Yes We Did Vs. Yes We Can

Throughout the course of hundreds of years, America as a country has witnessed many stages of development. The citizens of the United States have fought through crisis, as well as lived to reap the benefits that could not have been accomplished without the hard work and dedication of its leaders. Two of these most famed leaders are President George Washington, and the current president; Barack Obama. Both of these influential men have conquered different obstacles in order to better the country that they love and pride. These changes and obstacles have been shown in a number of ways. Two specific sources where these ideals can be shown and compared are through Washington's farewell address, and President Obama's Inaugural speech. Here, both the similarities and the differences between the ideals of the presidents can be shown.

Washington's farewell address displays his beliefs and view points of the government of the United States. He believed that America's government was very powerful and successful, he also believed that the preservation of America was key to sustain the morals that our founding fathers set in place with the Constitution of the United States. The founding fathers wrote our constitution so that the natural rights of the people were better protected. Through Washington's reign as president, he followed the beliefs of the constitution with loyalty to the United States of America. While giving his farewell speech, he suggests that the people contain the power to change the government, and that if the ways of the government became unconstitutional; the power lays with the people to get it back to its once peaceful ways. "Toward the preservation of your government and the permanency of your present happy state....... but also that you resist with care the spirit of innovation upon its principles, however specious the pretexts." (Washington) This quote represents Washington's beliefs on not imposing too many alterations to our government. He believes in the preservation of our government as well as the permanency of our present happy state. He wished that the citizens would resist the urge to take matters into their own hands. By resisting innovation, citizens are putting their faith in the government. Another example of Washington's beliefs on preserving out government comes from the quote that follows; "One method of preserving it is to use it as sparingly as possible, avoiding occasions of expense by cultivating peace, but remembering also that timely disbursements to prepare for danger frequently prevent much greater disbursements to repel it.... but by vigorous exertions in time of peace to discharge the debts which unavoidable wars have occasioned, not ungenerously throwing upon posterity the burden which we ourselves ought to bear." (Washington). Washington is displaying here that to preserve our government and to use it sparingly will restore its necessity as well as its importance in our society.

When President Obama came into office, our economy had been increasingly weakening. His ideals are surrounded around the belief that we as a whole nation have the power to pull ourselves out of this crisis and restore the trust between the government and its citizens. Obama is a strong believer in hope, with a strong "Yes We Can" mentality. As he was running for office, he won over the votes and affection of many with his strong confidence in each and every citizen of America. He believed that if we all worked together, and worked towards a common goal we could achieve greatness. This greatness that Obama so strongly believed in is peace and love. To one day, live in a country inhabited with people who did not define themselves by the color of their skin, or the number of dollar bills in their wallet, but with people who defined themselves by what was in their hearts. Were everybody lived together harmoniously. "For we know that our patchwork heritage is a strength, not a weakness. We are a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus, and non-believers.