“Change We can Believe In” Meets Reality

“Change We can Believe In” Meets Reality

The obama administration is clearly historic and represents a remarkable change in a nation that only a half century ago permitted legal racial discrimination in much of its territory. But the change was advertised as going well beyond an ascriptive characteristic of the president. The administration entered office in the midst of a huge financial crisis, with promises to bring substantial changes to the nation. Its major campaign document was titled Blueprint for Change,1 its campaign book was titled Change We Can Believe In,2 and its initial budget document was titled A New Era of Responsibility: Renewing America's Promise. As President Obama said in his message accompanying the budget: