Reflections on the Election

In reflecting on the recent midterm election, I’ve given some thought to the work President Obama did in behalf of fellow Democrats who were facing the wrath of voters. In many respects the election was a commentary by the American people on the Obama presidency. From my perspective, I was very disappointed in his campaign message. He wasted a golden opportunity to speak to the American people in defense of his political program. Instead of railing against his Republican opposition (there is plenty to rail against) Obama should have made a positive statement regarding the struggling American economy and what is needed to get it back on track. He also should have pointed out the necessity for the actions he has taken in the past 18 months.

Without question Obama inherited a mess, but that’s old news hardly worth mentioning now. He could have praised President Bush for the actions he took in bailing out the banks and the automobile industry and pointed out the necessity of continuing those programs. No one, not even the most rabid Republican, would want the banking system to collapse. Unfortunately, Obama spent his time attacking his opponents instead of pointing out the necessity for the actions he took. Former President George Bush, in a recent promotional interview regarding his new book, made a much better defense of his own actions in response to the faltering economy. Obama could learn a lesson in practical politics from a study of that interview.