O elected as President

So the news is out: Barak Obama is the president elect and will take office in January. For what it is worth, here are my thoughts:

1. The ability for a black man to win this office would have been unheard of 40 years ago, maybe even 10 years ago. This is proof that the walls of opportunity for a black man have clearly been torn down. Tonight marks an important historical moment in consideration of the history of this nation. Tonight is proof that a nation can turn it's back on bigotry and hate to promote equality and justice to all regardless of race.

2. Change was the best coin word, PR work of the decade. We don't even know what change was promised to us, we only know that "change" is a coming. The coming year will be interesting to what the defination of change means.

3. What do I think "change" meant? Honestly, I think that people hungered for a change from the current administration, meaning Bush. The people, overwhelmingly, are tired of the approach of secrecy and unilateral decisions made by the Bush Administration.

4. I am going to hold out hope that Obama moves center and remembers that we are a moderate country. But I will make the following predictions for the next four years:

• Taxes will increase. Sorry wealthy people who make more than 250,000 a year, you are going to be looking at paying 5-7% more in taxes.
• Justice Stevens will retire from the Supreme Court and therefore, O will nominate a justice. Look for it to happen in the next two years because then there will be no fight in the Senate for confirmation (plus Justice Stevens is 86 years old).
• There will NOT be an immediate pullout in Iraq. I remain convinced that once O sees the intelligence reports and is briefed, his tune is going to change a bit there.
• Major layoffs by corporations who will fear the policy changes being made that effect the bottom line of their profits.
• Energy prices will skyrocket.
• Uncontrolled spending because there are no checks and balances between the Congress and President. You and I will pay---and then our children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.
• The fairness doctrine will be attacked--watch out Rush, Sean, and Glen. They will be gunning for you.

Don't get me wrong: I remain optimistic the Barak Obama will work with diplomacy and grace. I also think he has a shot at working across the aisle and pulling down a consensus. What frightens me is the fact that two branches of the government will be controlled by one political party----the government was not set up to work this way.

The good news: We always swing to the right, then center, then left. We are in that cycle.