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[url=http://c2writes.wordpress.com/2008/12/01/sc-young-adults-ima gine-obama’s-presidency/]S.C. young adults imagine Obama's presidency[/url]
By Maresa Whitehead
South Carolina young adults are thinking about President-Elect Barack Obama
mrwhitehead
Mon, 01 Dec 2008 19:45:05 +0000
By Maresa Whitehead
South Carolina young adults are thinking about President-Elect Barack Obama's first term.
Two weeks after Election Day, Americans have shifted their focus from guessing the election's outcome to forecasting Obama's presidency. During the campaign, Obama made promises regarding various issues, as do all political candidates. Now, as he begins his transition into the White House, S.C. young adults imagine what Obama's first term will bring.
"I think that the economy is going to do better," said Katie Brewer, 20, an afterschool counselor at Lexington Leisure Center.
Obama will first face stabilizing the economy. The economic downturn, affecting both businesses and individuals, overshadowed the last weeks of his campaign. This year, 1.2 million Americans lost their jobs before Nov. Home foreclosures reached record highs in early 2008 and continue to rise. Automakers GM, Ford, and Chrysler are preparing to release a plan for the controversial bailout package they hope to receive from the government.
Since winning the presidential bid, Obama has spoken about how crucial this matter is. "The consensus is this: that we have to do whatever it takes to get this economy moving again, that we're going to have to spend money now to stimulate the economy," the president-elect said in an interview on 60 Minutes that aired Nov. 16.
"The most important thing is that we avoid a deepening recession," said Obama.
Obama plans to push for an economic stimulus package shortly after taking office on Jan. 20. This fact brings hope to some young South Carolinians, but others still aren't sure what to expect.
"I do think that his policies are really good, but I also think that it's going to eliminate the middle class and make the rich richer and the poor poorer," said Brewer.
"The economy is always going to go up and down, but we need to understand why it's happening. Hopefully, he'll be able to resolve some things, but it won't take just one person," said Larisa Daly, a 20-year-old psychology major at USC.
The economy, while foremost in people's minds, is not the only issue young adults are pondering. Daly is also concerned about America's foreign relations.
"I think he's going to get America back in good standing with the rest of the world. He's going to let America be seen as a country that makes history instead of a country that gets involved in other countries' business," said Daly.
"I also think he's going to shift the focus off of Iraq and onto Afghanistan, where it should have been eight years ago," said Daly, referring to the Iraq War.
But Brewer has a different opinion. "Whenever we pull out of Iraq, a lot of bad stuff is going to happen in the Middle East. It's going to create chaos," said Brewer.
Still, Brewer has a certain optimism about the situation. "I am a firm believer that the fighting part of the war is close to being over. They're doing some amazing stuff over there-trying to rebuild-and we can't just pull out. If you are halfway through building a structure you can't just leave it, or it will collapse."
Morgan Brown, a 23-year-old Lexington resident on hiatus from Midlands Tech, concurs. "We aren't going to be able to pull out completely yet, but if we can minimize our forces, then it will be a step in the right direction," he said.
Another big issue on the minds of these Midlands residents is health care. "I don't think he's going to pass universal health care like he's talking about," said Brewer.
"Even if it does work out, I don't think it's going to last-Again, it's great in theory, but it doesn't work. First of all, I don't think Congress is going to let him do it. Second, I don't really trust him to follow through," continued Brewer.
But Brewer also knows that may not be entirely Obama's fault. "It's one of the smaller issues of his platform, and I just don't think he's going to focus on that as much as other stuff, like the economy," Brewer said.
Maresa Whitehead, a 22-year-old senior at Columbia College, will attend graduate school for creative writing. She plans to teach at the college level and publish her own work on the side.
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