Some Thoughts on Going Forward with President Obama

[R. Nachael Howell-Foster]

Last night, I listened to President Obama extol the virtues of government to the everyday lives of the American people. I watched as audience members applauded in a feverish frenzy as President Obama described the indispensable role that government workers, such as teachers and firemen, played in the lives of everyday Americans.  Who could argue that teachers and firemen are not vital to the American way of life?

But, neither teachers nor firemen are employed by the federal government. 

The President of the United States of America is the executive in charge of millions of federal employees. Yet, President Obama did not chose to even commend one segment of the vast civilian sector employed by the federal government as vital or indispensable to the American people.

I guess my mother was right when she said that if you could not say anything nice you should not say anything at all.

The truth is that the vast numbers of federal government civilian sector agencies are not vital to the everyday lives of most Americans.

I say most Americans because I am reminded of another important part of President Obama speech, in which he said, in so many words, that the American people needed the federal government to provide money to other Americans, so that more Americans can keep spending and businesses will not be forced to lay off employees in the private sector.

Wow!  Forget free market economic theory.  Forget survival of the fittest.  Forget standing on your own two feet.

President Obama’s speech last night at the DNC convention basically said that American’s only hope in going “forward” was to rely on the federal government.  According to President Obama, the American people should embrace the “fact” that the federal government’s role is to keep the pockets of American people lined with money to give to businesses.   

But, what if the real “fact” is that federal government is only supporting those businesses which could not survive if such businesses had to wait to sell their goods or services to Americans that actually worked hard and discernibly spent their hard earned money?

Is President Obama giving the federal government credit where credit is due?

Do you believe that keeping unsustainable businesses, with unsustainable products and services, at unsustainable prices, is the sustainable path for Americans?

Can you say that you are better off today than you were four years ago?

Are you ready to go forward with President Obama’s vision for the American people?