Reply #23: There's a lot more to being President

[pirate_satellite]

than spending money. Indeed, spending money is the legislative branch's prerogative. As President, Obama will oversee the appointment of thousands of low-level government employees, none of whom will be a neo-con with a hidden agenda. He'll appoint ambassadors who see their job as nurturing open and friendly relations between governments, not bullying and intimidating neighbors and weak allies ("the coalition of the willing" I believe they called it). He'll appoint judges who don't believe the planet is 6,000 years old. He'll make decisions based on science and reason, not a "gut feeling" informed by a belief in a weird, apocalyptic religion. He'll help make sure that what money the government does have is directed towards solving real problems, not prosecuting the culture war against aging hippies (i.e., cracking down on medical marijuana, etc.) Instead of using the FCC to censor "deviant" expression, he'll use it to ensure that the only voices heard on the airwaves aren't those paid for by Clear Channel and a few other mega-corporations. There's a ton of things President Obama will influence and control that will make him an effective leader who makes a real difference in people's lives, regardless of the added challenge of dealing with aftermath of the Wall Street Bailout. (And personally I expect the economy to improve throughout an Obama administration, as the ability of the government to encourage certain kinds of enterprise will be focused on growing industries {technology, information, green energy, etc.} instead of propping up shrinking industries {oil, coal} or parasitic ones {cigarettes, Halliburton}.) I expect good things.