Is everyone else feeling better?

So I wasn't the biggest supporter of Obama. I just didn't feel like he stood for much and had no record of leadership. I heard him espouse the need of a change from the "politics of Washington"...how we just needed "change we could believe in" to get us through this rough patch...but I thought those were just some catchy campaign slogans.

How relieved I was to hear from our beloved, unbiased, media the errors of my ways. Clearly, they said, Obama is the next Ronald Reagan...bringing us the 2008 version of "Morning in America". No wait...he isn't the next Reagan...he is the next Lincoln. Look, they say, at how he is quickly emulating Lincoln and bringing his political adversaries into the cabinet. Who can blame the media for not seeing how Obama might come up a bit short when you delve a bit deeper than the obvious Reagan was the 'Great Communicator'"...Obama gives good speeches comparisons.

One of Reagans first major acts when he took office was to fire every air traffic controller who took part in an illegal strike. In 1981 the air traffic controllers union threatened to bring down an entire industry,throwing our economy from recession into depression, unless it got higher wages. Reagan took a tough stance and dealt a severe blow to the unions to save the US economy.

So can we expect the same leadership out of Obama with our current auto industry crisis? While there is more than enough blame to go around, one thing is clear: in order for the Big 3 to survive they need to have the same cost structure as the other car companies producing cars in the US. There is a reason Honda, BMW, Toyota, and others can profitably produce cars in the US. They are located in right to work states where the unions can't force them to pay 50% more than the prevailing wage. So when the UAW refused to make any concessions and the bailout failed last week where was Obama? Why did he not force some concessions from the UAW leadership and broker a deal? Could it be because the unions supported him in the election and they know if they wait until he is elected, the unions will likely not be asked to make any concessions (thus ruining any long term prospects of the Big 3 to survive without subsidies)?

Is anyone else beginning to wonder if Obama does not have a record of leadership for a reason? I also can't be the only one wondering if the only thing worse than the "politics of Washington" Obama railed against, are the "Obama/Blagojevich/Emanuel politics of Chicago".