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For most everything I analyze, I strive to see it from a most personal perspective. In answering this question for myself, I applied it to how I would decide who I might want to have a relationship with…what kind of qualities would a man have that would keep me happy long term? I mean, he could be drop dead gorgeous, charismatic, endearing to so many people, but if he constantly lied…talked the talk, but didn't walk the walk, only explored the surface in evaluating life decisions, and only used humor to deflect from serious matters, the folly wouldn't last long. What if he was instead unattractive, but had a spine of steel, a mind that inspired, decisiveness in making tough decisions, and to not tell people what they want to hear but rather what they need to hear…unwavering honesty. I voted for Obama because he presented himself as one of those people that possess a nice mixture of these qualities…attractive, charismatic, spine of steel, a brilliant mind, promised he would not cater to special interests/lobbyists, and I believed him to be an honest man. I voted for him because I also believed him to be a man that would evaluate everything he did at the deepest levels…always beginning with the end in mind, utilizing results-based, critical thinking. He seemed to have it all, but now he is relying far too greatly on the "attractive" and "charismatic" qualities that were lowest on my list of priorities then, and even more so now.
Over the course of the last few months, I've been sorely disappointed in the policies of President Obama. When I first began to question what he was doing, I felt bad about it because I liked him so much. I'd see him giving a speech, press conference, or chatting up Jay Leno, and gosh darn it…I think he's fabulous! But, then another bank bailout, another flip flop, another promise broken …(ie Iraq, Gitmo, Don't Ask, Don't Tell, DOMA, lobbyists, special interests…banks, Unions, AMA), and my ability to keep liking him gets exceedingly difficult. How long do you keep justifying bad behavior to "stay in the relationship?"
As I've begun speaking out against President Obama's policies, and asking people to seek more from this administration than just basing their continued support on superficial "personality" traits, I've found that many are still in justifying mode….as I was over three months ago. I fully know how hard it is to start questioning someone who gave us so much hope, was so inspiring, and that we believed in with every fiber of our being during the election. This is a man who inspired me to not only believe that he could change the way things are done in Washington, but also to contribute my time and money for the first time in my life to a political campaign. I can't stand it when I find I've exercised poor judgment…that is a hard pill to swallow for anybody. Some are justifying by way of saying "he needs more time." That to me is like saying a man who hits you once should be given more time to "not do it again." A person who lies to you repeatedly, deserves your trust a little longer. We simply do not have the time to keep putting ineffective plans into place, and to spend any more money we don't have. Why wait for the next round of bank bailouts to start realizing we're in deep s%$# and the bailouts will not work? To this I hear "we can't just let the banks fail." It's too late…they already have. The money we keep throwing at them is doing nothing but assuaging our collective psyche and costing us billions. In my humble opinion, Obama should Nationalize the banks, and or eliminate their "supermarket" business model…back to just checking and savings. Take away their power over our Government. Will it hurt? Of course it will, but short term pain for long term gain versus long term pain for no gain is preferable, isn't it?
The latest Gallup poll shows that 89% of Democrats approve of the job Obama is doing….down from 91% the week before. Still high, but to me that just indicates we're not yet holding him accountable for the policy decisions he's making...we just "like" him. After what he did on DOMA last week, look for numbers to take a hit this week, and if nothing else changes, they will continue to go down. Personality can only go so far until even the most "attractive" person becomes unpalatable.
If you truly do want Obama to succeed and to keep this "relationship" alive, then he needs to hear from the masses that we would rather he be making tough but sound decisions. We want the transparency he promised us, and for him to remember he said we are his boss. Until then, the only ones he'll keep happy are the banks, Unions, the AMA…and those still justifying his behavior instead of holding him accountable…not exactly what he told us on the campaign trail, now is it?
