Washington — Seeing President Barack Obama deliver his inaugural address was worth everything — the crowds, cold and early morning, education junior Trisha Langlois said.
Obama touched on everything that people are worried about, said John Dowell, professor of WRA 135 and charter member of MSU’s YouVote organization, including wars, the economy, manufacturing and job loss.
“He identified the mistakes of the past without pointing fingers or blame, which is something he’s very good at doing,” Dowell said.
The speech set the stage for the things Obama needs to accomplish, especially the issues with the economy, Langlois said.
“Starting today, we must pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off and begin again the work of remaking America,” Obama said. “For everywhere we look, there is work to be done.”
Langlois said a lot of the people she saw in the nation’s capital Tuesday were “everyday, middle-class Americans.”
“(The address) was what they needed to hear to keep that connection with Obama,” she said.
Getting to the swearing-in ceremony wasn’t easy, urban and regional planning senior Mark O’Neall said. Several streets were blocked off for the parade route, so to get to the swearing-in everybody had to walk down the same streets.
“We were all walking along the same path … and I saw all these smiles, people were taking pictures and had these anxious voices,” O’Neall said. “I felt like we were literally, not figuratively, walking toward the future — we were walking to see the next president.”
O’Neall said that he felt the speech was geared toward the nation’s youth.
“He is smart, and certainly smart enough to keep youth engaged and involved,” ?Dowell said.
Speaking to the youth would keep Obama’s momentum ?rolling and prepare him for the next election, O’Neall said.
Obama’s speech had a definite undertone that the country needs to work together, Langlois said.
“Let it be said by our children’s children that when we were tested we refused to let this journey end, that we did not turn back nor did we falter,” Obama said during ?the address.
O’Neall said that in order for Obama to keep up the country’s morale, he’ll have to act quickly.
A stimulus bill, which would bring almost $300 billion in tax cuts, is already in the House and could pass by early February, MSU assistant political science professor Matt Grossmann said.
“There will be policy change coming very quickly, but not necessarily the same change that everyone is expecting,” Grossmann said. “For everyone, there is different expectations.”
Obama addressed the issue during his speech.
“There are some who question the scale of our ambitions, who suggest that our system cannot tolerate too many big plans,” he said.
“Their memories are short, for they have forgotten what this country has already done.”
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