"One Year Later!"

It's time to Break It Down!

Today is the anniversary of the election of Barack Obama as President of the United States. It has been a difficult 12 months. As a nation we have endured the most ravaging recession since The Great Depression (TGD). To be clear, TGD lasted more than a decade, so what we are experiencing now is not expected to rival that event in scope or dimension. But it is generally accepted as the next worst thing.

Our current malaise includes being beset by a devastating recession, a meltdown of the housing market, major banks hemorrhaging cash and stock value, destruction of the American Automobile Industry as we knew it, a bear market on Wall Street, and spiraling unemployment that while slowing is still rising. Happy Anniversary to you, President Obama!

Candidate Obama framed a resonant message around the theme, "Change Americans Could Believe In." Twelve months removed from that historic day one year ago, several questions persist, including:

• What has changed (for the positive) in the last year?
• Are you better-off today than you were a year ago?
• Has America improved in any measurable way since November 4, 2008?

Of course, there are many other questions that could be posed. Those three are meant to be rhetorical, and to set a framework reflecting upon where we were, juxtaposed against where we are. If you want to revisit the litany of promises made by Candidate Obama, just tune into CNN virtually any weekday and watch analysts and researchers recap the promised kept, the promises abandoned, and the promises still in the queue.

Politicians and political campaigns are frequently the stuff of which books are based. Naturally, a campaign that may go down in history as one of the most uniquely stunning ever run, has spawned a book by a member of Mr. Obama’s innermost circle, David Plouffe (pronounced /plʌf/), Chief Campaign Manager. Entitled, The Audacity to Win: The Inside Story and Lessons of Barack Obama's Historic Victory, the book is likely a must read by Obama enthusiasts and political junkies.

Arianna Huffington, syndicated columnist, and co-founder of The Huffington Post calls it “The most important political book of the year,” and adds, “The book is a powerful reminder of what the country voted for last year – and could serve as the trigger for Obama and his team to refocus and remember why the election mattered so much.” Read more at: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/arianna-huffington/obama-one-year-later-the_b_343209.html.

On of the hallmarks of American electoral politics is if it’s November, it must be election season. Well, it is November! In what amounts to an off off-year election (Neither a Presidential Election year, nor a Mid-term Election year), there were still several Elections of significance that drew national attention. Gubernatorial races in Virginia and New Jersey, Mayoral races in New York, Atlanta, and Houston, a congressional race in New York, a question on Gay Marriage in Maine, and one on Civil Unions in the State of Washington, all drew attention, for various reasons.

Three races in particular were trumpeted as being tied to President Obama’s leadership. Some even termed them referenda on his leadership. Two gubernatorial races campaigns, one in Virginia, and one in New Jersey were often highlighted in recent weeks. GOP candidates won both races.

Republican Bob McDonnell won handily in Virginia, beating Creigh Deeds. Mr. Deeds, once ambivalent about seeking assistance from President Obama, was eventually reduced to seeking the President’s help once the campaign was clearly already out of hand.

In New Jersey, beleaguered incumbent Democrat Jon Corzine lost his re-election bid to Republican Chris Christie. Mr. Corzine was associated with a number scandals and high taxes. President Obama made several campaign appearances in both Virginia and New Jersey as the campaigns wound down.

In Upstate New York’s 23rd Congressional District, Democrat Bill Owens beat Conservative Party candidate, Douglas Hoffman. This race was tinged with intrigue, as conservative Republicans from Sarah Palin, to Glenn Beck, to Rush Limbaugh launched full-scale attacks on the Republican candidate, Dede Scozzafava, in effect labeling her a Republican In Name Only, commonly called a RINO. Ms Scozzafava dropped out of the race this past weekend and endorsed the Democrat, Mr. Owens.

In a race no less interesting than the previous three, New York Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg survived in an surprisingly close race against challenger William C. Thompson Jr., New York City Comptroller. Mr. Bloomberg reportedly spent $90 million of his own money to fund his campaign. After garnering 51% of the vote, it appears it was a necessary, if not good investment.

In 1973, voters in Atlanta elected Maynard Jackson Mayor. There has not been a non-African American elected since. That could change next month. Last night, Atlanta Councilwoman Mary Norwood captured 45% of the vote, while State Senator Kasim Reed garnered 38% to force a December 1st runoff. Atlanta has experienced a dynamic demographic shift over the past decade as whites, who steadily left the city during the 70’s, 80’s, and 90’s have begun to return, while blacks have moved further from the center of the city during that same ten-year period.

As in Atlanta, Houstonians will also participate in a December runoff. The date is yet to be decided, but the top two vote getters, neither of whom tallied 50%, were City Controller Annise Parker and former City Atorney Gene Locke. Ms. Parker, if elected would become the first openly gay Mayor of Houston, the nation’s fourth largest city.

In two other closely watched votes, opponents of a Referendum to uphold a law allowing Gay Marriage are claiming victory in Maine, while in Washington State voters approved Same-Sex Civil Unions. Expect to see the issue appearing on more ballots across the country.

Finally, Tip O’Neill, in his 1987 autobiography, Man of the House, attributed to his father a phrase that he popularized, ”All politics is local.” To that end, congratulations to Charlotte’s new Mayor, Anthony Foxx. In a hotly contested race, Foxx became the first Democrat in 22 years, and the second African American to claim the City’s top elected position. Unofficial results indicate Foxx won 51% of the vote; his opponent, John Lassiter finished with 49%. Both Mr. Foxx and Mr. Lassiter are members of the Charlotte City Council.

"One Year Later," are the results of yesterday’s elections and various ballot initiatives a collective referendum on President Obama’s leadership? Obviously, there will be those who say yes. Yet ask those same people, was Mr. Obama’s election a mandate, proxy, or referendum? They would most likely answer a resounding no. Funny how that works, isn’t it? I do not believe yesterday’s results were a referendum on the President. I do believe those results provide valuable information that Mr. Obama and his team would be wise to study carefully, as they consider next steps.

Mr. Obama’s administration is challenged to use input gained over the course these first 365 days to formulate a more effective and efficient strategy and structure to execute policy. If he can make this leap, he and his team will have made the transition from innovative campaign machinery to a practical model for governance.

I’m done; holla back!

Read my blog anytime by clicking the link: http://thesphinxofcharlotte.blogspot.com . A new post is published each Wednesday. For more detailed information on a variety of aspects relating to this post, consult the links below:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Plouffe
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arianna_Huffington
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Bloomberg
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Thompson_(New_York)
http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/nj-va-ny-2009-elections-test-obama-sway/story?id=8977431
http://www.montrealgazette.com/news/Republican+wins+Jersey+governor+race/2180989/story.html
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/04/nyregion/04district.html?hp
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5ijRd6gh_FQ2pQU531ysucBuQ_SjgD9BOH7TO0
http://www.ajc.com/news/atlanta/norwood-and-reed-in-185327.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maynard_Jackson
http://www.reuters.com/article/politicsNews/idUSTRE5A312O20091104
http://www.shewired.com/Article.cfm?ID=23869
http://www.charlotteobserver.com/politics/story/1036333.html