No alternative
Regarding the AJC poll indicating that Jewish approval of President Obama’s job performance has dropped below 50 percent (“A case of the ‘grumps’: Neither party fares well in AJC poll,” Sept. 29): yes, there have been times that I have had doubts about my support for Barack Obama and I feel that Hillary Clinton may have been a more effective president.
However, when I consider the alternative to President Obama’s reelection, I bring myself back to reality. If I have learned anything in my many years on this earth, it’s that our choices — whether in politics or in our personal life — are often not between good or bad, but are best given the circumstances. I shudder when I think of this country being governed for the next four or eight years by one of the current crop of Republican candidates. Two words keep cropping up in my mind: Supreme Court.
Other areas of concern for me are reproductive choice, women’s rights; environmental policies including global warming, clean energy and Republican deregulators who want to get rid of the Environmental Protection Agency; civil rights, including sexual orientation; our deteriorating infrastructure; and support for our public school system as opposed to the push for vouchers and what should be taught in our children’s science classes — evolution or creationism.
Priorities for Republicans were revealed last month when Republican House members unveiled plans to cut federal money for job training, heating subsidies, and grants to better performing schools. The draft measure for labor, health, and education programs also seeks to block implementation of President Obama’s signature health-care law, cut off federal funds to NPR and Planned Parenthood, and reduce eligibility for low-income students.
However, they have no plans for the wealthy and corporations to pay their fair share because, we are told by Republicans, that tax cuts would accelerate business growth and create jobs. We know how well that theory worked during the eight-year Bush administration when we got nearly a decade of anemic job growth, stagnating wages, declining incomes, and high inequality. It’s time that millionaires and extremely profitable corporations share the sacrifice of restoring our economy, and that burden does not fall mostly on working families. It’s critical for our families and the country that we support and vote to reelect Barack Obama and Democrats in the Senate and House in 2012.
Selma Prager
Springfield
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