Barack Obama was elected to lead America into a new era of restored integrity, honor, prosperity, transparency, and justice. Since taking office in January, he has done everything but lead. To be honest, I don’t believe it is because he doesn’t want change. Rather, I believe he does. However, I don’t think he is capable of leading the change he promised. Let me explain why.
I believe any kind of change or action starts and ends with leadership. To me, leadership is one of those skills that you either have or you don’t. It isn’t something that can be learned by taking classes at a university or attending a seminar. No, I submit, that leadership is bred into our DNA as a binary on/off switch that, if on, can be refined and, if off, is as absent as oxygen in space. I define leadership as a person who sees a need or a problem and sets out to meet that need or solve that problem by determining the solution, bringing others together in a team, and empowering and motivating that team to realize the solution or vision. Put simply, leadership is action, not position.
Barack Obama raged against George W. Bush and the Republican party in the 2008 President Election — and deservedly so. The Republican Party took over a country in prosperity and handed it off in ruin. That point cannot be debated. As a Presidential candidate, he inspired many with slogans like “Yes we can”, “Hope”, and “Change”. It seemed we had a leader. It looked like we had someone who had identified a problem, came up with a solution, organized a team, and energized and motivated that team to fix it. It seems, however, that “problem” turned out to be, simply, the need to elect Barack Obama President of the United States and nothing else.
It is my opinion that since taking office, President Obama has lead from the rear, if there is such a thing. His actions indicate he doesn’t want to make anyone mad or let heads roll. I’m sorry, but I didn’t vote for that. I voted for a leader. I voted for someone that will lead the way, make a decision, and proceed forward with strong conviction. That is how I lead; and you know what? I make people mad. I create enemies. Yes, I do. But I get things done — that is what good leaders do. They lead the way. There will always be people around to say a leader is wrong. Personally, I value their input even when I disagree. However, once I make a decision, that’s it and there’s no debate. I try to make more friends than enemies; and, in the end, I usually do. However, leadership is hard. You can’t lead if you are pushing up the rear. You can’t tell people where to go if you wait to see what happens before committing yourself. That’s not only dumb, but in my opinion, cowardly.
So, where’s Obama’s leadership? I don’t like his healthcare plan, but if he was a leader, he should say we are doing it — period. He should organize his Democratic majorities and say this is what I want and get it done. Yes, the Republicans are going to complain, gripe, and try to stall. I say let them. If I believed in it that strongly, I would leave them at the side of the road — if necessary — do to what I felt was right for the country. (Hey, they lost an election, badly.) But no, we get compromise everything Obama. That was true with the stimulus, it’s true with healthcare, and it’s true with Bush-era policies he has failed to overturn. No leadership to be found. That isn’t “change I can believe in”. Instead, it is “failed change”.
I don’t know about anyone else, but I want a leader. I call on President Obama to resign and it’s not because he’s a bad person or because he doesn’t have good intentions; no, it’s because we need a leader and he should make way for one. Lead, follow, or get out of the way. We need someone, Male or Female, Black or White, Christian or Jew, Straight or Gay, whatever, to lead us into a new tomorrow. It’s time for leadership and Mr. Obama’s 15 minutes are up. So are the do-nothing Congress’. I love my country and I am tired of this. Please God, we need you, now more than ever. I know you are here and I know you care. Please — help us to help ourselves. Please help us make the American candle burn bright once again.