The only President we have -----

During all of President Bush’s tenure in office a major segment of our population, accepting the lead of the Democratic political leadership attempted, with significant success, in turning every issue into a direct attack on, or an opportunity to undermine the stature of the only President we have. In fairness, the Republicans, led by the likes of Tom Delay and Newt Gingrich were less than constructive when dealing with positive initiatives of Bill Clinton during his eight years in office.

While it is certainly clear that political life calls for vigorous opposition and while it is certainly clear that both of the last two sitting presidents earned opposition attacks, the effort to totally demean, even destroy, our designated leader has been distasteful in general and costly to us all, as individuals and as a nation.

Things have gotten worse during the Bush administration, during a time when when our nation has been under threat, a time when a level of proper respect for our country’s carefully built structure cries out for maintenance.

Adopting the theme of Mr. Obama’s campaign, it is time for a change. And yes, I mean that in many ways.

For our nation to survive as a true land of opportunity, one that made Mr. Obama’s improbable ascendency possible, it is mandatory that the basic concepts, the foundational strengths of this experiment in democracy, be maintained. Every way must remain open for any person to achieve "life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness" but those rights, though available to all cannot be guaranteed for all.

The idea that seemed to leak through from Mr. Obama’s philosophy is that rather than making sure that opportunity exists for all he is willing to extract the property and wealth from those that have achieved and to redistribute it to those that have not been able to do so.

While it makes all the sense in the world to insure that all people be equally able and encouraged to achieve, that steps be taken to insure that opportunity be available to all, those that have failed to make their way should not expect reach their goals in life, no matter how modest they may be, by taking away from those who have achieved their own goals, no matter how modest they are.

When Mr. Obama takes the oath of office in January I would hope he proceeds in a way that build on the basic precepts of this republic. I would hope that the extremes of both party’s be overwhelmed by the centrists and that we are able to move forward with a constructive agenda.
This is not a cry to keep taxes low. In fact, taxes must and will go up. It is the use and the method of using the needed tax dollars that will be the critical issue that will speak to the country’s future.

We need not be wed to the Bush tax cuts nor does it mean that we should discourage investment, there is room to maneuver for all. In the meantime the simple problems like Afghanistan, Iraq, the entire Middle East and our periously over extended economic balance sheet must be tended to.

Mr. Obama has a very full plate.

The least we can do is support his efforts and, when we can not, to let him know what we are having trouble with, but in a way that preserves the dignity of his office and as the elected leader of this country.

He too will be the only President we have.