As an American Canadian with a 300+ year USA ancestry exceedingly participant in creating the USA "Yeoman" democracy", and a self-exile to Canada during the Joe McCarthy era, I feel Obama's election has redeemed the USA. Their original sin of slavery is slain. My family is urging me to return and participate in the Obama "Rebirth of a Nation Movement". I am sorely tempted, but not yet! I have come to see the superior state that Canada is, and hence I need two pieces of evidence that the American nation is serious about change before I would consider returning to my ancestral roots and mission. Obama must reform his own office and show that he:

1. Successfully restores the Presidency to its proper and constitutional function of being an executive office rather than a legislative office. The office of president has high jacked Congress ever since the Second World War; the Kennedy administration further corrupted the office by turning it into an imperial, celebrity type function. Obama must return the legislative function to government by the people through congress.

2. Successfully permits religion to return to its role as the private affair of people, and take it out of its unsavory ubiquitous presence in the public squares and forums of government.

It is not the economy or wars stupid. It is governing by the people through their representatives in congress!

Luke L. Batdorf
Johnstown, NS