Will the Obama administration match the lofty talk?

Now that the election has been held, what can we expect going forward? I think we will have a lot of moments where we, to paraphrase former NFL coach Denny Green, will realize "They are who we thought they were." Many people, including some who should be smart enough to know better, fell for the rhetoric about President-elect Obama being a different kind of politician or even a post-racial candidate. The more clear thinking among us didn't fall for the BS. It will be tempting to repeatedly scream "I TOLD YOU SO!" over the next four years. However, screaming at people is not often the best way to win them over. In fact, it often just makes them more entrenched. Instead when someone who mistakenly voted for Obama feints surprise over some action taken by the new administration I recommend just shaking your head and saying "They are who we thought they were."

The first indication of how extreme left this administration will tilt will be the appointments made by the new president. Over the next couple weeks various names will be leaked or floated. Compare those names to the expectations of a new kind of politician. Our first example is the rumor floated saying Rahm Emanuel will be offered the position of Chief of Staff. Here is a link to a story from a couple years ago describing Emanuel's ruthless nature. This was piece from a friendly newspaper - The Chicago Tribune. Read this snippet and ask yourself if this sounds like a new kind of politician:

In a world where congressmen refer to each other as "my distinguished colleague," Emanuel, 46, is sometimes unable to get through a single sentence without several obscenities. . . . . his style is extremist. The top of his right middle finger was severed when he was a teenager, adding to his aura of toughness--especially when he extends that middle finger, which he does with some regularity.

He'll fit in with the president-elect who has the immature habit of furtively raising his middle finger during speeches.