The news site of Santa Barbara City College.

The Channels

The news site of Santa Barbara City College.

The Channels

The news site of Santa Barbara City College.

The Channels

A look at the presidential candidates – Barack Obama

The world as we know it is changing before our eyes.

Whether we want to admit it or not, the United States is going to change, too.

Recession is imminent. That’s a foregone conclusion. The question now isn’t whether our economy will take a nasty dive, but rather how bumpy the landing will be.

Economic turmoil tends to make people nervous. When their government can lead them through it, though, they have a sense of security. However, some governments take a different tack and might decide instead to invade a neighbor or plunder their own people. The repercussions of not decisively handling any financial crisis of the present magnitude could be horrible.

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Tens of millions could suffer.

After he takes the oath of office and is inaugurated president Jan. 20, Barack Obama will have his hands full.

Bollocks to the notion ‘the skinny kid with a funny name’ is unfit or inexperienced to lead.

Politics is like history in the fact that it is seldom tidy. Or clean. Hard decisions have to be chosen, compromises drawn and concessions made. Diplomacy is an art and in Washington it’s about to have a long overdue renaissance.

As far as economic policy goes, Obama is most certainly better prepared than his opponent. His roster of economic advisors is formidable and his administration will bring the kind of heavy hitters who won’t further tolerate Wall Street’s sense of manifest exceptionalism.

Lower and middle class America will see a tax plan that will help in this turbulent economic environment, and provide some relief to the current crisis. Lowering taxes for small businesses and other companies promise retainability of and creation of jobs in America.

America trusts him at the helm during what is sure to be a very long and turbulent fiscal maelstrom.

It is not our military strength alone that makes us mighty, in matters of international concern diplomacy trumps ham-fisted unilateralism. Strength without exercising discretion of how and when to apply it is pure folly.

Obama knows that it is better to sit and talk first before taking the sort of extreme action that often does more harm than good. The assertion that ‘if you’re not with us, you’re against us’ has unarguably damaged our reputation.

But this isn’t just about America being liked, it’s about being trusted.

Obama comprehends that dynamic. He gets the big picture. He doesn’t harbor the knee-jerked sentiment that diplomacy is weak and it’s better to shoot first.

Obama will exercise eloquent and intelligent statesmanship. Over the last decade, the scope of Executive power has been enlarged to a degree many find alarming. The next president will have to wield tremendous power and influence with a thoughtful regard of consequences the current administration and its party grossly lacks.

Many Americans feel overwhelmed and angry. The last eight years has not been much to celebrate.

It’s time to choose a leader that will change this country, not just economically, but also rebuild our image that we display to the world.

And Barack Obama is that change.

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