During the 2008 Presidential Campaign, the newcomer on the scene, Senator Barack Obama, delivered a message of hope and change. He wanted to change the political climate in Washington, D.C. and perhaps around the nation. As the economy was heading in a downward spiral and millions of people became dislocated, hope and change resounded in the hearts and minds of just about everyone. Was he really that naive to think his message would take hold and capture the attention of the masses?
As simple and unworldly his approach may have been perceived, Senator Obama's message caught on like the fires of Colorado.600,000 jobs vanished in one month. 750,000 jobs vanished the next month. 800,000 jobs disappeared in the month after that one. The trend continued. The regular working man had no clue as to what was happening. Senator John McCain, Obama's political opponent, said that the fundamentals of our economy were strong. I suppose he meant we had nothing to fear. I suppose he meant that massive layoffs are as much a part of the fabric of our lives as cotton. Local banks were closing. Mortgage firms were going out of business. The stock market was dropping to severe lows. People began to panic. We needed and wanted someone to believe in and to help us. Senator Obama's message of hope enabled us to hope for something better, something different.
Needless to say, the majority of the electorate decided that we needed a change in the Oval Office. Senator Obama became President-elect Obama in November of 2008. It was a wonderful feeling. Many were in tears. Others were in awe that he actually won. And, yet there were those in the opposing political party who despised his victory. They despised everything he stood for. They could not believe he had won. And if hope and change got him in office, they had decided that stagnation, angst, anguish and despair would cause those who wanted him in office to turn their backs on him and reject his premise. We would never move forward.
President Obama worked to make this America better for all citizens and non-citizens. He proposed ideas to improve the nation's economic position. Many who agreed with him worked to implement his proposals. Those who opposed him, worked against him. His opposition sowed seeds of lies and deceit all over the country. They were determined that as long as he is president, this country would not move forward.
They sat idly by and allowed people to lose their homes. They allowed people to lose their jobs. They didn't want to help the hungry. They didn't want to help the unemployed. They didn't want people to be able to afford to see a doctor or dentist. They were angered over the fact he wanted other countries to respect us and work along with us. They did not want an automotive industry. They didn't want to improve our railway system. They did not want to repair our roads and bridges. They were determined that stagnation, angst, anguish and despair would cause us to want him gone.
The economy is rebounding. It's not where we need it to be but we have seen several months of continual private sector job growth. We have affordable healthcare for most people. We have one of the best automotive industries in the world. Our banks are prospering as are many of American industries. Jobs aren't as plentiful as they need to be, but the housing markets are improving. Things have changed. We are moving forward.
We are now in the year 2012. Despite the continued opposition, President Obama continues to persevere. Although change hasn't come at the pace he desires, he believes that without hope people will succumb to despair. He believes that change is good as long as it's purposeful. He believes that hope and change (dreams coming to fruition) enables all of us to move forward. And so do I.
Thursday, August 16, 2012
Monday, September 6, 2010
What Is There To Fear?
Many pundits and other "talking heads," continuously run their mouths about the turn out in November. They started in January 2009 speaking on who would run again President Obama in 2012. He hadn't adjusted to his new surroundings or completely unpacked before they began comparing the current lot of potentials. Consequently, everything has been a referendum on his presidency. Everything. Did everyone forget that the Republicans lost the election and the Democrats won?
This administration has accomplished more in its short tenure than any other in my lifetime. From Kennedy to present, no other administration has accomplished as much. The Johnson Administration signed the Civil Rights Act and began the "War on Poverty," both were quite contentious pieces of legislation. This administration has passed Health Care Reform, Education Reform, Financial Aid Reform, American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, Kept the Automobile Industry afloat, Funded "No Child Left Behind," Ended the War in Iraq and several other accomplishments (visit White House.gov for additional enactments.). This administration has done all of these major feats and yet the Democrats are afraid. What is there to fear?
Under the former administration (a Republican administration), America was hemorrhaging jobs to the tune of 600,000 one month to 700,000 the next to 875,000 the next. Month after month after month, employers who received tax breaks were laying off workers all over this country. Additionally, because of the war in Iraq, were were despised by other nations around the world. We were perceived as the bully of the globe. Our method of negotiation was through military force. All of this has changed and yet the Democrats fear. It's mind boggling.
I can remember the health care debate of 2009. The Democrats were working on something to benefit the indigent, working poor and middle class citizens of America and held their heads in the sand. They sat back and allowed the Republicans to distort the truth - to lie - about what was being proposed. They should have gotten in front of the message or at the very least, countered the false propaganda set forth by the minority party and its extended members. They waited until the Republicans saturated the airwaves with lies and deceit. By the time Democrats started to speak up, people were so angry until their message was muffled out.
And they remain afraid to speak like little children on the playground afraid that the bully will beat them up and take their lunch. It's amazing. I would be remiss not to mention (and with pride) the confidence of Speaker Nancy Pelosi; the absolute moxie of Congressmen Anthony Wiener and Barnie Frank and the tenacity of Senator Sherrod Brown. We do have a few in Washington that are not afraid of the minority party. I wish my local representative would be an adult and display a willingness to stand for those of us who elected her. Just because the dog barks does not mean it should be feared. It could have something else wrong with it.
I thought the Democrats got the message when we elected them and gave them the majority. They got and and are now hiding in the shadows like vampires. They sit back and run the president around the country like "Step and fetch it." I hate this analogy. It's as if the sun is too hot for them to do any work so this president must do it all as they sit on their porches and sip lemonade. "Cowards die many times before their deaths."
This administration has accomplished more in its short tenure than any other in my lifetime. From Kennedy to present, no other administration has accomplished as much. The Johnson Administration signed the Civil Rights Act and began the "War on Poverty," both were quite contentious pieces of legislation. This administration has passed Health Care Reform, Education Reform, Financial Aid Reform, American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, Kept the Automobile Industry afloat, Funded "No Child Left Behind," Ended the War in Iraq and several other accomplishments (visit White House.gov for additional enactments.). This administration has done all of these major feats and yet the Democrats are afraid. What is there to fear?
Under the former administration (a Republican administration), America was hemorrhaging jobs to the tune of 600,000 one month to 700,000 the next to 875,000 the next. Month after month after month, employers who received tax breaks were laying off workers all over this country. Additionally, because of the war in Iraq, were were despised by other nations around the world. We were perceived as the bully of the globe. Our method of negotiation was through military force. All of this has changed and yet the Democrats fear. It's mind boggling.
I can remember the health care debate of 2009. The Democrats were working on something to benefit the indigent, working poor and middle class citizens of America and held their heads in the sand. They sat back and allowed the Republicans to distort the truth - to lie - about what was being proposed. They should have gotten in front of the message or at the very least, countered the false propaganda set forth by the minority party and its extended members. They waited until the Republicans saturated the airwaves with lies and deceit. By the time Democrats started to speak up, people were so angry until their message was muffled out.
And they remain afraid to speak like little children on the playground afraid that the bully will beat them up and take their lunch. It's amazing. I would be remiss not to mention (and with pride) the confidence of Speaker Nancy Pelosi; the absolute moxie of Congressmen Anthony Wiener and Barnie Frank and the tenacity of Senator Sherrod Brown. We do have a few in Washington that are not afraid of the minority party. I wish my local representative would be an adult and display a willingness to stand for those of us who elected her. Just because the dog barks does not mean it should be feared. It could have something else wrong with it.
I thought the Democrats got the message when we elected them and gave them the majority. They got and and are now hiding in the shadows like vampires. They sit back and run the president around the country like "Step and fetch it." I hate this analogy. It's as if the sun is too hot for them to do any work so this president must do it all as they sit on their porches and sip lemonade. "Cowards die many times before their deaths."
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