7:51 PM EST. Georgetown University, Washington, D.C., USA — Earlier today, I arrived in Washington, D.C. and made my way through crowds of tourists looking for their unique chance to witness history. The inauguration is now less than 20 hours away and giddiness is contagious. It seems as if the millions of people flocking to DC are on a collective “Obama trip.” Despite the 30 degree weather and the packed trains and sidewalks, smiles abound. Strangers talk to one another, eager to share their plans for inauguration day. There is a feeling that this country is preparing to launch an extraordinary comeback.
Of course, this inauguration means different things to different people. To cynics, it is a case of inflated expectations. To Obama supporters, it is the consummation of a tireless two-year pursuit of change. To many Americans, but particularly African-Americans, it is a celebration of new hope for the future of equality of opportunity in this country. Most of all, it appears to be a chance for America to reboot its political sensibilities.
It is at once scary and humbling to realize that America’s relative power is quickly evaporating. American politics has become less of a model and more of a punchline. It was difficult to become hopeful for the future of America when its flag was more often burned than heralded, its leaders more often targeted by shoe than praised in appreciation. I, for one, felt rather helpless during the Bush administration. The “perfect union” to which we aspire was becoming increasingly distant.
As citizens, we are taught that our country is not only the best, but the most opportune. We are told that the greatness of America rests in its flexibility, in the ability of its citizens to influence their government. The Obama election is the materialization of our civics lessons. Obama was the quintessential underdog. He did not have the political connections, nor did he have the political profile to become president. Instead, he had the ideas and the leadership ability to organize and inspire millions. He made it so that Americans no longer felt helpless. They felt as if they were part of something that was bigger than anything individual or political. They soon felt both engaged and inspired, American and optimistic.
This inauguration will capture for many Americans what we strive to be: a meritocracy founded on innovation, optimism and diligence. I hope that tomorrow’s inauguration speech will refuse to dwell on the past. I hope that it will reject calls to “reclaim” this or “restore” that. America is in uncharted territory. While the majority of our history was spent growing toward hegemony, we are now faced with the unenviable challenge of maintaining our grandiosity. Though Obama’s speech should recognize the challenges and successes of America’s past, it should not seek to emulate them.
I hope that Americans will take away three key points from Obama’s speech:
- The solutions that we propose today will have serious implications for the future of the country. All policy solutions must duly account for their potential effects on forthcoming generations. Any spending binge must be succeeded by significant fiscal restraint. In order to preserve our power in the short-term, we must not sacrifice our solvency in the long-term.
- It’s going to be hard. Obama has tried to tamp down expectations in his speeches leading up to the inauguration. However, the inauguration speech must make it clear that his desired changes will not occur immediately or without resistance. He must set forth a clear list of priorities and speak honestly with the American people about what he can and can’t do in his first few years in office.
- He needs your help. The inauguration is not meant to represent a conquest or consummation; it is meant to kick off a new era. The activism and excitement that Obama supporters displayed during the campaign was just a warm-up. I hope that Obama will seek to usher in a new style of politics. I hope that the speech will call Obama supporters and detractors to work on behalf of the progress for which they sought in the campaign.
Tomorrow afternoon, I hope that Americans will feel as if they were invited into a new kind of political coalition. I hope that we will no longer feel helpless. I hope that we will have the opportunity and find the imagination to make the Obama presidency everything that we expect it to be. I hope.