Will the president finally stand up and govern?

Every day the news seems to get worse. Congress is going to overhaul the health care system, and it will cost trillions of dollars the U.S. cannot afford to spend. Credit card companies are charging interest rates as high as 36 percent, and doubling minimum monthly payments. The automotive industry needs more bailout money, and airlines are getting ready to hike rates just in time for holiday travel. The price of oil is going up, and so is crime. Those wonderful tax-free spending accounts people use to pay for health care not covered under their insurance plans are going to take a hit, and almost one in three mortgage applications were denied last year. Christmas is just around the corner, yet many retailers already know they will be going out of business before the corks come off the New Year’s Eve champagne. The president is evading the press if they try to ask him about any of his policies — especially if you’re a reporter with Fox News. The unemployed are losing their homes and even those who still have a job wonder how much longer they can hold their lives together under the current state of affairs.

I could go on and on, but the point has already been made — America is not having its best year. If I drive through an area of town I’ve not been to in a couple of months, I see numerous changes. Once thriving businesses are gone, others have only a few cars in their lot. “Big Sale” signs are all around us. “For Sale” or “For Rent” signs abound. It makes me sad to see this, and disturbs me to hear from friends who have lost their jobs or say they are in jeopardy of losing their business or their employment in the near future.

So why are only 8 percent of East Tennesseans concerned enough with these scenarios to vote? That’s right. According to a recent survey, only a paltry 8 percent of East Tennesseans said they would be voting in the Nov. 3, 2009 elections. While I understand this is not an election involving a Congressional or presidential seat, it is an election for local candidates. It’s a lot easier to track down a local candidate in order to voice a concern, ask questions and get answers than a national candidate.

People are upset over the economy and the wars America is involved in. Many voters now say they wish they had not voted for President Obama. They claim they feel deceived, and that the president is doing things they had no idea he would do if elected. Thousands of anti-Obama editorials have been written since the president took office — proving that even some members of the news media are disgusted with current events. Yet, the voters themselves — despite all their grumbling over the bad economy — refuse to voice their concerns at the ballot box.

I’ve noticed that many people now claim to be an independent, and say they are fed up with both the Democratic and Republican parties. While the Nov. 3 elections may be an indication of how the nation will vote in 2010, I think it is far too early to make any predictions. To be sure, some Republicans will take offices away from Democrats Nov. 3, but the winds could blow the opposite direction by this time next year.

American voters have become fickle in addition to apathetic. Many of them were easily swayed by a smooth-talking man from Chicago they’d never even heard of before his announcement to run for the presidency. (Though some had previously supported Republican candidates, as had their parents and grandparents.) A good share of Democrats were ready to support Hillary Clinton, yet ended up supporting Obama, against their better judgment.

So what will it take to shake up the American people enough to throw off their shroud of apathy and demand appropriate action from their elected officials? Tea Parties, pundits and television’s “talking heads” are not working. Congress is ignoring the public or at best paying lip service to anyone who shows up at a public event and complains. Town Hall meetings only served to provide some entertaining sound bites. Members of Congress seemed to have forgotten anything they heard from critical voters as soon as the mikes and lights were turned off.

I doubt there is much the American voter can do at this point to convince elected officials to change their support of the Obama administration’s policies. The Republican Party is not the solution since they are guilty of being part of the problem. After all, they spent eight years under George Bush setting the stage for an economic collapse with lavish spending and bankrupt economic policies.

When the entire U.S. economy has imploded — and it will implode if Obama’s policies become reality — there will be an outcry from the American people heard around the world. I hope the people will not resort to violence, but wouldn’t be surprised if that happens.

Hopefully, a new Messiah will surface who can serve eight years in the presidency and begin the task of rebuilding the country Obama and his followers will probably destroy. The president who follows Obama will need to be someone who can instill faith, calm fears and lay the framework for a reversal of Obama’s mistakes. Laying a framework for recovery will be just about all the new president can accomplish because the damage to the American economy could be so great it may take a decade or more to undo the harm Obama might inflict on America.

I do not like having to predict such a dismal outcome for this country. And I do not think Obama is an evil person who wants to destroy America. I do believe he is simply a puppet being used by the liberal majority. Obama enjoys the position and fame that come with being president. He is a very poor leader, hence he allows himself to be surrounded by advisors who do not respect him or have his best interests at heart. Obama is the president, and only he will be judged someday for his actions while president. History is not kind to weak presidents, but seems to be quite forgiving of bad advisors.

If I were to give the president any advice, it would be to fire each and every member of his cabinet, and rid himself of his “close advisors” who are not in the cabinet. He should tell Congress he is replacing them with honest, ethical persons who have a proven track record of success. All presidents need advisors who have used their life experiences to accomplish great things, having served with honor and dignity in their former positions. Their resumes must be impeccable to even be considered for such a high position. This president has far too many close advisors and cabinet members who are not trustworthy in the eyes of the American people.

Perhaps the Nov. 3 elections will serve as a wake up call to President Obama that the nation is split, fearful of the future and verging on civil unrest not seen since the Vietnam War protests. If Obama continues to ignore the warning signs, he will prove once and for all that he is incapable of performing the duties of president.