SHUTDOWN OVER, OBAMA COMES OUT SWINGING

While there are no real winners in the shutdown drama, and a lot of losers, among them the American public and our national reputation, Obama emerged from the debacle by coming out swinging.  Good for him, and for us. While progressives have much to be disappointed about over Obama's first five years, his morning after speech said what had to be said--the radical right in the GOP controlled House did the nation no good, and considerable harm, in their actions shutting down the government and threatening further damage over the debt ceiling issue.  Nothing is really resolved, only delayed, the leadership in Congress and in the White House still seems unable to work together and force resolutions that serve the best interests of the nation as a whole, our foreign policy continues to meander and lack clarity and decisiveness, Obamacare is at best an inadequate first step in the changes needed to best serve the health care needs of the nation, our infrastructure and educational needs are not being adequately addressed, and numerous other significant issues await being approached and resolved.  But Obama did show some immediate and real spunk in emerging from this particular GOP-imposed crisis, setting aside his usual conciliatory, compromising style.  Hope it continues.  The majority of the population are ready for it, the situation demands it, the well-being of the nation is at stake.