And for two days now I have been trying to figure out how to write my response to the speeches, but every time I get started it turns into a political rant. If I use this blog to rant, I want it to be about the food industry or maybe local issues that affect our schools or public safety. I know that a political rant won't sway those that disagree with me or provide information that you can't find elsewhere on the web.
It wouldn't serve any purpose except to make me feel better.
Because I would say things like this:
1. Actually, President Obama, Americans are NOT stupid. We DON'T need additional government agencies to protect us from the credit card companies or mortgage brokers. What we need is to take responsibility for our lives, and move on so we can recover from bad investments (housing) or job losses. We all thought the bubble would never burst and took risks with mortgages we knew we couldn't afford, or those home equity loans that allowed us to buy that boat or travel trailer, or those credit card bills that allowed us to purchase things we couldn't afford. Wall Street was there to provide this credit we all wanted, and yes they made a handsome profit from it and found clever (and even some shady) ways to keep the cash flowing. But those days are over, we all contributed to the problem and we need to quit pointing fingers at each other. Enabling prevents healing, Mr. President, and we need to move on already.
2. Unemployment benefits do not put people back to work. I know the economy sucks and jobs in many industries are all but impossible to find. But people who want work, find work. During the great depression our grandparents didn't turn down jobs because they were "beneath them". They worked wherever and whenever they could to support their families and pick themselves up by their bootstraps. We need to support this type of hardworking American and not the ones content to sit it out on unemployment for three years while they wait for a "decent opportunity".
3. Mr. President you can continue to blame Congress about inaction, but that is EXACTLY the way our founding fathers wanted our system to work. There is a system of checks and balances so no one side can overpower the other, unless voters give them control of both houses and the executive branch. Mr. President you had this control the first two years of your term, and you failed to do any of the things you promised in your speech on Tuesday. Moreover, your Democrat controlled Senate has failed to propose or pass a budget in 1000 days, long before Republicans gained control of the House! You speak of compromise but I specifically remember when you had control and told Republicans to "sit in the back" while you steamrolled our country with Obamacare. So you can continue to call the Republicans a do-nothing Congress, but I say they are doing EXACTLY what voters wanted when we voted your Democrats out in 2010.
4. Mr. President, you can boast about how you will take care of business if the Congress can't, but all I've seen you do in the past three years is golf while our country waited for legislation that would help our economy. The only gutsy thing I've seen you do is wipe the floor with our Constitution when you made "recess appointments" while Congress wasn't actually in recess or invade other countries without Congressional approval. You sure talk tough in your speech, but you've failed to show any leadership on domestic issues during these toughest times, content to let our legislature duke it out while you were strikingly absent.
5. You can continue to blame Wall Street and business for the mess we're in, but it makes you a hypocrite, since those very Wall Street people are some of your biggest financial supporters. I don't think anyone sees past the fact that Bank of America has given more to you than any other candidate in their history.
6. While you enjoy your soundbites about punishing Wall Street, we know that 80% of the people in our country work for small businesses like ours. We are not millionaire babies that live off the return on our great-grandfather's investments - we are people who work and risk our livelihoods by owning a business. Our company pays around 50% of our net profit in taxes, plus I personally pay over 30% on my salary. How you can state that I am not paying my fair share when in reality over 40% of our income goes straight to you, is inconceivable to me. You also need to realize that I am sending you money that could be used to hire more people to grow our business which would allow us to hire more people. But of course, you think you know more about putting people back to work than those of us that actually put people back to work.
7. I recently read that even if all the "Millionaires" that you complain about put 100% of their earnings and income into taxes, it wouldn't even make a blip on the trillions of debt you have brought on our country. In fact, you are slated to add more debt than ALL THE OTHER PRESIDENTS COMBINED. How's that legacy for you, Mr. President?
Whew.
Ok, I have to admit I feel a little better after that rant. For those of you that made it this far, I should reward you with something lighthearted and fun. So here is a picture of my five year old (who is currently in bed with the stomach flu) after eating Oreos.
Oh that life was as easy as Oreos and milk.
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