Have you ever had someone who you hold in high regard do something that was really bad/wrong/messed up, but didn’t say anything about it?  Have you ever had someone you didn’t like much at all extend a kind gesture to you or someone else and didn’t give credit where credit is due?  Often, once we determine someone is (generally) bad or good we only speak about those things and ignore the other actions with silence.  Is it because we have already made a categorization and aren’t adult enough to acknowledge something on the opposite side of our own opinion or do we even see it at all?

Just the other day, someone I know, and quite frankly don’t care for, said something that made me think, “Why can’t he be like that all the time?”  For me, that was acknowledging this behavior because the situation dictates my feelings are kept to myself anyway.  I have yet to do it, but it is normally my way to ask him why he is one way sometimes and something totally different other times.  Would that be so bad?

Let me break it down in plain language: I voted for President Obama, I support President Obama, President Obama has a swagger that will probably become legendary in the white house, President Obama is very well spoken and President Obama is starting to upset me.  I have always been one to see past the sweet-smelling perfume, the batting of the eyes, the smooth talk and everything else people use to get past the core of the situation.  The smile, the talk and the nice family are starting to wear thin and I would like to see more positive action.  Yes, our nation really needed to feel good, but we need to be in a more positive situation too.

The other day I talked about a person we know who does certain things and then asks for a bailout.  What about that car that is in constant need of repair or that old house that is an ineffecient money pit?  Would you keep throwing money at those things?  Your answer is probably no, but like my Internet buddy Ryan pointed out, we are doing something similar in this country.  Continually throwing good money at bad debt/problems/companies isn’t going to do much good in the long run.  Sure, some CEOs can keep their houses in the Hamptons, but what about the big picture?

An example of the big picture would be mortgage companies and the people trying to use programs to get their mortgages restructured.  Regardless of your feelings about the program, do you know a lot of people who have actually qualified?  It was way easier to get into a predatory loan than it seems to be to get help with one now.

Another example is the auto industry and the money they’ve received to keep them going.  Do we really think they are working diligently to introduce new/current technology to a showroom near you?  I know cars aren’t built and brought to market overnight, but if they really tried to offer us cars similar to what Japanese and German companies do I would estimate they would have to scrap about 80% of their entire line!  Remember that house in the Hamptons?  Yeah, they aren’t going to do that.

I still like our president, but if I say I like him on one hand, I can also say the things I don’t like about his administration on the other.  I don’t think there is anything wrong with acknowledging the good and the bad even though some would probably want to believe everything is roses.  I want everything to be roses, I really do.  Instant change is probably out of the question, but we would all probably settle for a peak at a positive future.  Just a glimpse will do because it doesn’t really look like what is going on will help those of us on main street!