Keeping it Real (5-14-09 Edition)

President Barack Obama has led the nation with strength and dignity and has shown the world that we can embrace our international brothers and sisters by allowing room for dialogue that was not present in previous administrations. In his first 100 days in office he has been "Deliberate, very principled, and very progressive."

President Obama has convinced the nation that he can tackle the big issues even though a series of missteps had the public questioning his ability. With his struggles to fill his cabinet--mainly due to tax issues and media slip-ups--folks are gunning for him as an inexperienced leader. What those people don't see mainly because of little coverage by the media is the changes he's made that affected our nation's health care system, infrastructure, urban and foreign policy.

It was at the G-20 Summit that President Obama evolved from being a charismatic politician to a world leader. He made took extraordinary steps to repair the United States image worldwide Leaders of the European countries met with Obama and finally some of the sarcasm of the Bush Administration melted away. The fact that he is willing to compromise, listen and engage is very reassuring. He's doing work in Latin America, a place ignored for 8 years and in various parts of the world we are getting better reception.

In terms of the economy, it is evident that President Obama inherited an economy we have not seen in crisis like this in our lifetime. The major problem is that we are not doing enough to help the public. Small businesses still cannot get loans and family homes are foreclosing. Obama is trying to help everyone but you can't save the economy by Wall Street only. People need help now, not six months from now.

While there is still much to be done, President Obama has given the nation, and other nations that look up to America, an example of a country that can persevere through grim situations. His achievements as our leader in his first 100 days in office gives us better hope of what he will achieve to improve the situation of our country in the next 100 days, and even 100 days after that.

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