What are the reasons Barack Obama was elected to the presidency in 2008?
His obvious strengths were that he spoke well and with his election, would represent an important milestone in America's race relations. On policy issues, his main message was hope and change but except for the Iraq war, he was not specific.
However, in such areas as experience, positions on many important issues, personal background and values, we knew next to nothing.
We now have more information based on actual performance. If we are to be objective, his presidency should be judged a failure. To have elected Barack Obama to the presidency in 2008 was a risk that the country should not have taken.
What else should one conclude from a president who has:
*Increased the national debt by $5 trillion during his term (so far) and shows little regard for its effects,
*Frittered away billions for so called "stimulus" expenditures, bailouts and loans to industry that will never be repaid or were wasted on pet projects such as Solyndra (which went bankrupt),
*Signed a health care bill whose repercussions are not fully understood, is costly, does not have public support and includes an individual mandate that is most likely unconstitutional,
*Issued regulations to religious organizations that mandated their participation in medical procedures that are counter to their beliefs and in defiance of the first amendment to the Constitution,
*Failed to lead the country to solve our problems (most notably the economy) but instead sought to evade responsibility by blaming almost everyone else and thereby dividing the country with his accusations,
*Espoused more spending and bigger government despite our huge debt and in disregard of constitutional principles,
*Apologized for America's alleged mistakes while ignoring our rightful actions through history and demonstrated an arrogance and disdain for America's proper role in the world?
Based on his record, he should not be reelected.
His obvious strengths were that he spoke well and with his election, would represent an important milestone in America's race relations. On policy issues, his main message was hope and change but except for the Iraq war, he was not specific.
However, in such areas as experience, positions on many important issues, personal background and values, we knew next to nothing.
We now have more information based on actual performance. If we are to be objective, his presidency should be judged a failure. To have elected Barack Obama to the presidency in 2008 was a risk that the country should not have taken.
What else should one conclude from a president who has:
*Increased the national debt by $5 trillion during his term (so far) and shows little regard for its effects,
*Frittered away billions for so called "stimulus" expenditures, bailouts and loans to industry that will never be repaid or were wasted on pet projects such as Solyndra (which went bankrupt),
*Signed a health care bill whose repercussions are not fully understood, is costly, does not have public support and includes an individual mandate that is most likely unconstitutional,
*Issued regulations to religious organizations that mandated their participation in medical procedures that are counter to their beliefs and in defiance of the first amendment to the Constitution,
*Failed to lead the country to solve our problems (most notably the economy) but instead sought to evade responsibility by blaming almost everyone else and thereby dividing the country with his accusations,
*Espoused more spending and bigger government despite our huge debt and in disregard of constitutional principles,
*Apologized for America's alleged mistakes while ignoring our rightful actions through history and demonstrated an arrogance and disdain for America's proper role in the world?
Based on his record, he should not be reelected.
Herein lies the problem with Presidential campaigns after one term. President Obama is judged on and will run on his record, while Romney has no such record. Its record versus ideas essentially. I would like to see your thoughts on how Romney will be a better President than Obama. I would like to see this election be about how Romney would be a better leader than Obama, not Obama saying how he is good and Romney saying how Obama is bad for America. Whether you are a supporter of the Obama administration or not, you can see the differences between campaign rhetoric and action once elected. Granted, there are checks and balances that stop a President from executing his plans without any resistance, but still there is a large gap.
ReplyDeleteWhile the list you give is certainly editorialized and could be argued ad nauseam, those are your reasons for not voting for Obama, not reasons while he should not be reelected. That list, described differently, could be made by an Obama supporter as reasons why he should be reelected. I guess that is why they pay their spin teams so much.
Ryan
DeleteThe choice in this election is between two diametrically opposed views.
Obama's record (and his speeches), indicate he primarily relies on government solutions to solve our economic problems. He takes this position despite a huge debt and contrary to our history of free enterprise and individual freedom.
The Romney campaign has emphasized free enterprise as the engine to grow the economy and to gain wealth. That is consistent with our two hundred year history (despite some periodic setbacks) and is consistent with our individual freedom which we take for granted.
The government's role should be limited and specific. That is what the founding fathers envisioned as a prerequisite for a free society. In modern times, that should mean that the government's economic role is to provide the infrastructure (transportation etc.) and the legal framework to insure a level playing field. To put it another way, government should be neutral referees in the economic sphere and not an active participant in choosing winners and losers (as evidenced by tax preferences, grants to certain industries etc.).
I don't understand your comment that the list cited in my post "--are reasons for not voting for Obama, not reasons while he should not be reelected." To me, there is little distinction. I do not think that Obama deserves a second term based on his record, the adverse impact it has had on the country and what it portends for the future. Therefore I will vote for Romney because he more closely represents my views and is the better alternative.
Thanks for the feedback Norm. The comment of mine that you referenced was meant to mean that you listed multiple actions/beliefs of obama's that you disagree with or see as failures in leadership. If you spin many items in that list in a positive way, they could be reasons TO reelect him. I'm just playing devil's advocate, not really taking a side here.
ReplyDeleteIf you believe that Romney can deliver on the promise of promoting free enterprise and limited government, then those are good reasons to vote for him.
I will have to look deeper into Romneys record, but the lack of excitement the Republican base is exhibiting leads me to believe that he falls short in many of the most important ways. I would assume those ways are the ability to reduce the size of government and in social issues.
Ryan
ReplyDeleteI do think that Romney would, as president, promote free enterprise and limited government. That is the direction we need to go as opposed to the hazardous course we are currently on for the reasons I stated in my previous post. As to the specifics of the Romney program, I hope to cover that in an upcoming post.
Thanks for your comments.
Norm
Norm