Ryan ChartrandOn Tuesday, history was made as our nation swore Barack Obama into office. I am proud of this moment in history. I am glad our country has moved forward to a point where he has been elected and is serving as our president. However, we must remember he’s just a man, and caution ourselves about tying a social movement to the policies of one man.
I am referring to latching on to an empty message of hope. Many have clung onto the coattails of Obama and his message of change, and yet this message lacks clear definition. Liberal groups have praised the election of Obama and “change we can believe in.” But what does that change entail? Is Obama president today because he had the more favorable policies than John McCain? Is he president today because he isn’t George Bush? Or is Obama president because of political correctness? There is no simple answer; I contend that it is a combination of these factors.
In his inaugural address Obama proclaimed, “Starting today, we must pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off and begin again the work of remaking America.” President Obama, America is not broken. There may be disagreements as to how things are being done, but in the grand scheme of things this is not a broken nation, and it does not need remaking. The notion that America needs remaking is a faulty one and it is empty rhetoric that leaves the perception that America is not on sound footing. Yes, our nation is facing many challenges, but those challenges do not diminish the strength of our nation.
In his speech, Obama also contended that, “Cynics fail to understand that the ground has shifted beneath them – that the stale political arguments that have consumed us for so long no longer apply.” Forgive me if I’m wrong, but for eight years the cynics – who argue that dissent is the highest form of patriotism – have challenged our nation and the policies ruling it. However, now that the tables have turned we are all supposed to fall in line and lock step with policies and positions that we disagree with? I will proudly remain a cynic, who challenges the conventional wisdom.
Such challenges improve policies. Isn’t the objective to make the country better, not to stomp out opposition?
These next four years will be interesting times. I predict that people will largely be disappointed with Obama’s record when it comes time to reelect him more than three years from now. It’s not that liberal agendas will not be pursued, because they will. It’s that Obama has been elevated to a god-like status. People believe he is their savior, yet he is just a man. He cannot save your mortgage, find you a job or cure your illnesses.
A friend of mine, who is a staunch Obama supporter, asked me how I felt about Obama being president and how frustrated I was. I have joked that I would douse myself in gasoline should this day come. This is far from the correct approach. Obama’s status as president marks a new day in American history. But Obama is just a man. His policies will present many challenges for our nation. We need to look beyond his messianic following, which will fade in time, to what is the best solution for our country. As a conservative, I will always argue that less government influence over our lives is better than more.
On a different note, this will be my last column for the Mustang Daily. Few realize the time and energy it takes to write a weekly column. I have been honored to have the opportunity to present the conservative message, but this column does not pay the bills. I’ve enjoyed challenging the hearts and minds of our campus and community.
Ian Nachreiner is an agricultural science senior and a Mustang Daily columnist.