PUBLISHED: 05-04-09

Scoop in the Loop

Obama not immediate fix for urban issues

President Barack Obama recently completed his closely watched and highly anticipated first 100 days in office, but despite high approval ratings from Americans around the country, some local community organizers have given the president a failing grade.

AP - President Barack Obama meets with members of his cabinet, (from left) Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham-Clinton and Secretary of Defense Robert Gates in the Cabinet Room of the White House in Washington on May 1.

According to an article published on April 26 in the Chicago Sun-Times, community organizer Mark Allen criticized the urban policy that Obama has outlined on his website, saying Obama should not model his plan after an organization that “has no money.” Allen said Obama pledged support to organizations like CeaseFire, a Chicago anti-gang violence program, but voiced frustration that the organization has not received any federal stimulus funding.

Leaders within the community believe Obama has forgotten his roots and abandoned the community in which he got his start. But is anyone really surprised?

Like it or not, Obama is a consummate politician. This became crystal clear as he garnered the attention of the world and gained near-celebrity status during the election season. Despite the hope and change he sold to Americans, one thing remains the same—Obama is a politician, and politicians lie, manipulate and rearrange the truth, even if it is with the best of intentions. Obama’s initial claim that the newest federal stimulus package was earmark free is just one example of a false statement made within his first 100 days in office.

When Obama took office, many Americans became seemingly spellbound, believing that he had the power to “change the world.” But despite his good intentions, Obama is just one man, and no single man has the power to change the world, much less conquer many of the problems facing Americans.

During his first 100 days as president, Obama has been faced with a myriad of challenges that come along with the presidency. The credit crisis, severe recession, rising unemployment and possible failure of Detroit’s auto industry are just a few things our nation’s leader has been busy worrying about.

Despite promises made by the commander-in-chief to help support urban communities, people must realize that Obama has an entirely new set of priorities now that he is president.

Too many Americans, including some community leaders in Roseland, have hung their hats on the thought that the Obama administration would be an immediate cure to the problems ailing America. Instead of expecting an immediate cure, people need to step back and recognize that Obama and members of his administration are taking the measures that they see fit to begin healing the wounds across the country.
But the wounds didn’t happen overnight, and Obama should not be expected to fix them that quickly either because it is a hard task.

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