By: Daniel Nardini
While U.S. President Barack Obama is still taking credit for the Libya venture, and is talking tough against Iran and Syria, all of this really has little meaning for Americans overall. Obama had better be looking at the numbers. A new survey taken by the Halifax International Security Forum shows that nine out of ten Americans are primarily concerned with the economic situation. This includes jobs, unemployment, and serious economic insecurity among most Americans. Most Americans actually could care less whether Libya is ruled by former Libyan dictator Muamar Gaddhafi or whoever is in charge in Libya now. Most Americans are not all that concerned with what is happening in Syria (unless of course they are Syrian Americans). Mr. Obama had better remember that neither the Libyans nor the Syrians elected him—it was the American people and his first priority MUST be the American people.
Sadly some presidents in American history got so involved in foreign affairs that they forgot the domestic conditions that they should have dealt with. A classic case of this is what happened to former U.S. President George H.W. Bush. A former CIA man, he was a foreign policy expert. It was his expertise and commitment that made him an invaluable war president during the Gulf War (1991) where U.S. and coalition forces defeated and drove out the Iraqis from Kuwait. After the lightening victory over Iraq, Bush had a 90 percent approval rating. But as the recession of the time wore on his approval rating dropped drastically to the point he lost to an almost total unknown Democratic candidate named Bill Clinton. In my view Clinton proved to be one of the best presidents in U.S. history because he remembered that it was the American people who elected him and that the economy is what was the most important thing. This is why he was elected twice.
As I see people struggling from day to day, and businesses trying to keep from faltering, they are looking for leadership and a direction from Washington, D.C. And they see none. But Obama is not alone in this lack of leadership. The U.S. Congress has not done any better. Democrats and Republicans cannot even agree to be in the same room to decide on a national budget, never mind on actually deciding on a national budget. The Halifax survey is simply a confirmation of what Americans are feeling. And any politician who can talk about the economy is the one that may most likely get elected. I hope such a person will get elected. This country has been involved in too many wars, too many conflicts, and too many affairs in other countries not related to our national sovereignty. The survey also found that Americans have no problem with the U.S. government helping other countries in national disasters, helping fellow democracies, and using sanctions against countries that are a threat to our national sovereignty. I have no problem with this either. But as I said again a government’s primary concern is to its own people first and foremost. And in my view the political official who puts the American people and OUR needs first and foremost should be elected.
It’s Still the Economy Stupid!
By: Daniel Nardini
While U.S. President Barack Obama is still taking credit for the Libya venture, and is talking tough against Iran and Syria, all of this really has little meaning for Americans overall. Obama had better be looking at the numbers. A new survey taken by the Halifax International Security Forum shows that nine out of ten Americans are primarily concerned with the economic situation. This includes jobs, unemployment, and serious economic insecurity among most Americans. Most Americans actually could care less whether Libya is ruled by former Libyan dictator Muamar Gaddhafi or whoever is in charge in Libya now. Most Americans are not all that concerned with what is happening in Syria (unless of course they are Syrian Americans). Mr. Obama had better remember that neither the Libyans nor the Syrians elected him—it was the American people and his first priority MUST be the American people.
Sadly some presidents in American history got so involved in foreign affairs that they forgot the domestic conditions that they should have dealt with. A classic case of this is what happened to former U.S. President George H.W. Bush. A former CIA man, he was a foreign policy expert. It was his expertise and commitment that made him an invaluable war president during the Gulf War (1991) where U.S. and coalition forces defeated and drove out the Iraqis from Kuwait. After the lightening victory over Iraq, Bush had a 90 percent approval rating. But as the recession of the time wore on his approval rating dropped drastically to the point he lost to an almost total unknown Democratic candidate named Bill Clinton. In my view Clinton proved to be one of the best presidents in U.S. history because he remembered that it was the American people who elected him and that the economy is what was the most important thing. This is why he was elected twice.
As I see people struggling from day to day, and businesses trying to keep from faltering, they are looking for leadership and a direction from Washington, D.C. And they see none. But Obama is not alone in this lack of leadership. The U.S. Congress has not done any better. Democrats and Republicans cannot even agree to be in the same room to decide on a national budget, never mind on actually deciding on a national budget. The Halifax survey is simply a confirmation of what Americans are feeling. And any politician who can talk about the economy is the one that may most likely get elected. I hope such a person will get elected. This country has been involved in too many wars, too many conflicts, and too many affairs in other countries not related to our national sovereignty. The survey also found that Americans have no problem with the U.S. government helping other countries in national disasters, helping fellow democracies, and using sanctions against countries that are a threat to our national sovereignty. I have no problem with this either. But as I said again a government’s primary concern is to its own people first and foremost. And in my view the political official who puts the American people and OUR needs first and foremost should be elected.