"The only thing we have to fear...."

“This is pre-eminently the time to speak the truth, the whole truth, frankly and boldly. Nor need we shrink from honestly facing conditions in our country today. This great nation will endure as it has endured, will revive and will prosper.”

“So first of all let me assert my firm belief that the only thing we have to fear. . .is fear itself. . . nameless, unreasoning, unjustified terror which paralyzes needed efforts to convert retreat into advance.”

Taken from President Franklin Roosevelt’s first inaugural speech, in 1933, these words might well be spoken by Barack Obama next Tuesday, January 20^th, Inauguration Day, 2009.

President Obama will then face the worst economic conditions since those faced by President Roosevelt.

He must bring to his presidency a clear vision of what he wants done with bailout and stimulus, and then have the leadership strength to accomplish it.

For the benefit of our country, and politics aside, best of luck to him.

No Time to Waste

President-elect Obama has asked Congress for quick passage of an economic stimulus package. Some in Congress are grumbling, and some seem to want to analyze and modify the basic requests in time-consuming processes. Obama wants Congress to move faster than that, and with good reason.

Much of the proposed stimulus money aims at projects already on the books, for the most part designed and ready to go. Implementing those projects will very quickly add jobs to the economy.

With unemployment claims over 500,000 a month, and two month delay in approving the stimulus proposals will add a million people to the unemployed list. The unemployment rate, just reported at 7.2% will climb another point. Even with the stimulus funds moving toward projects, unemployment will continue to rise at least two months. That could be another million workers out of work, and the unemployment rate over 9%.

So, Congress, hear the message.

There is no time to waste.

Forget about partisan politics. Forget about your egos. Our economy is crumbling. The longer it takes to get the stimulus package approved, the more it will crumble.

Get with the program.