Missed it...

I've missed a few things the past week. First, let's celebrate missing the $1.99 title of a post to celebrate gas prices coming down. The local Costco stands at $1.97 and some others are even lower. Isn't it great when gas prices are low so that people have more money to spend on their own needs? Ah, the freedom to buy gas and go on a road trip, or direct funds your own way. Having the extra money is freedom to make decisions at the family level -- very nice.

The second miss: I did see TV spots in the last few days of the election that did raise questions about (then) Senator Obama's relationship with Reverend Jeremiah Wright. I am not a big TV watcher, and I saw it once or twice. I was willing to link to the youtube version I had seen, but I couldn't find it there -- instead, I managed to find several other versions. It seems other parts of the country likely got more doses on their TVs -- I guess that's what I get for living in a state with relatively low (13) electoral votes! I should be happy.

OK, the third miss has me very confused. Barack Obama's historic election has a lot of exciting hope behind it. I'm more cautious than euphoric. The large list of promises made now need decisive action behind them to deliver solutions. I can campaign on words as well, but if there isn't action behind them, then it's rather hollow. With the euphoria and Congress aligned, Obama should have little problem moving ahead the agenda he proposed. Yesterday's business section of the Washington Post asked "Can He Do It?"

The other highlight from the Sunday Post biz section I usually enjoy is Michelle Singletary's column The Color of Money which often has some good insights to personal finance. Ms. Singletary's practical approach to personal finance (spend less than you earn, cautious with debt, living in your means) are all things that I embrace as well. This past Sunday she disappointed me as she seemed to pin personal hopes on an Obama presidency. An excerpt:

As an African American mother of three children, I've been sporadically crying ever since Election night. When I tell my children they can work hard and aspire to any job in this country, that statement is finally, finally true.

The newspapers have had numerous photos of tears flowing after this historic election. If, for the reason of positive progress that has occurred in the civil rights movement in the last 50 years, then celebrating with tears of joy may be a worthy style of celebration. If, for the reason that Barack Obama is being seen as a "messiah" of sorts that will remedy all ills in the world, then I'm saddened that people have that perception. Obama has made big promises and I hope he delivers some and fails at others.

Secondly, I hope that Ms. Singletary's column just reads this way and truly doesn't mean it -- does she really only think that only now her encouraging words to her children saying that they can aspire to any job in this country -- is that true only now? I hope she doesn't feel that she's been lying to her children for several years now only because of an election. A historic election in many ways -- but did the Singletary children only have room to celebrate success because of a Barack Obama presidency? I hope they don't have their hopes and dreams pinned on one man either -- I hope they chart their own course.

Again, maybe I missed it.

Ms. Singletary finally highlights some economic differences along racial lines. She builds a case to say that the playing field in America is not level. Perhaps in some ways it isn't, however my senses tell me that politicians don't hold the answers. If the color of a politicians skin resulted in his abilities to fully empower any group he chose, I think the inner cities would be booming in wealth, success, low crime, high education and many of the things Ms. Singletary recognizes that people need. Politicians would not withhold that from the citizens in their districts, wards, or regions that they serve.

As I live in a suburb of Washington, DC I would expect the 'District' to have it all fixed if this was the case. I think District politicians stand up for their citizens -- but it still means there are many problems. Politicians are not going to solve it. There are no public office messiahs.