Now that the polls have closed and almost all the votes are counted, it is clear that Barack Obama is President-Elect of the United States.  

On Jan. 20, 2009, President-Elect Obama will begin his first term as 44th President of the United States.  This is a dramatic and historic “change” in our nation.  But through all the rhetoric, ads and accusations, what exactly will an Obama presidency look life for the next two or four years?  History may give us the best answer.

The last two Democratic presidents, Presidents Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton, both started their first terms off with Democratic Congressional majorities.  

A president is most effective his first 100 days in office.  President Carter was controlled by the Congress, which made him highly ineffective. President Clinton worked against his Democratic Congress, and the House turned Republican under Newt Gingrich in 1994. The policies Obama pursues and the point he pursues them to will ultimately characterize his domestic effectiveness. 

How much will Nancy Pelosi control the Obama presidency? President-Elect Obama has been vastly underestimated in his political abilities, but this may prove to be the biggest challenge he faces in his first months in office.

Then we have the elusive Obama Cabinet. Most analysts expect Obama to bring many of his advisors from Chicago with him. Obama needs a Secretary of State with v ast amounts of wisdom, expertise, and experience. 

The Obama presidency is poised to make several mistakes their first months in office.  Will his administration transition well? (After all, “cowboy” diplomacy to appeasement cannot take place in one day.)  It is doubtful that Obama can effectively deal with international pressures and challenges effectively during the beginning of his presidency.

President-Elect Obama has made many lofty promises when it comes to new spending, and there is no independent resource that can verify how he will pay for it, even with his tax hikes on the “rich” and closing of “corporate loopholes.”

If Obama goes ahead with his programs, cuts will have to come, higher taxes are likely, and perhaps a massive expansion of the now 11 trillion dollar deficit are also likely to occur.  These voices in Congress may push different directions, and, in the end, do not expect campaign promises about taxes or programs to mean anything.

Finally, an Obama presidency represents the largest setback for the efforts of pro-life activists in our lifetime. Here is a candidate who abstained when the issue of banning partial birth abortion came up. Will “conservative” Democrats from the South stand up to this, or will they fall in party line like some others have in the past? This is, to me, one of the most disconcerting points of what Obama will bring to our nation. Full “choice rights” and no protections for unborn children.

To many reading, these things may appear daunting, and I agree wholeheartedly with that sentiment. This all simply means one thing: we must fight harder. It is time to see where rhetoric meets policy, where the grey areas become clear to the electorate. We are the final check on our government, even if they are elected. To become apathetic, to surrender ourselves for even “100 Days” is to invite total success of the plans of our opponent. Take your stand now.  Prepare yourself now. We have no choice but to press together and stand firm for our values.  Together, we can work forward with steadfastness to educate, inspire, and lead the people of our nation. The votes are in, but the fight has just begun.