I've been wondering lately. Where are the profuse Letters to the Editor from my highly critical and very opinionated "usual suspects" friends these days?
When George W. Bush was president not a day went by when my "usual suspect" friends weren't complaining and writing about the high unemployment rate, the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, the prison at Guantanamo still open for business, too much government spending, a growing national debt, government bailouts, tax cuts for the wealthy, the Hurricane Katrina debacle, high gas prices, and on and on. They hollered and wanted "CHANGE." Boy did they get it!
Under Obama's watch, the unemployment rate nearly doubled and is continuing to stay high (above 9 percent).
The wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are still continuing, and our troops are still getting killed and maimed.
Unmanned drone aircraft are now flying over Pakistan air space hitting who knows what kind of targets.
U.S. armed forces are also engaged in enforcing a "No Fly Zone" in Libya where they not only shoot Libyan aircraft out of the sky but rain bombs and missiles on ground forces too. This kind of "cowboy" military action used to be called war at one time.
The prison camp at Guantanamo is still open with no end in sight.
The U.S. government is spending and printing more money now than ever before and the debt is getting bigger and bigger each and every day as well. Guess what? Even if the rich were taxed 100 percent of their income the revenue collected still couldn't pay off the deficit. By the way, "Stimulus" money isn't investing its wasteful spending without any return or creating many jobs either.
There was even less administration action and leadership during the long and drawn out Gulf oil spill crisis, and the price of gas is rising towards $5 a gallon even as this letter is being read.
On top of that, we are now going to be forced to buy a government product whether we want it or not and pay a fine to boot if we don't. What a deal!
Hey, my "usual suspect" friends, I guess the "CHANGE" you got from Obama was just more of the same, except doubled. How about it? Let us hear your gripes loud and clear but don't blame Obama, blame the Ghost of Bush that must be haunting the dark halls of the white house.
Sal Amico
White