Do we like Obama? I think we do. Do we like him in Florida? I think many do. What do we think of the First Family as a whole? I think they’re the first “First Family” that comes across, as simply “nice people” with none of the trappings of the office. Obama has that stride which translates into confidence. He hugs and kisses people without all the B.S. protocol that seemed to dog past Presidents. While I think he cares what people think of him, he does not seem to be the type of guy who takes himself too seriously. In other words, if the people don’t like what he has to say (or does) while in office, he won’t take it to heart.
I think he’s a pretty good leader based upon his first few weeks in office. He’s seems to be charismatic to the point of disbelief. But, can we believe him? Will he do right by the American people or, is he just another President intent on coming out of the gate (quickly) and getting some high points during his first 100 days? I don’t know why we judge any President on his first 100 days in office but, it seems to be some type of tradition hyped up by the media. Is 100 days enough to judge any President? George Bush had many a hundred days to get something (anything) done and he spent more time putting out fires and raising the paranoia level of Americans to an all time high.
I think when history judges Bush, he’ll be known for the fight against terrorism but, little else. He won’t go down in history as being a President for the people. Obama, on the other hand, seems to have that mix of emotion and attitude that says, “Look, I’m the President of the free world, but, I’m not unapproachable”. In fact, he gives me a feeling that I could one day show up at the White House, run into him in a hallway and he’d shake my hand and maybe offer me a cup of coffee.
I look at Obama as a guy who watched movies like the ”American President” and “Dave”. We could 
all relate to Kevin Kline as “Dave” and I think we could relate to Michael Douglas as the type of fellow we’d want to see in the White House. We want (we need) a “regular guy” who orders hamburgers on Air Force One and tells a visitor to the White House “Yes, have a good look around but, don’t break anything”. We want to be able to relate to the man who’s the driving force behind “hope” and we want to be able to come to terms with sending our son’s and daughter’s off to war (when asked) and believe in the person who’s asking us to make that potential sacrifice.
I have a neighbor who told me that the First Lady is a racist and that she can’t stand white people. I nearly laughed in her face as I said to her “If the First Lady is a racist and does not like white people, I can see why, as there’s plenty of white people I don’t like either”. Now, I find this statement hard to believe and quite frankly, where I’m from, the KKK is still alive and well in the neighborhood. I think this is the fundamental problem we have in this country right now and it has to do with race. Time to get over it and move on.
I like the idea that Obama signed the bill for equal pay for women and, that was a long time coming. I think his stimulus package will do some good but, as with any “let’s get the economy going” scheme, there has to be some caution. Getting the troops out Iraq in 16 months, go for it and closing down Gitmo, no question about it. Bailing out banks on a weekly basis – I have my reservations on that idea, as do most Americans. But, for the most part, Obama has come out of the gate at a nice trot. He’s not sitting back and doling out his promises over a period of four years, hoping for another four, he’s acting on them now and that’s much more than what has happened in the last eight years.
All this said, I’m a tried and true Republican. However, I voted for Obama not because there was no one better than McCain or Palin “the butt of jokes”. No, I voted for Obama as my “gut” told me that he’s the one. I didn’t take his race, good looks or friendly nature into consideration when casting my vote. I voted for the “man” and his convictions. His message and his tone. In the end, I didn’t vote for him to make history – just to change it:-)
Sometimes, I find myself literally rolling off my chair at some of the news coming across the wire. Today, was no exception. CNN has posted a story concerning the Stimulus Package and those who may be “shut out” of receiving any portion of the stimulus package. The list is as follows: Zoos, Aquariums, Golf Courses, Swimming Pools and Casinos.
While the casino industry may employ many more Americans than the auto industry, just where do we draw the line when handing out billions of dollars in bailout money? Does Wynn or Trump need a bailout? I don’t hear Trump running around thumping his fist at Congress demanding his fair share and I certainly don’t see Wynn asking for money. In fact, Wynn has just finished building his new Encore casino resort and he seems to be doing just fine. If those, at the super conglomerate who own MGM Grand, New York, New York (and about ten other casinos) need a bailout, they should be shown the door. CEO’s like Trump and Wynn appear to have managed their casinos to the point of NOT needing assistance, then again, if we see Wynn or Trump before Congress then it’s a different story.
I’ve been to the Hard Rock Casino in Tampa, Florida a few times in the past year and they don’t seem to be suffering. In fact, they have a ”hold” on this community through mass mailings and advertisements. They offer free car drawings every week, free play and free food coupons. You can go in there any day of the week and find our seniors dumping their pennies into Hard Rock’s machines. Now, with the addition of table games, you can find college students playing Black Jack just about any day of the week. Small local business owners are taking their chances with the little money they have coming in and depositing it at the Hard Rock casino in Tampa.
Las Vegas hedged its bets on tourism and Vegas is a prime example of what can go wrong when the economy is in the dumps. However, Vegas is confined to the desert but, Indian casinos are springing up all over the country and/or expanding. Are the Indians helping their own? I would think the answer to that question is a resounding NO! In fact, more than a few billion of the Stimulus Package is earmarked to help the poorest Indian tribes in this country. What this should tell Americans is that the prosperous tribes, operating casinos in this country, are NOT passing down any substantial portion of their gains to the poorest of tribes - at the poverty level.
Do we really need another Presidential Library? Do we need another structure for George Bush when daddy already has a library? Why not double up? Like father, like son, the apple don’t fall from the tree and waste not, want not, does not seem to fit the bill for this first-first family, which has come in last!
The price tag for this venture is 300 million dollars and will be raised through donations. Is this some type of joke? If Bush is going to go out and raise 300M to build another Comedy Central then I certainly hope that Americans will NOT give their money to such a wasteful cause. If Bush was any kind of man, he’d double-up with dad at College Station and raise the 300M for the homeless or, better yet, GO RAISE 300M TO HELP RE-BUILD NEW ORLEANS!
If you do build a library, maybe you should include some books about crisis management? Better yet, how about putting some of those weapons of mass destruction (found in Iraq), on display in your museum? Then again, there don’t appear to be any WMDA’s laying about the place to put on display – just thousands of dead American soldiers.
When I met President Bush and shook his hand, I must say that his weak handshake did not instill any confidence in me nor my belief in his abilities. When I left the room, people asked me what it was like to speak with the President of the Free World and shake his hand. I said “we’re in a lot of trouble” and he didn’t prove me wrong in eight years. The Bush family should do the “right thing” and take some lessons from Jimmy Carter, go build something that actually does something for the human race – NOT for yourself - and your own vanity.
