“Americans are suckers for good news.” — Adlai Stevenson

Contrary to a few dissenting opinions, the American people, like the rest of the world, still look up to America for deliverance from the catastrophic financial meltdown of their own making.

At the end of the day, the United States has the intrinsic strength and dynamism to continue shaping and leading the world if and when it decides to focus on reshaping a new world order by first reforming its own apparently dysfunctional political system and at the same time get seriously interested in what’s happening in the rest of the world – including tiny countries.

For these reasons, the whole world is watching closely the performance of U.S. President Barack Obama, his body language, his roadshows; his diplomatic skills, his language, and his consensus – building management style.

Already at this early stage, differing opinions, apart from bias political partisanship, are emerging as to how to rekindle consumer interest; how to distribute the “Stimulus” package; who gets the first servings; and up to how much public funds have to be spent to jumpstart an economic meltdown that is spreading throughout the world, and counting.

And the consensus is: President Barack Obama, the harbinger of hope, is fumbling his way through the morass of economic debris that is more devastating than was first estimated and forecast.

He is also too slick and glib-tongued to be taken seriously and be believed.

On the other hand, it is unfair and too early to pass judgment on someone with barely four months in office facing a crisis not seen in seventy-five years.

On a secondary note, President Barack Obama had assembled a Cabinet and official family that are star-studded, opinionated, independent-minded and financially self-sufficient that consensus on every issue maybe easier said than done.

On the one hand, there are developments that the Philippines, which has so far been mercifully spared from the devastating economic dislocation, should bear in mind.

First, the Philippine archipelago is an important strategic and valuable geographic location which Philippine leaders have failed to leverage and the Americans have taken for granted.

It is China that is keenly interested in acquiring the “franchise”, so to speak, which the United States, for historic and colonial reasons, jealously resists but does not give the Philippines the respect and assistance it deserves for its importance in regional security configuration.

For these added reasons, while thankful for the Filipino veterans backpay from Obama’s stimulus package, this country should not expect too much from Obama’s administration for the near future.

Thus, Hillary Clinton, whose husband and former President of the United States, are both dear friends of the Philippines did not consider dropping by Manila for a few hours as important and significant.

When all is said and done, the populist policies of President Barack Obama, such as, closing Guantanamo base in Cuba, withdrawal of troops from Iraq, stimulus financial package, unemployment insurance, mortgage restructuring, low interest rates, and others, are meant to butter up the American people, and get them back on their feet.

So far the consumers have not come out of their air-raid shelters and start spending.

The market remains in the doldrums, and the public is not impressed with Obama.

Nevertheless, the United States eventually will come out stronger and chastened.

You be the judge. (For comments and views, please e-mail: chaff_fromthegrain@yahoo.com.ph)