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| Yes | 49% | 80 votes | Total: 162 votes | |
| No | 51% | 82 votes |
Yes
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Yes, America most certainly got what they wanted from President Obama.
During the latter years of the Bush administration, most Americans became disillusioned with government and politics in general. With the on-going struggle of war and a generalized economic crash, people felt helpless and hopeless. Where there is hopelessness, doubt and fear; a small amount of hope begins to flicker like a candle in the darkest of nights. From that small hope comes a large hope; a hope for change. And change was one of the selling points of Obama's campaign - it's what drove people to view him as a symbol of hope through these confusing and downright awful times.
It's safe to say he's delivered on his promise of change. President Obama has virtually set the standard for modern presidency, with his sweeping economic policies and his firm promise to bring our troops home soon. His approach to solving problems can, at the very least, be termed as different and more effective than his predecessor. In the few months he's been in office, we've seen everything but stagnation.
When we vote for a president, we're voting for a leader; someone to speak for us, to guide us and to be our representative to the world at large. In other words, he is the face of our nation both at home and abroad. And since we voted him in, you might say that he represents our general beliefs and standards for both a human being and a leader.
Obama delivers on all of our expectations for a president. He's effective, passionate, logical and strives to make the changes he claims he will and the changes he knows that we, as a people, want to see for ourselves and for future generations.
He's got a heavy burden on his shoulders. His predecessor left him with a country on the verge of economic collapse, an on-going war, ineffective and ill-conceived policies and a generally bad opinion of government officials. Obama is definitely working to reestablish a connection between the people and the president. He's doing a very good job of it because he's showing us the changes he promised us we would see.
More than that, when we voted for him, we voted for a man of integrity; someone who would do what was right, no matter how unpopular or unfathomable it might seem. President Obama has proved time and time again that he will do the right thing for our nation, no matter how difficult it is and no matter what the naysayers say. This, perhaps above all else, has made him the memorable and effective leader of our nation that he is. Furthermore, it's the best and most showing way that he has delivered the American people what they wanted.
Learn more about this author, Carrie Eckles.
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No
If America voted for a fraud, far left, chronic liar - then Americans got what they wanted. I have to admit that Barack Obama may have run the greatest campaign of deception in United States history. Running as a "post racial issues", "change", "open and transparent", and "uniting" figure is what Obama promised on the campaign. What we have now after 6 months in office is clearly a new Obama.
- Let us begin with his promise to be a "post racial issue" leader. Recently, Obama stuck his nose into business that really was nowhere in his area. The Harvard Professor Gates (who just so happens to be both African American and a friend of President Obama's) was recently arrested by white Officer Crowley of the local police department.
President Obama really did not need to make any input into this case, but instead in a press conference said the police acted "stupidly" and were perpetratorsof racial profiling. All these comments did were stir racial problems up within the United States, that are unnecessary.
It is also hard to forget Obama's campaign when he spoke of his "own racist white grandmother" who had a problem with black men that may commit crimes against her. Another common figure in the campaign was Jeremiah Wright, Obama's pastor in Chicago for 15 years, who was not a model citizen for racial tolerance. These all make it hard for Obama to truly be viewed as beyond race (and I will not even begin to get into his ACORN ties, that do not help any either).
- Then we have his promise of change, and I agree he has certainly changed the Presidency, but in a way that citizens voted for? A "change we can believe in" that has occurred is the newfound czars that President Obama has created. There are already well over 20 czars, including a "pay czar" and a "car czar" (to name two), who have no need for Congressional; approval in their decision making.
In that sense the "change" we see is a complete trashing of our United States Constitution. Where in the Constitution does it speak of a new branch of government consisting of "czars"? Where does the Constitution limit free speech if someone so happens to have popular conservative talk radio show that gets 20 million plus listeners a day (the so called fairness doctrine that Obama has spoken of)?
Do we honestly need a change that transforms America into a welfare nation, where the top 5 percent earners in the US pay higher taxes to cover everyone who is considered poor? I realize a lot of people on the left indeed did vote for these changes, but not every Obama voter could have envisioned this with the simple slogan of "change."
- The open and transparent promise we heard for two years was a joke. Have any of you who disagree with me thus far visited some of these "open and transparent" websites the White House has set up? If so, then you cannot think Obama and his administration are open to the American people. The President has not been open at all about his health care overhaul ideas.
I have watched town halls and press conferences devoted to President Obama's trillion dollar plus health care proposal, and he does not say anything. I must admit, he is a charismatic speaker who engages crowds, but when you do not answer any questions thrown at you, you cannot proclaim your Presidency "the most open and transparent in American history."
- Finally, we had Obama's promise all campaign about his being bipartisan in his leadership, and listening to all ideas on the table. President Obama is a smart man, and he realizes he has the House of the Representatives controlled by his party, and 60 Democratic votes in the Senate. Why would he have to listen to a Republican's idea, when any Democrat agenda can be steamrolled through Congress and set right on is desk for a signature.
This can also be said for bills signed by President Obama in his short 6 months in office. The Economic Recovery Bill, which cost 780 billion dollars, was finalized by Democrats in the dark of night and voted on the next day, giving zero time for Congressional leaders to even read the bill.
The same ocurred recently in the House with Obama's beloved cap and trade legislation. These bills were finalized by Congressional Democrats, with no Republican input allowed, and given President Obama's blessing. Way to be a bipartisan leader who reaches out to ALL Americans.
If this is what Americans voted for, then they got what they wanted. I find it hard to believe all Obama voters really knew that all this was coming, and we are only 6 months into Obama's Presidency. It seems voters were more caught up in the unpopularity of George W Bush, and followed into the "cult of personality" that was Barack Obama, listening to him as thought he was a Savior to save us all, and instead he is bringing us down a dark road in American history.
Learn more about this author, Wayne Douma.
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