Inaugural Addresses of Washington 1789 vs. Obama 2009
WASHINGTON’S INAUGURAL ADDRESS OF 1789 a transcription: In the transcription of “Washington’s Inaugural Address of 1789” from the National Archives and Records Administration, Washington outlines his promises for his presidency. Washington’s main focus is that he is trying to assure the people that he will not become a monarch. He believes that the United States was chosen by God to achieve greatness. He, in so many words, refers to the people as the chosen ones. He leans toward the notion that the path the country is on is the path the country was called on by God to take. He lightly addressed the issues of the time, but didn’t exactly outline any future course of action he planned to take in order to fix these issues.
What Washington truly highlighted was the fear of monarchy overtaking the new country and his promise to prevent that. He relied heavily on reference to God in his attempt to calm the people and reassure them that he will help lead the country to greatness without monopolizing the government to monarchy. BARACK OBAMA INAUGURAL ADDRESS 2009-PRESENT In Barack Obama’s inaugural address of 2009 to present, Obama outlines his plans for the future of the United States of America. He makes references to the greatness of our country’s history and to God’s will for the people. Obama highlights issues in todays society, government, and economy. He talks about the expansion of public education and proper maintenance of government and state facilities such as railroads and highways.
He plans to harness the power of today’s technology in advancing this country to the modern day in terms of government, taxes, school reform and helping provide citizens with the skill and training needed for progression. He believes that freedom and happiness should be everyone’s to have. He plans to steer away from perpetual war, though still ensure security throughout the country by defending the people and upholding values through strength of arms and rule of law. He hopes to resolve foreign conflicts peacefully and maintain worldly alliances. He states “It is now our generation’s task to carry on what those pioneers began” referring to the founding fathers who led this nation into this century, where we are one of the most powerful nations in the world.
He calls on the current generation to keep on the forward momentum and continue to maintain the great stature of the USA. Obama outlines some changes he plans to make as president of the United States that he hopes will aid in rescuing the country from depression and pull back from the fiscal cliff. Finally, he assured the people that the oath he’d sworn was to God and to the Country, not to party or faction. Obama’s inaugural address provided clear ways to keep hopes up and presented opportunities and possibilities he planned to reach out with to the public.
