Change is Coming...

Barack Obama is the 44th President of the United States.

This election was historic as Obama is the first African (Kenyan?) - American to be elected President. It's also worth noting that this election had the largest voter turnout in history - over a million and a half voters turned out. This is worth noting not only because of the incredible turnout, but also for who turned out: record numbers of blacks, hispanics, and latinos voted in this election.

We're finally able to see the end of the Bush regime, a theocracy that brought us to the brink of economic ruin, a near-dictatorship that favoured massive tax breaks for corporations, and looked the other way while jobs went overseas and drove the middle class further downward. This is also the regime that famously stated "you're with us or against us", creating a surreal "Big Brother" atmosphere of fearful omnipresence - "there's terrorists everywhere, and we're watching you to make sure you're not one of them". The past eight years have brought us to the brink of economic collapse, perhaps placing us a half-step away from the next great depression, while turning us into the laughingstock of the world community.

It's important to remember where we've been so we can see where we should be going. The question now facing us is this: can he do it?

If I didn't think he could, I wouldn't have voted for him. I know that we would have been worse off with McCain and Caribou Barbie in office. It would've been a continuation of the downward spiral we're currently in.

Obama has inherited a massive shit sandwich: a failing economy and two wars piled high with mortgage meltdowns, served with a side of unrealistic expectations. There's already talk of him being a complete failure; of not accomplishing anything during his term.

To these bloggers, pundits, analysts, and especially you, Rush Limbaugh, I say: SHUT. UP.

He's still the President-Elect, not the President. He's working with his transition team, but we won't really see any changes until after he takes office in January. Give him a chance, for chrissake. Give him an honest chance to succeed; a chance to stumble; to fall; to pick himself back up again.

Obama gave hope to millions of people during his campaign; millions who believe that he can turn America around; millions who believe that his ideas can gain America some respect again.

Shouldn't we have that same faith and hope in him now?