I am struck first by the euphoria surrounding the Inauguration. Millions of Americans have done everything in their power to travel to the heart of Washington to “be a part of history.” I don’t fully understand why someone would want to brave the crowds and the cold and the security to witness a 20 minute speech, when you can get a much better view watching at home.

I don’t fully understand it, because I am a white Canadian living in Canada. I suspect if I was black, living in the United States, and if I had witnessed racism first hand, I would probably have a very different view. I was born in Toronto, a city that today has more “non-whites” than whites. My best friend growing up was Jewish. I had many friends who were black, Chinese, East Indian. I even had one or two American friends. Obviously there is racism everywhere, but growing up in my middle class neighbourhood on the outskirts of Toronto, I never experienced serious racism first hand.

My father, also a Canadian, went to university in Indiana in the late 1950s. I remember him telling me the story of a fellow college student, who happened to be black, asking my father where he got his haircut. My father gave him the name of a local barber, and my father’s friend came back to tell him that the barber refused to cut his hair, due to the colour of his skin. My father immediately passed the word around campus, and none of my father’s friends ever got a haircut from that barber again. So I understand that racism exists; I’ve just never experienced it directed at me.

I also understand that as late as 1970 there were many college football teams in the U.S. that had no black players. That’s astounding.

I guess if I couldn’t get a haircut, or couldn’t play football, or if I was ostracized or mis-treated because of my skin colour, I too would be rejoicing today. Being black no longer means you can’t be President.

And that’s a very good development.

And that is why there is such euphoria in the States today.

Today there is euphoria, but what will there be tomorrow? Will President Obama actually be able to do anything? Can he solve the economic crisis? Can he eliminate the massive burden of debt we are carrying? Can he fix the horrendous structural problems now facing the U.S.?

Personally, I don’t think so. I don’t believe the government can actually solve any problem. The government can raise or lower taxes, and they can spend my money, but that does not change reality.

Obama’s only chance for success is if he can convince the American people to fix this mess themselves. If he can convince people to live within their means, to pay down debt, and to not expect the government to take care of them, he will be America’s most successful President. He will succeed if he can convince Americans to take care of themselves.

I’m pessimistic on that front, because government officials tend to want to us government power to fix things. Why go into government if you want to lessen the role of government?

One final thought: President Obama owes a huge debt of gratitude to George W. Bush. President Bush greatly expanded the role of government. He has dramatically curtailed individual freedoms. Thanks to George W. we now think it’s normal to have to take our shoes off before boarding an airplane, stupid as that is. We are used to government intrusion in every aspect of our lives.

If President Obama wants to use the full power of government to enforce his agenda, the American people will not resist, and for that he can thank George W. Bush.