Random Inaugural Thoughts

It sure was nice to get a shout out in the inauguration speech:

“We know that our patchwork heritage is a strength, not a weakness. We are a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus, and non-believers.”

It’s the first time that we non-believers (atheists, agnostics, or whatever it is we’re called) have been so publicly called out as being a part of the country. And after the rabid Christianity of the last eight years (which I don’t expect to end, but at least it’s out of the White House) it was a pleasure to be included.

I loved that Michelle Obama stayed away from the traditional red or blue outfit. Rather than being symbolic of the flag, those colors have become more representative of the divisiveness of the two parties. The Obamas could not have won without the red states and cross-over voters. Avoiding the standard colors was a nod toward that, I think. A small one, but her fashion choices are scrutinized. And a white dress for the balls uses up the often neglected remaining flag color.

It was an excellent speech. It doesn’t soar, but then given the current situations, it would be hubris to be so lofty. And the truth is, without citizen involvement, things aren’t going to get better. This says it best for me:

There are those who wanted more poetry, more loft in the speech. They wanted to hear the eloquence of the race speech Obama gave during the campaign. Or the call to tomorrow given from the mile-high perch of the nominating convention in the Rockies.

But this was a day, in a year, when all poetry will have a more urgent edge. Loft will not suffice.

But it’s really today and tomorrow that matter, not the actual inauguration day. Today he starts work. Oh wait, no, he actually did start yesterday with this memo from my uber-crush Rahm Emanuel:

"...no proposed or final regulation should be sent to the Office of Federal Register for publication unless and until it has been reviewed and approved by a department or agency head appointed or designated by the President after noon on January 20, 2009, or in the case of the Department of Defense, the Secretary of Defense."

I’m not sure which of Bush’s last minute gutting of the environment or my uterus haven’t made it into the Federal Register yet, but it’s a start.