Assignment #1 - Michael Kirschbaum

In his article "Radical in the White House", Thomas L. Friedman voices his opinion about the necessary political/economical goals America must aim for to remain successful. To summarize, Friedman praises America for electing a black president, but also expresses that this radical advancement is not enough to get the country out of the present dilemma. Friedman then repeats the notion that the American people must "buckle down" and accept change. In other words, those in command must best calculate how to rise from the current economic slump and retain an important global position by leading in the shift to a new energy source. I agree that these adjustments would bring about a radical change, especially after the energy shift, but it doesn't seem that Friedman has put forward anything original in his essay. Americans are at this point fully aware that the country is in a dire economic situation and by joining in a single cause we can gradually rise from it. We've all been hearing this for an extended period of time now and although it all sounds very optimistic, it is also becoming very predictable. On the other hand, I realize that these ideas must be publicized to give Americans the sense that we will rise back to greatness, a feeling which is conveniently labeled as "hope".