Obama: This Crisis Gives Us Big Opportunity

[Coexist]

For a long time, I've thought that Obama would go in and create a Jobs/Infrastructure Program that would drag us into the future with a bold plan for our dominance in a new economy.

It appears the current financial crisis might give him to opportunity to shine, as true leaders do in these situations:

Barack Obama, responding to today's announcement of the worst job losses in over three decades, puts out a statement heavy on the "crisis as opportunity" rhetoric:

"The 533,000 jobs lost last month, the worst job loss in 34 years, is more than a dramatic reflection of the growing economic crisis we face. Each of those lost jobs represents a personal crisis for a family somewhere in America. Our economy has already lost nearly 2 million jobs during this recession, which is why we need an Economic Recovery Plan that will save or create at least 2.5 million more jobs over two years while we act decisively to maintain the flows of credit on which so many American families and American businesses depend.

"There are no quick or easy fixes to this crisis, which has been many years in the making, and it's likely to get worse before it gets better. But now is the time to respond with urgent resolve to put people back to work and get our economy moving again. At the same time, this painful crisis also provides us with an opportunity to transform our economy to improve the lives of ordinary people by rebuilding roads and modernizing schools for our children, investing in clean energy solutions to break our dependence on imported oil, and making an early down payment on the long-term reforms that will grow and strengthen our economy for all Americans for years to come."

The key line, of course, is the assertion that the crisis affords an opportunity for genuine transformation. It will cheer many liberals, such as Robert Borosage, who have been arguing that the crisis affords Obama an enormous opportunity to be bold and think big.

The main stumbling block to getting the country back on track? The "Patriotic" Republicans who will stall and roadblock, and pray for our President to fail. People will be left sick, jobless, homeless and broken, so they have something to run against in 2010.

Lets be part of the solution - not part of the problem. During the Primaries, every time I held my breath, waiting for Obama to respond to a 'crisis', he ended up taking my breath away with his brilliant action and responses. I now trust his judgment, even if it isn't in lockstep with mine.

My enemy is not an occasional moderate approach - it is those on the right who will ruthlessly be putting Party before Country.