I ♥ Obama

For Christmas — just as a joke — my brother-in-law Richard, who is politically to the right of me, regifted a T-shirt that he had been given, also as a joke. It said, “I Obama.”

I told Richard, “But I do love Obama. I pray for him. I wish him well.” I have been meaning to follow up on my long post supporting John McCain before the November 2008 election. This T-shirt reminds me to do that. I promise a shorter post this time.

My comments are primarily about the US economy. I will wait to see what kinds of executive orders Obama produces in other areas. I’m already pleased with his keeping his promise to draw on a broad base of leadership in selecting his cabinet.

I’m pleased with Obama’s plan to provide public works projects that will simultaneously address unemployment and shore up our country’s ageing infrastructure.

I’m saddened by all the corruption already evident in how bailout money is being spent. But the lack of accountability falls both on Congress with a (slight) Democratic majority and the Republican administration, and Obama is neither senator (any more) nor administration (yet).

I am disappointed that Obama is not going on record as planning to slash Federal funding for things that I think are discretionary, controversial, and ineffective. I would disband the US Department of Education, eliminate Federal funding for abortions, and until the economy is back on track suspend spurious concerns about man-made global warming — as the president of the Czech Republic Vaclav Klaus explained so well at a conference on global warming in 2008.

But that’s what happens when you love someone. You don’t necessarily agree with them.