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There’s a lot to love about this country, and there’s a lot that needs improvement. A lot of what’s needed to move this country forward is a complete change in perception and attitude. It seems that the vast majority like to talk a good game about a desire for change, but all they really want is to jump aboard the popular bandwagon until the wheels fall off. In politics wheels are apparently only good for about six to nine months.

It’s interesting to me that there’s so much negative energy and opinion surrounding Barack Obama’s single year in office, and about how he’s sinking this country. I think that there’s some confusion about who’s hands are dirty in the current mess of things, and there’s a lot of naivety about what change is and how long change of this magnitude takes.

A few facts for digestion:

• The super deficit that Mr. Obama’s predecessor created will not be fixed in five, ten, or even fifteen years. It took eight years to create it, and it will take a generation or more to fix it. It’s going to take a lot of very unpopular acts to even begin to recoup some of that lost money, and even then much of it will never be reclaimed.
• There’s no question that the current state of affairs in this country are not improving as quickly as we might have hoped, despite how optimistic things appeared. Primary reason for the lack of change: no one is working together. Complaints that begin or end with the blame squarely on Obama’s shoulders speak to me of ignorance. Ignorance of the facts: as long as there are members of Congress who would continue to govern based on allegiances with ineffectual and archaic parties and not based on the merits of policies and how they best apply to the people then the internal dissent and divide of the country will continue.
• Democrats need to stop worrying about reelection, and Republicans need to start coming up with some ideas of their own rather than simply saying no to everything. I haven’t read, heard, or watched a report or story about any bright or constructive ideas from that side of the aisle about anything that Obama is attempting.
• Obama has impressed me with what he has accomplished thus far in his presidency. He made more than 500 promises during his campaign in 2008. Of those only 2 are not yet in the works. He has kept more than 90 of them, compromised on just over 30, and only broken 15. The rest are either in progress (a vast majority) or stalled. That’s a lot accomplished in his first year. We did elect him based on his promises, no? Shouldn’t we want him to succeed? Is that not the measure of a good and effective public official, let alone the highest in the land? Seriously, folks, he’s had just over 365 days.

Call me an idealist, but here’s a few ideas that might get us started on a proper road to recovery:

1. Do away with the outdated and stagnant two-party system. When was the last time any one of us could list all of the important viewpoints and then match even a simple majority of them to either one of the parties? I’m not in the habit of molding myself to a group’s predefined notion of morals and values, and I doubt anyone else is either. What to replace it with? That’s where all you awesome, educated Poli-Sci majors come in.
2. Impose a term limit for House and Senate seats just as we do for President. Let’s be honest about this. Does anyone actually think that the career Senators in Congress are truly in touch with the people they represent? That the concepts of civic duty and serving the greater good are still as strong and fresh in their minds as the very first day on the job? The answer to that rhetorical question is no. Let’s leave the term lengths for Senators and House members at six years and two years, respectively, but let’s limit them to two and three reelected terms, also respectively. We need fresh blood, fresh minds, and fresh enthusiasm that hasn’t yet been corrupted.
3. Stop publicizing the results of random, inconclusive polls.

He and Biden both warned us what we were in for, folks. I’m not sure why anyone expected anything different, and it sickens me that there are so many fair-weather friends out there. Until this country does something at every level to remedy these issues we’re never going to have real change, and that blame is put squarely on us.