Thursday, Nov. 05, 2009

Change, but now what?

Last November, thousands of people converged on Grant Park in Chicago to witness history -- the acceptance speech of President-elect Barack Obama, the man who represented hope, change and a brighter future for America.

But a year later, hope and change have been replaced with a crisis of confidence among Americans. Few people feel they are better off than they were a year ago; for many people, times are worse. Even some of Obama's most ardent supporters are scratching their heads over what hasn't been accomplished.

Obama's response to declining poll numbers has been a petulant complaint that he inherited an economy in shambles and two wars. Yes, he did. But he also convinced the majority of voters that he had solutions, and that he could right the ship.

He promised to end an unpopular war in Iraq, to create jobs at home, and provide universal health care. The Pulitzer Prize-winning Web site PolitiFact.com lists more than 500 promises Obama made during the campaign. The site says 49 have been fulfilled, and just two of the top 25.

In fairness, less than a year in office isn't enough time to solve the many problems facing America. Obama never held a silver bullet to fix everything, although a lot of people convinced themselves that he did.

But people do have a right to expect Obama to take ownership of our nation's problems and stop pointing backward at his predecessor. If people are to have hope for the future, change alone isn't enough. Obama also has to take action and produce results.