In 2008, Americans voted to change direction. We were captivated by "hope and change." Three days before his election, Barack Obama told us, "We are just days away from fundamentally transforming the United States of America." As we review results of his first term, we wonder, is this the change we hoped for, or has the Obama administration failed?
Unemployment remains stagnant at more than 8 percent, with 21 million people unemployed, while millions more are underemployed or simply gave up looking for work. Our public debt grew from $10 trillion to $15.9 trillion, and Obama continues to borrow a trillion a year to fund programs that provide food, housing, medical care, unemployment, direct welfare money and more. They say, "you're entitled," despite increasing debt that will eventually bankrupt the country. The president promises to raise taxes on the richest 1 percent (workers and companies) among us to take care of the rest of us. It's called socialist-style "share the wealth." Today, just about half of all the men, women and children in the U.S. now receive government money in some form or another. The source of this outpouring of "free money" is private sector productivity. Tax money paid into the U.S. Treasury by American companies and their workers is the government's main source of revenue.
Obama's fundamental change got us to the point where half the country works to support the other half. Is this the change we hoped for?
Jane Kenny
Bluffton
