Error: Unable to create directory /home/demockra/public_html/wp-content/uploads/2010/09. Is its parent directory writable by the server? Could Obama Be the New Bush?

Anyone who has paid any attention to anything political these past weeks and months would easily arrive at this conclusion:

President Barack Obama is the exact opposite of President George W. Bush.

The differences are obvious: party, race, age, background, and experience. The list could go on for a full paragraph. In nearly every aspect, one differs greatly from the other. But it’s the one similarity between the former President and the current President that could lead to 8 years of déjà vu for Americans.

In what now seems like a drug-induced hallucination, there was actually a time when people trusted President Bush to make decisions. It was the weeks and months immediately after September 11. Americans were united. We all turned to our newly-elected Commander in Chief, ready to follow him wherever he led. President Bush could ask for anything, especially if it was in the name of fighting terrorism, and it would be given to him on a silver platter with little to no resistance from either party.

And so it was.

A war in Afghanistan, with “fighting them over there instead of fighting them over here” as its mantra, was approved with ease. Next came Iraq. Although there was some resistance, it was a flaccid opposition at best. Over the next 5-plus years, most of those who weren’t opposed to the Iraq war in the first place changed their minds. But from 2001 to 2003, at the dawn of his presidency, Bush had struck the jackpot. Because of the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center, he had the nearly unanimous support of the American people. But as many politicians do, he overstepped this advantage for the sake of the opportunity for his own personal gain. Instead of doing what was best for America, he did what was best for him. Instead of asking for national sacrifice in light of the new War on Terror, he told us to go shopping and look the other way as America accepted the new Bush Doctrine of preemptive war.

Now, fast-forward 7 years. When it comes to the support of the American people, is Barack Obama much different from the 2001 President Bush? Granted, the reasons behind their followings are very different – one was a result of a terrible national tragedy and the other is a result of his eloquence, ability to inspire, and contrasting policies with the former. However, with Obama now in the White House, Americans could possibly find themselves in similar circumstances to what they faced two terms ago. It’s possible that Americans will get lulled into the same sense of security that accompanied the first years of the Bush administration.  Any potential negative consequences, like running up the deficit for little economic benefit or diminishing national security, won’t be seen until several years down the road, possible after Obama’s reelection campaign.

So between now and then, before Obama’s throngs of followers (possibly) turn against him for some unforeseen reason, what will he convince America is a good idea? Or what liberal principles will traditional conservatives agree with because the country’s fearless leader has made some good choices in the past? Or because he’s trying to save the economy? Or trying to unite the country?

The increased executive power of Bush and Cheney is something Obama has promised to do away with, but with his approval rating so high, will Americans be more willing to let him keep that authority or not question how he exercises it? Obama says he wants to reach across the aisle, but he may end up pulling more people back over to his side rather than meeting them halfway.

More importantly, President Obama is now pushing for a huge stimulus package, which appeals to lots of Americans. Socialist and capitalist principles aside, most people appreciate having more money. However, most people probably don’t fully understand the implications, especially considering many of the included measures are, no matter how noble their merits, not initiatives that would have any immediate effect on the economy.  However, it could be argued, like  post-9/11 executive orders, this stimulus package is just an excuse to implement pet priorities, a reaction to a new circumstance, not necessarily some overarching principle. In other words, President Obama may be merely using the current economic disaster as an excuse to enact a smorgasbord of liberal policies, even if they have no relationship to helping us out of the economic crisis, in the same way that President Bush used 9/11 as an excuse to enact conservative policies that had no relationship to 9/11, such as the invasion of Iraq.

So the dominoes have more or less been set up. With Obama elected, we have another president Americans are ready to follow. Another president they’re willing to trust. Another president who they feel comfortable making decisions.

With so much power, let’s hope, unlike his predecessor, he makes the right ones.