100 days for what????

"The first 100 days" - the new age milestone for a president which will be diced and sliced by the press, the american people and the entire international community. People (including me) will lap up anything and everything - from the number of gray hairs Obama has collected in the first 100 days to the promises he kept (or broke depending on your political leaning).

First and foremost - full disclosure - Although I did not vote for Obama (because I cannot) I was one of his early supporters. I followed the election (starting with the Democratic primaries) just like a mortgage broker followed subprime borrowers in the pre depression days.

I don't think 100 days amounts to anything other than an excellent PR opportunity for both his opponents and his supporters. Between handling Afghanistan, Iraq and a tanking economy, along with a housing crises, automotive industry and bank bailout 100 days start to look like warmup.

The transformation of the US from a bubble, bust cycle (the frequency of bubbles and busts were becoming pretty close to each other) to a solid economy based not just on consumption but on production of valuable goods and services, to being a strong exporter, to being able to monetize the research, products and capabilities developed in the US will take a few 100 days.

Getting to what Obama has done in the 100 days -

1. Inspite of being under tremendous pressure to right the economy, he has managed to show the courage to initiate several game changing programs be it healthcare, green industries, carbon cap and trade, education etc.
2. He has brought some sensibility (common man's sensibility aka common sense) to the presidential role after a very strong rich man's sensibility during the Bush/Cheney years.
3. He has set the stage for the restoration of the American moral authority on international matters. He has embraced countries with different belief systems, while very tacitly admitting certain mistakes made by US in the recent past.
4. Set the tone for the relevance of science in this country. Overturned restrictions on embryonic stem cell research, increased funding for basic research etc.
5. Setup education as a top priority and highlighted its relevance as the core platform for future success of the nation.

What does all of the above mean? That in 100 days he has sown a lot of seeds which unless well tended and cared for is not going to change the course of this nation. I hope that the Change we can believe in is still strong enough.