IT'S TIME FOR OBAMA TO SET HIS EXPECTATIONS.........ON US

He is only marginally closer to putting his hand on the Bible, but Barack Obama has garnered praise from both sides of the aisle for his thoughtful appointments to some cabinet posts, and a full blown economic team, as well as his three days straight of press conferences. Needless to say, his communication skills may well mark the biggest change from his administration and that of his predecessor, George Bush.

He has addressed issues with the economy, as well as counselled the current administration for a stimulus package we need now, as opposed to the Bush administration "phoning it in" during his lamb duck / dead duck period. His campaign rhetoric about "hitting the ground running" was not just words, it was a commitment he obviously is determined to meet from the very start of his Presidency.

What he has not done so far is something he has briefly touched upon during his campaign, namely setting his expectations upon us, the American citizens. Too often, politicians have blamed everything, every issue on the government and its representatives. In the process of running for office, they dare not place any blame on the very same people who will determine their collective fates, the American voters.

Not since JFK has any politician, let alone a sitting President addressed the citizenry with what they can do to solve this countries issues. His "ask not" speech was viewed as JFK at his very finest, and did not inspire the denial and anger of the American electorate other politicians feared most, and it is time for Barack Obama to do the very same. It actually energized his constituency, who wanted to pitch in and help.

No, I am not referring to the bad loans given out to undeserving and unqualified borrowers, although you could certainly make a case for it. Sitting back and claiming ignorance on the borrowers currently facing repossession is hopelessly naive and wholly unfounded. These loans were a collaboration between unscrupulous lenders, and the borrowers who knew they would face an uphill battle. There is ample evidence of fraudulent cases of loan practices involving the falsifying of qualifying information, especially in terms of salary histories.

What I am talking about are the core values and basic daily habits of a citizenry who have become alarmingly lazy, overweight and spoiled. I am talking about a failure to take responsibility for their lives, and especially in the raising and educating of their offspring. I am talking about a generation of slackers, who prefer to sit back and point the finger of blame upon their government, as their expectations upon them to solve the problems they have caused for themselves reach ridiculous proportions.

As the relative of many educators, I can state as fact the deplorable lack of abilities American children possess when first attending school. Read a book? Many cannot even hold a book, yet alone properly hold a writing instrument. Yes, the vast majority can sing the alphabet song, but mathematically and in basic reading (recognition of basic sight words, etc.) they are way behind those children in other countries.

These facts, disturbing in and of themselves, are maddening when you realize that these children come to Kindergarten able to operate a TV remote and a VCR. Many are able to use a cellular phone to answer a call.

Our priorities, and the examples we are setting for our children have come home to roost with statistics that our children are largely starting out, and continue to lag far behind most other countries for the balance of their educational career.

And this is just one area we have allowed this country to fall behind in. For the Obama administration to succeed, he must regain his charismatic hold he once held over the voters during the Obama nation period of his campaign. He must regain their attentions, and he must begin to motivate the American populous.

Barack knows; he can't solve the various issues facing his administration alone without the help of the people he will attempt to govern. And the time to start is now during the holiday seasons and not to wait for his inaugural address to begin. This country deserves a swift kick in the wallet, and waiting while he loses momentum amongst the electorate is the exact wrong tactic to take.

And that is the world........"The World According to Kimba".........as always, thanks for reading.