I'm Still Confused, Mr. President

Allyson Portee | January 28, 2010 12:14 AM

Earlier tonight before President Obama’s State of the Union Address commenced, I attended a small reception on Capitol Hill. Before I left, the mood was that the president would play the blame game, and single out those whose fault it is for the state of the country’s economic downturn. Sure enough he blamed the past administration, banks, Senate Republicans, and even the Supreme Court at one point.

As I sat watching the speech it sounded more like the 2008 campaign. Boredom entered the room where I watched the speech, as the president began to talk about promises of a spending freeze, financial reform, a supposed new “Jobs bill,” his plans for bipartisanship, and his plans for economic/financial reform for small businesses. He stated, “I campaigned on the promise of change – change we can believe in, the slogan went. And right now, I know there are many Americans who aren’t sure that they still believe we can change – or at least, that I can deliver it. But remember this – I never suggested that change would be easy, or that I could do it alone.”

By the end of the speech, I was left asking questions like: How do you propose that small business grows, when businesses had to cut jobs because the government taxed them to death? How has the economy improved Mr. President, we are still suffering with high unemployment numbers?

Yes, the president realized that a portion of the country is unhappy. That’s why he has decided to shift a focus from healthcare to the economy and job creation. “Jobs must be our number one focus in 2010, and that is why I am calling for a new jobs bill tonight,” stated the president “People are out of work. They are hurting. They need our help. And I want a jobs bill on my desk without delay.”

After this speech I am not enthused. The list of my dissatisfaction is long. As an American citizen I want the proper role of government restored. As the president continues to blame others, Americans will continue to wait and see if he [President Obama] will actually deliver the hope he confidently promised during his campaign.