Yes, we still can

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To the Editor:

In 2008 Americans gathered by the tens of thousands to listen to candidate Barack Obama. He spoke clearly and in detail of his concerns and plans. We liked Barack Obama’s ideas and plans. We took up his challenge and chanted back, “Yes, we can! Yes we can!” Pres. Obama was elected by 68 percent of the electoral vote – 338 to 156.

Well, here we are again. Four years have passed, but it seems like the last presidential election never ended. That’s because it didn’t. While most Americans rejoiced, a small group of lawmakers refused to accept the clear and deliberate choice of the American people.

This lesser group of bitter, prejudiced, yet very powerful, well-funded and well organized, self-serving citizens pledged to keep this great nation divided. They have disclosed they met on Pres. Obama’s inauguration day to plot against his presidency. U.S. Senator Mitch McConnell (from the floor of the U.S. Senate) declared, “The number one goal of the Republican congress is to make Pres. Obama a one term president.” Is that what we pay them to do?

From that day on we Americans… all of us, were on notice that many of the ideas and plans candidate Obama presented and 68 percent of American voters wanted would never be ours.

I myself, and I suspect, most supporters of Pres. Obama underestimated the depth of the anger and hate in some people, the thirst for power and greed in others and the arrogance and disrespect for the laws of our land and our president. By the 2010 mid-term elections it was clear the “fix was in.” The Tea Party became a factor with wacky candidates like Christine O’Donnel, Michele Bachman and Joe Welsch. At rallies some tea partiers sported guns and shouted racial slurs. They spread hate, division and fear across our nation. However, many were actually elected to the U.S. House of Representatives – bad news for all of us including any serious Republicans still left standing.

Too many Americans who enthusiastically cheered “Yes we can” in 2008 were so confident in our new president that they forgot to provide the “we” factor of support in 2010. This allowed the Tea Party Republicans in the House of Representatives to block Obama’s jobs bills for recovery and to repair our infrastructure, education, public safety and more. Partisan wrangling over the budget bill damaged our nation’s credit rating adding to our national debt. However, Pres. Obama was able to end the Iraq war and is bringing home our soldiers from Afghanistan, located Bin Laden and killed him and many of his top followers, saved the auto industry and associated industries, and America finally has a national health care plan. This plan is actually a very good plan and I truly believe when fully implemented Americans will never want to lose it. Don’t be fooled by all that negative spin. Many are already being helped. FYI, the Affordable Care Act was originally designed by the conservative Heritage Foundation, then written in part by the same man who wrote Romney care. Republicans are intent on defeating Pres. Obama, not about looking out for Americans.

Julia Massman

Caledonia, Minn.