There is only one word for Obama’s first nine months in power – disaster!

Finnish Newspaper HBL

There is only one word for Obama’s first nine months in power – disaster!

Chicago Young Republicans Buffy Bains and Kyle Stone are in full agreement that the US is being ruled into political and economic disaster. Chicago is Barack Obama’s home town. Here, he has his greatest supporters, but republicans Kyle Stone and Buffy Bains, who HBL met in Chicago’s Millennium Park, are definitely not two of them.

“A year ago I also thought that the choice of Obama was historic. I celebrated election night at the Hilton Hotel, overlooking Grant Park, and I couldn’t help but be moved by the human emotion, joy, celebration and happiness. As a Chicagoan I too felt pride that our city was home to the next US President. But soon after, that changed,” says Stone.

All pride and excitement for Obama disappeared quickly.

“The cabinet he put together was encouraging, with some Republicans and conservative democrats. But after only three weeks in office, he introduced his budget and things changed. The administration moved further to the left and he became considerably more liberal than he ever let on during the campaign. I and many others felt cheated.”

“In nine months Obama has already quadrupled what the national deficit was under the Bush administration. He has traveled around the world apologizing for all that America has done and stands for. And he is in full swing to lay the foundations for disastrous policy that may take years and to repair when republicans regain power.”

Stone continues, “There is only one word for Obama’s policy – disaster. It’s hard to imagine that he still has three years left. Obama reminds me, in every way, more and more of Jimmy Carter.”

“Obama’s failure would not be a bad thing,” considers Stone.

“More and more people in Chicago dislike the idea that we are the leading liberal city in the US. New members are flocking to the Chicago Young Republicans. Liberals in Chicago attempt to marginalize all who disagree with Obama, and squash dissenting opinion. People now know that there are people in this city who have a different view.”

“I previously worked in Chicago urban management, where it was important to keep your mouth shut if you had differing or Republican opinions. Now, I’m working at a law firm and I dare to speak out.”

A year ago, when Obama was elected, Buffy Bains was in Europe. It was dizzying, she remembers.

“People congratulated me when I told them I was American, particularly when I said I lived in Chicago. When I did not share their enthusiasm, and said that I had voted for McCain, they seemed baffled.”

Nevertheless, Bains initially had reasonable hope for Obama.

“I was hoping that he would lead the country in a new direction, but was quickly disappointed. He represents a new brand of liberalism which is foreign to America. He promised bipartisanship, but is neither listening to Republicans nor seeking cooperation. George W. Bush met once a month with leading democrats in order to maintain a dialogue. Since April, Obama has not met once with House Republicans.”

Stone is surprised that Barack Obama has not accomplished more with Democratic majorities in both houses..

“He’s accusing Republicans of doing nothing, but what has he done himself? He has all the votes he needs to pass legislation without a single Republican vote, but his own party is not even in line with his agenda. Conservative Democrats are even saying no to his healthcare reform.”

Question: Why couldn’t the United States, like other countries, offer its citizens free health care?

“The United States has the best quality of health care in the world. What Obama and the Democrats are planning to do right now is to take choice in care away from patients and give power to bureaucrats in Washington. Much of the current insurance system in the US and in many European countries is employer-based. Generally it is working well, as 80 per cent of Americans are happy with their current coverage. If the government takes over that system, employers would stop offering coverage, and it would cost the taxpayers billions of dollars.”

“Where does government get the money? They can either borrow or raise taxes, there are no other options, unlike private industry.”

Question: Why couldn’t a system that works in Europe also operate in the United States?

“There’s a cultural difference. You may be okay with paying 80% of your income in taxes. In Europe there is a mentality to hand over much of one’s money to the government, and let the State decide how best to spend it.”

“But since the revolution in the United States, we have continually protested against State involvement in our individual freedoms. In addition, the largest country in Europe only has 80 million inhabitants. With 300 million people in the United States, such a system would be impossible to organize without bureaucracy swelling to an enormous size,” continues Stone.

Bains agrees, “The critical question here is what role a government should play in an individual’s life. The idea that a government is meant to take care of its people, rather than the people care for themselves, is not an idea we’ve wholly been able to accept in this country.”