At the Democratic Convention this year President Clinton emphatically stated that no one, not him nor any other President could have fully turned the economy inherited by President Obama in four years. The economy was bleeding profusely in 2008 and 2009. Despite obvious organized political obstruction from the Republican Party from day one of his administration, President Obama has managed to not only stop the hemorrhaging, he has turned the economy around and we are experiencing slow but steady growth that is gaining momentum.
Unemployment numbers have dropped to 7.8 percent. The housing market is turning around, consumer spending is up, the auto industry is doing well again, the stock market is higher than ever, the affordable health care act is helping people including those from various levels of the middle and working classes, we are producing more oil and gas domestically then in the previous administration, developing wind and solar and women can look forward to equal pay for equal work to name a few of the Presidents achievements domestically.
President Obama’s foreign policy has brought the United States back into the community of nations. We are no longer hated around the world. We are out of Iraq and working on getting out of Afghanistan. We are working on diplomatic initiatives around the world rather than rattling swords. Terrorism against this country is being thwarted worldwide; Osama Bin Laden is dead.
So the question is why are many Americans so cynical about this President? Why would they even consider changing administrations for some vague plans offered by the Republican Candidate? Why vote against their own best interests? Why all the vitriolic rage and hatred on the part of some people who know little about the government and politics. It makes no logical sense even if you think of it as a basic ideological difference between Democrats and Republicans up until now.
If you look back to the 2008 election you will find the seeds of the hatred. The haters and the “birthers” did not believe that a mixed race person, an African American, could actually win the presidency. They thought everyone really thought as they did in racial terms. When President Obama actually won they went into a psychotic frenzy of hatred and fear.
The far right, the neo-cons, the billionaire establishment, plutocrats and national aristocracy saw an opportunity to get back the government they had controlled under G W Bush. Even before President Obama took office the Republican politicians in Washington had a meeting with a Republican lobbyist and strategist. In this meeting they vowed to do everything possible to obstruct and make this a one-term presidency. This effort began with a push to get control of the congress in 2010.
Part of the strategy was to do everything possible to demean, stir fear and fan racial animosity against the President. The “birther” movement was encouraged to continue to question the Presidents birthplace. Others continued to accuse him of being a Moslem. The cable right-wing propaganda machine, known as Fox News, cranked out daily conspiracy theories and lies about the President. It is important to note that Fox News is owned by Rupert Murdock who is far to the right and the paper is run by Roger Ailes who’s history as a Republican strategist and media consultant is well known. The latest strategy is to have business owners warn their employees not to vote for President Obama, like they are going to close down their businesses, and stop making money, cut off their noses to spite their corporate faces.
The Affordable Health Care Act was turned into a whipping boy. Republicans are always against any type of social legislation but this time they were being paid in massive campaign donations to fight this legislation tooth and nail. Whether they were able to defeat the legislation or not was not the most important objective. The goal was to link the Presidents name to failure and incompetence. The same thing is evident with the stimulus bill and the rescue of the auto industry. The fact is both the stimulus bill and the auto industry rescue worked. The stimulus bill would have been more effective if Republicans in Congress had not watered it down.
Listen to all the things Republicans complain about and you will find legislation they filibustered, voted against or watered down to stop from improving the economy. The President tried bi-partisanship at every turn. He proposed Republican ideas and they shot them down. They became the party of “NO” to everything the President proposed. Their only goal was “to make President Obama a one term President.” Screw the country and the economy. Make everyone suffer so they will vote against Obama.
Despite all the right wing maneuvering President Obama has succeeded. Given a second term with Democrats in a majority in congress, he will move the country forward. The economy will improve and jobs will continue to grow. The far right establishment doesn’t care about the mess that will be created by reverting to policies that failed under G W Bush. They are more interested in controlling the government of the United States. President Obama represents middle class control of the country.
There is another important reason to reelect President Obama. The person that won the Republican nomination for President, Willard Mitt Romney, is a potential disaster for this country from a number of standpoints. His record, as a one term governor of Massachusetts is not a good one and it has been misrepresented by his campaign. His business experience was about making money, “harvesting investment opportunities,” not building anything. Romney is not a team player he’s a boss. A rich kid who got to be a Bishop in the Mormon Church, a possible conflict between church and state. A rich kid who had to start life with only a million dollars and work is way up from there. It has been said that Americans need to decide if they want a President or a Boss.
J R Martin