Optimism and Hope

New York City--After months of intense work by the Administration and Congress, yesterday's passage of the Recovery and Reinvestment Act by the Senate should have been a cause for celebration in many quarters, given the many long awaited investments it makes in clean technology, infrastructure, education, and other areas critical to America's future.  Instead, passage was overshadowed by Treasury Secretary Geithner's financial plan announcement, the gloomy tone of which sent Wall Street reeling.  Some of the rhetoric used to sell the Recovery bill in the days leading up to passage also invoked negative imagery.  Images of Armageddon, catastrophe, and the Great Depression moved optimism about the bill temporarily into the background.

That is not a good thing, and it is time for the Obama Administration to reclaim the optimistic message that brought it to Washington and is ultimately vital to every successful presidency.

Why optimism?  Americans are by nature optimistic.  Optimism about a better life ahead--there in the eyes of immigrants, the pioneers, and each new generation working to do better than their parents--has served America well.  And it has not been misplaced given the amazing destiny of America.  Successful presidents, from George Washington, who believed America would succeed with freedom and foresaw the nation expanding to the Pacific, on down have all been optimists.  Optimism about the future--expressed in investments in technology and freer trade--was a key piece of the Clinton economic expansion.  Ronald Reagan declared it morning again in America.  John F. Kennedy, through his alliance for progress, commitment to civil rights, and buoyant economic policies, was optimistic about the future.  Indeed, even in the midst of the Great Depression, FDR struck a relentlessly optimistic tone that carried over into determination to prevail against Fascism in World War II.  Most recently, President Obama ran on a message of hope, change, and optimism that the future would be better than the past.  

With the stimulus--a massive accomplishment by any measure--now on route to passage, it is time to reconnect with that hopeful message.  And indeed optimism about the Recovery and Reinvestment Act is justified.  From investments in clean energy to schools to health care, it is a valuable down payment on our future growth.

With respect to the next two pieces of getting the economy back on track, restoring financial health and keeping people in their homes, optimism will help not harm progress.  Vital to success is projecting confidence about a brighter future.

Once these goals are achieved, the Administration can look forward to tackling the big challenges that ought to define the Obama Presidency: creating the low carbon, high productivity economy of the future, reforming health care, and investing in education.  Too much focus on crisis--or negative talk--will only sidetrack the Administration from achieving these vital goals.