Monday 9 April 2012

American Election Campaign - My Nickel

As Mitt Romney appears to be the presumptive nominee of the Republican Party, it looks as if he will be the candidate opposing the incumbent President.   The voters will be presented with a choice of a successful Governor and businessman, Mitt Romney and a former professor and community organizer, the incumbent President Barack Obama. 

As of late it would appear that being successful is almost like a disease.  Democrats and Romney’s GOP opponents have been quick to demonize Romney’s success.  It makes one wonder whatever happened to the American dream. 

Besides being successful in business, Romney, the former Governor of Massachusetts, showed his pragmatism governing a state with a largely Democratic dominated Legislature, in a largely Liberal state.  He also turned around the Salt Lake City Olympics, making it a successful winter Olympics.  Personally, his wealth should not enter the picture.  He is also the only candidate who is not a Washington insider.  He may just be the man needed to shake up Washington.

On the other side you have Barrack Obama, the incumbent President, a man that campaigned on “Hope and Change” in 2008.  He promised to rid Washington of business as usual.  Four years later there is more gridlock in Washington than there was under George Bush.   Obama, who delivers a great speech, hasn’t delivered politically.  In my humble opinion, the President has done more to divide the country than any President in recent history.  He continues to apply his community co-ordinator techniques,   which do nothing to unify the country.  During his watch the debt has increased by $5 Trillion to almost $16 Trillion.  In the recent past he has attacked the Supreme Court of the United States, because of his fears that his landmark “Affordable Health Act” may be ruled unconstitutional. 

His techniques have resemblance to fear mongering, criticizing Congressman Paul Ryan’s budget as giving to the rich on the backs of seniors and the poor.  For the month of March an expected jobs number of 210,000 only turned out to be 120,000, leaving an unemployment rate of 8.2%.  25% of youth, Obama’s 2008 base is unemployed.  The unemployment rate has dropped from 8.3% to 8.2%.  In contrast jobs created in the Canada were much better. 

While President Obama continues with his classic attacks, invoking class warfare, Mitt Romney and the Republicans have presented solutions, which Democratic Majority Leader, Harry Reid in the Senate won’t even bring to the table to discuss.  The art of  intelligent discussion has left Congress.  The Democrats have not presented a budget in over three years.  You can blame it on the Republicans all  you want, however, until January 2011 both the House of Representatives and the Senate were in full control of the Democratic Party, a full two years during Obama’s watch.  What stopped them then?  My point.  Nothing.

While Romney is being demonized for his wealth, President Obama has had well in excess of 100 fundraisers, celebrity dinners, expensive vacations, all not exactly cheap for the taxpayer.  While he has not reached his goal of a $1Billion war chest, his campaign donations have been higher than Romney’s. 

While there will be a lot of rhetoric yet to come on the campaign trail, it would be incumbent on the American electorate to separate the rhetoric from the facts.  Ask yourself, do you really want four more years of this President? 

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