It’s been awhile since I’ve written a blog.
With the holidays finished, we at the newspaper office are back into the swing of things.
The highlight of this week’s paper, in my opinion, is the story about two IVC graduates, Bethany Ordaz and Zak Foste, and their work on now-President Barack Obama’s election campaign.
I enjoyed hearing each of their stories on what they did.
With Obama's inauguration Tuesday, I got to thinking.
If my memory serves me right, I think I made a few phone calls for an election when I was in high school. (It must have been for extra credit.)
Anyway, Bethany and Zak both have stories they will remember for their lifetime, no doubt.
I remember attending an Illinois Press Association convention a few years ago with Sen. Obama as the luncheon’s speaker.
I remember thinking at the time, he has skills. Seriously — his ability to wow over a roomful of cynical journalists left me amazed.
He also shook hands with me and my other lucky TimesNewspapers co-workers.
I now can say I have shook a president’s hand (before he was president no less, but oh well).
Before this election was in full swing, I told my friends — neither candidate can solve our nation’s problems.
OK, maybe I am a cynical journalist, but regardless of who are president is, there are things we as American citizens need to do, and not do.
I don’t think all our problems can be solved because you cannot change men’s greedy hearts.
That’s the problem with our businesses moving to other countries to make more money, healthcare, bailouts, gas prices and more.
You cannot legislate doing the right thing.
Can it be better? Yes, it can.
Will it be better? Let’s wait and see. I certainly hope so.
Don’t get me wrong. I don’t wish that our problems continue, I just think we cannot think that one person, our president, can solve all our problems.
That’s too much of a burden for Obama, or any other president.
Regardless of who you voted for, now is the time for us all to unite and find the best solutions to our nation’s problems.
And, we each have to do our part.
