Updated Nov 6, 2012 - 11:48 pm
Chuck's List: Hopes, fears stem from Obama re-election
Comments (10) | 
Print | 
A one-man opinion poll of his hopes (the ups) and fears (the downs) that resulted from the re-election of Barack Obama.
-
Multiple Issue Candidate
Multiple Issue Candidate
I believe we underestimated how bad our economy was in 2008. I believe Barack Obama underestimated it as much as anyone, otherwise he wouldn't have promised that our unemployment rate would have returned to a level of 5 percent during his first term. Truth is, I don't think our unemployment rate will ever dip below 6 percent again. There are too many factors working against such a hope: advancement of technology, outsourcing, downsizing, underqualified Americans for a rapidly changing business world, a weakening educational system, etc. Here's the point: if Mitt Romney was trying to sell me, above all other campaign promises, that he would create jobs, and I don't think jobs can be created, then how good of a candidate did I believe we had in Mitt Romney?
-
Progress
Progress
We aren't much better off than we were four years ago, but we aren't worse. Progress has been slight, but it is progress. Obama claimed when he was elected in 2008 that it would take more than four years to economically recover. Clearly, it will. I don't doubt that Mitt Romney has a better mind for economics than the president, but his plan to cut taxes across the board and ease the road for small businesses, while cutting the deficit and adding trillions to the military, was also going to take more than four years to produce fruit. Perhaps America just wasn't willing to scrap one eight-year plan for another.
-
Foreign Affairs
Foreign Affairs
Mitt Romney wanted us to believe we could have our cake and eat it too. During his campaign tour, he confused me whenever he spoke about foreign affairs. He emphasized how the rest of the world needs to recognize and bow to our military might, but at the same time he doesn't want to enforce it, describing himself as wanting to be seen as the "peaceful president." You can't get tougher on Iran, support Syrian rebels with weaponry, stay in Afghanistan, and reiterate to the war-torn Middle East that we will always have Israel's back -- no matter what -- without stirring up our enemies. Relations with the Middle East will never be good, not in our lifetime. There will always be the potential for a Libya tragedy, no matter who's in charge. But I just don't think you can talk tougher with our enemies AND attempt to place yourself, in the role of Commander-in-Chief, to the left of the Liberal president without leaving us confused.
-
The Debt
The Debt
Our national debt rose to $16 trillion under the leadership of Barack Obama. $16 trillion! Now, in Obama's defense, I will acknowledge that we've treated our trillions in debt with a dismissive air for nearly all my life. However, the deficit grew 60 percent on the president's watch, and he behaves as if we have nothing to worry about. Well, we're worried. Stop spending. The hole is too big. Put away your shovel. Time to make some tough decisions. And with costly Obamacare on the way, one has to wonder how big this hole, this crater, could get.
-
Obamacare
Obamacare
I don't think it will work. I've spoken with physicians who are sure it won't work. It's too costly. Longer waits for health care. Bigger costs for small businesses. A decline in quality of health care. If there is one issue that concerns me most about Obama's next four years is the Affordable Health Care Act.
-
A Greater Divide
A Greater Divide
Fifty percent of America didn't want Barack Obama re-elected. Forty percent of America HATED the thought he would be re-elected. We are a nation divided and I fear the divide became greater on Election Night. Where do we go from here? We haven't been this split as a people since the Civil War. And I hate it. As a news talk show host, I hear it everyday. Too many Americans are rooting for America to fail just because they don't agree with the platforms of the man in charge. We need to get back to being Americans first and Republicans/Democrats second... or ninth.
Chuck Powell, Host, Karie & Chuck
