Obama the Optimist

Mike Littwin is a reporter for the Denver Post, particularly the Editorial section. He has worked at the Post for many years and is a well and respected writer. A week ago, President Barack Obama gave his annual State of the Union Speech. This is a chance for the President to address not only all of Congress, but the entire nation as well. Often times, the President will discuss current events, future policies, and anything that he might want to say to the people. This year, he gave a speech that was very optimistic and insightful. A speech that ensured the people that the worst was over, but there were still many hardships to overcome. It wouldn’t be easy, but with a strong, and united government the citizens of this country could go on to do great things. Was it the message the people wanted to hear? Perhaps it was, and maybe it wasn’t, but the message was strong and gave hope for the future. If the public isn’t looking to the future then they need to sort out their priorities.

In his article “Obama Played the Optimism Card,” Mike Littwin addresses a number of important issues the President brought up in his State of the Union speech. The most sound of these arguments being that Mr. Obama is trying to win the future. Not just so he can maintain his reign as President, but in terms of our country as a whole. While it would be a lie to say he isn’t thinking ahead to the 2012 election, he is also thinking about current and more relevant issues. The “optimism card,” as it is called is a strategy many great Presidents have used in the past while enduring tough times. “Reagan had morning in America, Clinton had Fleetwood Mac, and Obama had what they call “date night,” in the House, in which there was cross-party seating and, as a result, no made-for-TV dissent section (Littwin 1).” What he meant by his message is the decisions made on the past are unchangeable and we have to deal with them, and look forward to a better tomorrow.

However, the road to a successful future is not easy, made evident by Rep. Paul Ryan who gave a strong counter attack to the Presidents ideals. He was quoted as saying “We are at a moment, where if government’s growth is left unchecked and unchallenged, America’s best century will be considered our past century.” While the President wanted to instill the lives of American’s with hope of a better tomorrow, it seemed many didn’t share his aspirations. Instead they chose to strike fear into the hearts of voters opting for their own “change.” The President is far more optimistic; he shares a dream that the people have the power to create a smart and responsible government. After all this is the United, not divided, States of America. It is optimism like this that made his speech so powerful, in a time when the country was at a moment of weakness. If it takes a tragedy like that of Tucson to bring both sides together, then the future is bleak.

Perhaps one of the most hopeful and optimistic things that Obama delivered was a quote in which he states, “We can have smart, responsible government.” Smart and responsible government may sound like a bad joke, that’s because it is. Littwin argues that we have cut government to rely on smart, responsible hedge funders, who take massive tax breaks. It seems at times that people can never decided on what they want. As Littwin puts it, “we’re dissatisfied, but we’re not sure how to make things better. Everyone is a critic, but nobody seems to do anything, or knows what to do. Whether you like government or not, this sounds like a bit of a stretch, but Obama is optimistic, and hopeful there are many people who share his passion for government.

Yes, President Obama is optimistic and he has a lot to accomplish in such a short amount of time. We the people have dug a debt; we bought goods and refuse to pay for them. Everyone wants to cut taxes, or cut programs, but when asked what to cut, nobody wants to get rid of anything. Obama embodies what a good president should, optimistic, while maintaining a bit of realism. Understanding what a country is capable of, and what is actually possible are different, the idea is to shorten the gap and reach full potential. After watching, reading, or listening to the Presidents State of the Union address, the country can get a feel for what the white house is up to. In addition to the many duties he already has, the president is confident, optimistic, and hopeful. That America will regain its financial stability, increase government performance, and become a better country.