Let's Get Positive

Imagine yourselves on the wintry Pennsylvania shores of the Delaware River, scraping together a meager meal of weevil infested hardtack and a watery broth consisting of one rotten potato. Your leader, your great commander, George Washington, has let it be known that shortly you will be crossing the Delaware and braving all odds in the night to surprise the British troops. You're tired, half frozen, starving, and haven't seen any pay since signing up. General Washington gathers the troops for a rousing speech before heading out on a last attempt to save the Continental Army's hopes for winning the war. This is what follows:

"Men, we are doomed. I know you have fought much, starved much, and lost much, but it has all been in vain. The British are far more prepared than we are. They have larger numbers, better equipment, training, supplies, and cool uniforms. Most of you barely have shoes to cover your feet. I know we have been saying the cause we are fighting for is a good one, but I just can't see us winning. We're tired and beaten. Turn around and run the other way as far and as long as your poor legs will carry you. Don't you know that we will be hung if caught for our treasonous acts against the Crown? We don't stand a chance. And if you think you'll get paid to send some small pittance to help sustain your family, think again. Congress is good for nothing and never tells me what is going on or answers my letters. The chances of them sending pay and back pay are nonexistent. If I were you, I'd just bury myself in the snow and go to sleep. Embrace death's warm slumber. But if any of you do want to join this pitiful attempt at victory, the boats are loading over there."

Wow. Talk about riveting. Can you imagine what would have happened if Washington was such a "positive" person and never really tried to rally his men towards the cause? History would be very different and we might all be having tea time and bad British teeth because of it. It would have been ludicrous for General Washington to give his men nothing to hope for when they were sacrificing so much for such a great cause.

I have thought about what a damaging affect such an attitude would have had on the struggling Continental Army as I have been hearing all the gloom and doom coming from our current President. I know the economy is bad. People are losing jobs, going into foreclosure, kissing retirement eggs goodbye, and suffering. It hits all ages from the very young to the elderly because less or no income affects the entire family that is being supported by said income. Okay, so things are a little bleak right now. But what we don't need is our President to be running around creating fear and panic in the people. Can you imagine your child coming to you in the night after having a bad dream about vampires and instead of comforting them you say "Ahh! You're right. Vampires are going to get us! Let's lock the doors, hide under the bed, and stay up all night shaking and screaming in fear!"? Not too smart, right? Any idiot can see the state of the economy right now. It's not hard to figure out. " What happened to all that "hope" we were promised?

Now I am not expecting President Obama to fix the economy overnight, unless he has a magic wand he has been holding back, but I do expect him to step up as a leader and give the people some hope. That's what leaders are supposed to do, especially good ones, and haven't we heard about how amazing and miraculous he is supposed to be? So stop selling doom and tell us that times will get better. It isn't going to stay this way forever, the economy will improve. It goes through cycles. We are Americans. We're tough. We can buckle down and pull through. There is hope. President Obama, if you really love this country and the people, then stop creating mass hysteria and act like a good leader that can help lead us through these tough times. I'll be waiting to see that happen, but I won't hold my breath.