There was a great sense of hope when Obama was elected. He seemed to promote this idea of harmony and humanity with every speech. The line was clearly divided: he was either the second coming of Christ or the Antichrist. Everyone fell on one side or another.
Except me, of course. I was just grateful that Sarah Palin was nowhere near the White House. Other than that, my expectations were reasonably low.
The threat to the Obama administration lies not in the hands of frenzied, angry Tea Partiers that are failing to recover from the cognitive shock associated with those that do not seem to get that the democratic process means that sometimes your guy loses. No, the threat lies with his supporters, and the very, very unrealistic expectations they have placed on his shoulders.
The Obama administration has barely cleared half a term and it has been declared a failure. Those who have been against him from day one are not included in this equation, because there is no point. The fact that he woke up this morning upset them. Obama's biggest problems are in the camp of his supporters, who for some strange reason mistook him for Jesus. And it's not just the fringes, either. It's rational, intelligent people who honestly thought that the election of this human being would signal some magnanimous change that would resonate through the galaxy. He was supposed to be Luke Skywalker, because clearly his speeches were an indication that the force was with him.
The sick sad truth of it is that if Obama makes any influence on the economy, some other president will be taking credit for it because it will take more than two terms to address. Look at this on a personal level: if the average person cannot get out of debt in two years, how can you expect the same of a country? Any laws that you hoped would come into play are determined by your Congress, Obama can only suggest them and sign things after someone else has made the decision. This is third-grade level government. Yes, he can make a decision right off the bat about Don't Ask Don't Tell, that's about it. But if you really believed that this politician was going to do that before his third year, the "safest" year, I will keep you in my prayers. If he seriously pursues it at all before his second term, I will be surprised. If anything, it looks like the courts will be making this decision so that no one can claim credit for it before any elections.
Let's come back to earth, people. No, you are not going to get a pink pony or a castle. No, world peace will not be achieved. No, repairing the economy is not an overnight process. No, Obama is not Santa Claus.
And yes, if you continue to keep these unrealistic expectations and you vote based on this lack of realism, then the change you believed in will never even get off the ground.
