In the normal course of events -- in other words without the convergence of two wars, eight years of a failed presidency, economic, educational, environmental and moral collapse -- we never would have been desperate (and/or humble) enough to elect not only our first black President but our intellectually brightest President ever. If I, a life-long, white, aging boomer, former evangelical right wing leader can see this, you can too. Give me five minuets and lay aside your cynicism for a moment.
In electing Obama we have found our Abraham Lincoln and Franklin Roosevelt for our time. The greatest leaders not only have the greatest ability but also the right personality, vocabulary and above all the lucky (or more likely unlucky) alignment of national events to give the people they lead the desperation they need to humble themselves enough to be led.
Lincoln had the Civil War. Roosevelt found greatness in answering the threat of fascism and economic depression. For a leader to lead he needs to get people's undivided attention in a way that only genuine crisis produces. President Obama has our attention! He'll also have the panicked rage of the American people backing his initiatives with the certain knowledge that both the Democrats and Republicans in Congress understand that they're toast unless they get behind him fast and vigorously.
It won't matter whether Obama's progressive base approves of everything he does. It won't matter if the neoconservatives, the gun lobby, antiabortion lobby, pro-abortion lobby, feminist, gay, military, family values or any other ideological group, ethnic group or religious subgroup backs him or not. This President has the backing of the frightened majority of Americans. We are ready to do whatever it takes to help our new President do whatever it takes to save us.
We the people are in the same position as someone waiting in a flame-filled eighth story window for a fireman at the top of a ladder about to rescue him. And we'll have the same reaction as that person would have to anyone who impedes that fireman's progress by trying to pull the ladder down, drive the ladder truck to a different destination, or take potshots at our fireman as he climbs to rescues us.
There's a difference between luxury and necessity, choice and survival. We Americans are now in survival mode, backs to the wall thinking about necessities not luxuries and realizing that our stupidity (in other words our dumbness in electing Bush, our greed, our corruption, our lack of discipline from the cars we've driven to the bonuses we've tolerated Wall Street crooks paying themselves, to the wars we went along with etc., etc.) have just about cost us everything we hold dear. We're not looking to the Obama presidency for anything less than national salvation.
Since ninety-percent of what a political leader can accomplish depends on the willingness of people to be led -- and above all to sacrifice when asked to -- President Obama will be in a unique position the likes of which this country has only seen at its founding, during the Civil War and during the Great Depression and Second World War. The reason President Obama will succeed beyond our wildest dreams is because of a merciful historical fluke that has given us the most intellectually capable President with the most appropriate calm, unflappable, awe-inspiring and trust-inducing personality and demeanor for the office that this country has seen since Abraham Lincoln.
We the American people were willing to reach outside of run-of-the-mill politics this time. We knew that the usual cast of characters had failed us. We knew it was time for a new beginning. And so we took at huge chance because not taking a chance was even riskier.
And -- thank God! -- everything that President elect Obama has done since his acceptance speech in Chicago has confirmed his wisdom, humble demeanor, ability to explain and that ineffable quality of leadership that, simply put, makes those being led feel better. We already love this man and his family. We already know that the tough therapy will succeed, even if it hurts. This is the "family doctor" we can trust.
The Obama presidency will succeed for four reasons:
One; we have chosen the right man with the right personality and the right intellectual capabilities.
Two; we are desperate enough to not only follow him but to make the sacrifices required.
Three; we are frightened and angry enough to put the most intense pressure on Congress it has ever felt to force it to bow to Obama's will.
Four; in our panic after two bad wars and one horrible economy, we are underestimating the essential strength of our country. So we are going to be pleasantly surprised by how quickly our economy, educational initiatives, new green technology, the effects of Obama's economic stimulus packages, and our international standing will rebound under new and great leadership.
We are in a repentant frame of mind. A few racists, idiot-savant neoconservatives, religious right and other misled or just plain screwy oddballs aside, the vast majority of Americans know we're in the position of an alcoholic who just got a liver transplant and knows that this time around it's stick with the program or die! Our "transplant patient" predicament would be bad news for America if "the program" entailed the election of anyone with less stature than President-elect Obama. But the fact is we have the uniquely right man at the right time.
Here's what's going to happen within four years:
--Our economy will be rebounding...
--The stock market we'll be back where it was at its last high point confounding all the gloomy pundits...
--The banking industry will be properly re-regulated...
--We will have a series of technological breakthroughs and new green industry successful start-ups that will change everything when it comes to dependence on carbon based products for energy not to mention foreign oil...
--Health care costs and coverage for all Americans will be moving in the right direction...
--Educational reforms will combine with investment in education that will halt the decline of our schools and reverse it...
--America's standing will be rebounding around the globe and the threat of Islamic terrorism will have significantly diminished...
--The culture wars that have divided our country will be a receding into mere bitter memory...
--We'll be out of Iraq, other than a small force needed to guard American interests and train the Iraqi's military and police...
--We'll be taking care of our veterans properly and our military's morale will be higher than ever...
--Partisan politics will no longer define Washington -- because with President Obama's approval ratings routinely between 60% and 80% his presidency will be bigger than party politics.
Why will this happen? Because it has to!
How will it happen? Because for all our faults America is the strongest, most exciting, most resilient country on the planet. As FDR said, "The only thing we have to fear is fear itself." Today that is truer than ever. Half the battle is to regain our self-confidence. Trusting that President-elect Obama will do the job is as important as anything he does.
We're lucky that (cynics and scoffers aside) we have very good reasons to believe. We have just proved we are able to change course, repent and learn. We only needed a great leader to restore our faith and hope. President Obama is that leader. Believe in him and believe in ourselves.
Frank Schaeffer is the author of CRAZY FOR GOD-How I Grew Up As One Of The Elect, Helped Found The Religious Right, And Lived To Take All (Or Almost All) Of It Back. Now in paperback.