More Action, Less Words

For President Obama, it’s time to take off the training wheels and the teetering back and forth and start moving straight ahead to get things done. Obama’s confidence rating has dropped from a high of 74 percent when he was elected to just over 50 percent now. Democrats and Republicans alike are angry and frustrated. Obama’s first year in office has been marred with the ongoing health care debate, the continued loss of jobs (over 3 million in the past year), soaring federal deficit ($1 trillion higher), the loss of Democratic leaders (deciding not to run for re-election) not to mention the upset victory of the Republican candidate in the Massachusetts Senate race, and the near terrorist disaster on Christmas Day.

The State of the Union address was his opportunity to reignite America that his presidency can fulfill the promises made during the election; but he fell short. He did hit most of the hot buttons from the need to create jobs, immigration, tax cuts, health care, nuclear power plants to doubling exports over the next five years. But he also included too much talk about what he inherited when he took office. We know the country was in bad shape. That’s the reason he was elected, for “change.” The one-liners for comic relief were in bad taste. This is no time to be funny. There’s no doubt President Obama is a great speaker, and a lot of the proposals presented have merit, but they will mean nothing if they are not implemented quickly. Don’t tell us; show us. Don’t put a freeze on government spending in 2011; cut spending now. Don’t wait for Congress to make a decision; stand up and demand action.

The next few months are crucial for our recovery. Let’s hope he takes the right direction.

Jeff Mitchell