President Obama: How Optimistic Are You About The Next Four Years?

[David In Indy]

I feel very optimistic about the next four years. I have felt disappointed about a few things but overall I remain very hopeful about the future. Even though I lost my job, this is a problem that was created mostly by the previous administration. I do not fault President Obama at all.

We are seeing some great changes in this country, and that can be a very scary thing sometimes. But after I think about it I feel these changes are good and we are going in the right direction.

What about you? How do you feel about the next four years?

Comments from our non American members are very much welcomed!

[optom3]

I feel somewhat pessimistic, mainly as I fear that much has to change.My feelings have less to do with Obama, more so with human nature.

So many of the current financial problems, both here and abroad have been caused by greed.I would love to think that the whole ethos of, must have now, will change. My fear is that once the world, not just America, starts to pull out of the recession, people will revert to their old ways of profligate spending with little thought of the consequences. Most of us have conveniently short memories.

The other problems, those of hatred and intolerance of one group for another, and the many threats posed by that, seem so deeply entrenched, I can  see no end in my lifetime. Maybe I am just too pessimistic. The pages of history however reveal , the same problems, repeated over and over again, century after century.

We are I am afraid, a flawed species. I would love to live in a world of tolerance and equality for all. A world that does not have such massive chasms between the haves and have nots. That at the moment seems little more than a pipe dream, albeit a noble thing to aspire to. All I can do is live my life in a way that allows me to have a reasonably clear conscience.

[David In Indy]

I agree with you Fiona. We live in very scary and uncertain times right now. But overall I cannot help but feel that we are moving in the right direction. I was talking to a Dutch friend of mine and apparently over there (at least in Holland) many are very skeptical of President Obama. Contrary to popular belief, he is not giving some Europeans warm and fuzzy feelings. The American media tries to have us believe differently. But that's what I've been told. She said the Dutch, unlike Americans, are able to see President Obama in a different light and many over there are feeling a bit nervous.

Time will tell.

[optom3]

I hope time proves that this was a crucial turning point, for the better, in the world's economic, political and religious history.

It certainly feels pretty scary living throught it and I would love to think that my children's futures were on a little more solid ground.

Every aspect of life these days seems difficult. Humanity seems to lack just that, humanity. It is too much me, me, me and sod everyone else. I would not  mind if we were to have a revolution and return to a simpler way of living. Maybe that is just too esoteric though.

[injest]

I feel optomistic because I believe in the American people. I feel very pessimistic because we are going to go thru some really bad times. We are devaluing our currency by printing billions that are backed by nothing, we are spending more than our GDP...it is not looking good.