught through public schools). I hope Obama doesn't do that, but I'm optimistic.

So, I'm not on the Obama bandwagon. Nothing against the guy personally. Just haven't seen or heard any signs that he'll be revolutionary. And it he were revolutionary, it would probably be in a direction different from what I think is right.

On the other hand, I happily teach my kids about what an awesome country we have where leaders from opposing factions replace each other with no bloodshed. The old president just peacefully goes away. Now, that is something to feel hopeful about.