Seven Things To Fix Please, President Obama

Congratulations Barack Obama on your historic election victory. It has given hope to millions around the globe. Change is here.

Dear President-elect Barack Obama,

From all the stock market investors in the world, thanks for nothing President-elect Barack Obama. The day after you get elected to the office of President of the United States Of America, the US stock market goes back to its old ways. The Dow falls 486 points or 5%.

If that's what the stock market thinks of your historic victory, it could be a long four years for stock market investors. Could I be the first person to declare your honeymoon period is already over, almost before it began?

Only kidding. Don't worry Mr President-elect. I'm not going to blame you for the stock market's one-day fall. You deserve a honeymoon period, and you will get one. I'd say it will last around 100 days. You also deserve a rest, You've been campaigning for two years now, first seeing off Hillary Clinton, and now John McCain. Your schedule has been relentless. I don't know how you do it.

After A Well Deserved Sleep In.

Anyway, after your 30 minute extra sleep-in to celebrate your historic victory, you'll know you've got a few things on your plate, a few things to fix. In no particular order, they are.

1. The global economy. Please fix it.

2. The global banking system. The bandages applied to it a few weeks ago are holding up relatively well, but we might need some more dressing and plasters before we can feel safe again. And it would be even better if you could get the banks lending to each other, to individuals and to business again soon. Please.

3. The war in Iraq. Please work out a way for an orderly withdrawal of US troops in the least amount of time. How about you target Thanksgiving 2009? That would be Thursday, November 26^th 2009. That's not asking too much, is it?

4. Whilst we're on wars, how about getting the Israelis and Palestinians to kiss and make up? Target date for that one is 2060, when you'll be 99 years old.

5. Lead the world on climate change.

6. Domestically, you've got a lot to do. Just to make things a little trickier for you, you're inheriting an economy in its worst shape since the Great Depression, and you're already looking at a US$1 trillion budget deficit. Good luck.

7. Stop house prices falling. I'm not sure exactly what the solution is, but you have mentioned a moratorium on foreclosures, so give that a try. I suspect it might only delay rather than solve the problem, but I also suspect you and your people will also know that. You are clearly a little brighter than your predecessor, so I have faith you'll come up with a workable solution.

How's that for starters? If you are ever struggling to get it all done, or your best laid plans don't quite work out as you'd expected, you can always blame George W Bush. If that doesn't work, blame his father. If that doesn't work, blame the global credit crisis - it works for me!

The Poor Can Be Rich Too

It was uplifting to see the faces of the people who've pinned their hopes on you being elected. It was mostly black faces, but who can blame them for celebrating your victory? In one fell swoop, it gives them a role model, and hope for true and lasting equality.

Hope is the key word. Your election doesn't solve anything. It obviously gives you the mandate to change - after all, change was the key message of your election campaign. I believe you will change things, and change them for the better.

The Stock Market Will Come To Like You Too

As for the stock market, you haven't got off to the best of starts. But, I forgive you that, as the first-day drop was more to do with the economy you are inheriting rather than disappointment about your election.

As you know, the stock market would have already factored in your win, given you've been a raging hot favourite to win the election for a few weeks now. Irish bookmakers Paddy Power paid out on your win 3 weeks ago. We've all known for a while now you've been destined for the White House.

As an aside, do you think a paint job and a name change for the White House might be in order?

I think the stock market may do rather well during the length of your initial presidential term. Warren Buffett and the UK's Anthony Bolton think so too. But I think it will be a stock picker's market, with some shares performing badly, and others soaring higher. As you'll know, the key to success in investing is hard work, dedication and skill.

In closing, I congratulate you on your historic election win. You give hope to millions of people in your own country, and across the globe. I trust those millions of people will not expect miracles from you, and be patient. But change was needed. Change is here. Good luck, President-elect Barack Obama.

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