First, I was one of those embittered, cynical people President-elect Obama referred to in his acceptance speech after the election. Throughout much of the campaign I was fearful that Obama was using the language of hope to appeal to the jaded elements but that when he won (and frankly, I had no doubt that Senator McCain could overcome both the Bush record and his own startling record of campaign gaffes)it would be business as usual.
I did not (and do not) fear tax increases - despite what the right suggests, it is much more an American political tradition that those who make more have a greater societal responsibility. Even when the so-called robber barons of old made millions and paid no taxes (J.P. Morgan made $23 million in 1900 and paid exactly $0 in taxes) this was offset by massive charitable givings (this doesn't absolve them, I'm just making a point here). Today, when many of these functions are seen as the responsibilty of the state, it is more than appropriate that the more you make, the more you should pay in taxes - to the argue the inverse (that the tax burden should fall on those who make less) is stupid, there's no other way around it. Despite not being afraid of tax increases, I was afraid that Obama's rhetoric would not match his actions. Sure enough, he has already gone on record that he will not remove the Bush tax cuts, rather he will let them expire. Not quite the platform on which he was elected. If he NOW cuts middle-class taxes (the basis of his platform, restructuring the tax burden) then he will have completely gutted the tax base, which will likely create big problems - the onlychoice should have always been to get rid of the Bush tax cuts. So reason number one why I am jaded (again) and pissed off.
Obama also has scaled back his rhetoric regarding the war in Iraq. While admirably running as the only candidate who opposed the Iraq War, and arguing for a change in strategy, as well as an on target critique of the current (not for long) administartion's policies, Obama said he would begin an immmediate drawdown. To be fair, he has announced his plan to remove the combat troops by the summer of 2010 (http://change.gov/agenda/iraq_agenda/). However, he still intends to leave residual forces. And directing the process? Secretary of Defense Robert Gates, holdover from the Bush administration, and unrepentent Cold War memo artist. How exactly is keeping troops in Iraq and a guy partially responsible for the policies then-candidate Obama opposed giving us "the change we need"?
Moreover, look at the people with whom Obama has filled his administration:
-John Podesta, head of transition, former Clinton Chief of Staff. Podesta's assistant? Betty Currie, Pres. Clinton's personal secretary.
-Hillary Clinton, secretary of state designate, wife of Pres. Clinton
-Hilda Solis, secretary of labor designate, served in Office of Hispanic Affairs under Pres. Carter, and as OMB budget analyst under Pres. Reagan (to be fair, Solis became disgusted with Reagan policies and resigned).
-Ray LaHood, secretary of transportation designate. Elected to congress in 1994 and presided over President Clinton's impeachment hearings.
-Bill Richardson - secretary of commerce designate. Clinton's UN Ambassador, and probably the best qualified of Obama's designates, except he should have been placed at the state department instead of Hillary Clinton.
-Janet Napolitano, secretary of Homeland Security designate. Governor of Arizona, and former district of Arizona US attorney, appointed by President Clinton.
-Tom Vilsack, secretary of agriculture designate.
-Tom Daschle - health and human services designate. Former 4-term member of the House of Representatives and later senate majority leader who lost in the 2002 midterm elections.
-Robert M. Gates, secretary of defense designate, former CIA directer under Pres. George H.W. Bush and current secretary of defense - 'nuff said.
-Eric Holder, attorney general designate, former Clinton deputy attorney general.
-Timothy Geithner, secretary of treasury designate. As chairman of the Federal Reserve Bank of NY, he helped arrange the sale of Bear-Sterns, and helped arrange the bailout of Lehman Brothers and A.I.G. Thanks for nothing.
-Lawrence Summers, director of the National Economic Council. He was on Pres. Reagan's council of economic advisers, economic adviser to the Dukakis campaign, an economist for the World Bank, and finally deputy treasury secretary and treasury secretary under Pres.---(wait for it) ---Clinton.
-Ron Kirk, US Trade representative designate, former Mayor of Dallas.
-Steven Chu, secretary of energy designate.
Only a couple of these designates can be described as Washington outsiders, and many Democrats have been openly critical of the choice of Kirk as trade representative (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/12/20/AR2008122000579.html).
So I'm having a hard time seeing how this is really change.
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