Associated Press

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Inauguration day, using the same bible Abraham Lincoln was sworn in with, Obama will assume the presidency. Like so many before him, Barrack Obama will take the podium, look out upon the crowds and the nation, and speak.’ This will be a fulfilling moment because the man for whom I voted represents a change from the Bush era.
At his inauguration, President John F. Kennedy said, ‘Ask not what your country can do for you, but ask what you can do for your country.’ That should be asked of America today ‘- both the people who wanted change and voted for Obama, and the people who voted for McCain, preferring everything to just stay the same.’ ‘ ‘
But, regardless of what he says, when he steps up to the microphone and, in front of millions, gives his speech, one question will be on everyone’s mind:
‘What now?’
How about the economy? The economy is his priority because ‘hellip;’ well look at it.’ Need I go into how bad it is right now? The counties around NKU are suffering from foreclosures. Campbell County had 400 foreclosure sales in 2008, that is a 10 percent increase from last year. Kenton County is having the same problem.’ Kenton had 1,015 foreclosure sales in ’08, a 5.5 percent increase from last year. Ohio had 3.93 percent of the 1.5 million mortgage holders in foreclosure or behind on payments.
Obama will confront all the pressing issues facing him and manage them with the same amount of care and thought. But Americans want him to focus on the economy. Right out of the gate Obama is going to be facing a massive hurdle to overcome. How will he make things better? What will he do? ‘
He and his team are already on the right track. Incoming Treasury Secretary Timothy Geither is aiming to unfreeze credit for homeowners and consumers. The House can act on the Troubled Asset Relief Program to set tougher conditions on recipients of the $700 billion bailout and require that money to go to reducing mortgage foreclosures. Such proposals show us that Obama and his team are going to do anything and everything to correct this. Obama is going to be running a gauntlet against critics, but already it appears that he will right the wrongs.
For good or ill, the country has a leader. In some eyes, he was the right man while in others, not so much. Many things can be said about the election, about Obama and about what is in America’s future. Regardless, as Bob Dylan sang, ‘The times, they are a changin’.’