Ok, I am a middle aged White guy with two small kids, a mortgage, a decent job, a wife that works, a Masters degree in Business Administration who basically lives the "American Dream". From the California primary and through, I have supported (and still do support) the Mr. Obama as well as volunteered and voted for President Obama.
I really thought President Obama represented change, hope, a new direction for American society after the awful eight years of George Bush II. I remember a huge argument (and I mean full on yelling, slamming doors, the whole nine yards) with my family who were supporters of Hillary telling them that Barak Obama represented something different. I thought he represented someone who was going to look at America without the standard Washington solutions. He ran a different campaign, more "high road" than either Hillary or McCain/Palin. He addressed issues and spoke like a leader. I believed he would not allow the batshit insanity of the Right Wing obstruct his program and would work with moderates on both sides in a firm but fair manner. Bottom line: I had "Great Expectations" and these "Great Expections" have led me to understand and learn the term "POOF!" on intimate terms.
At the end of the Bush years our country was reeling. We were on our heels both nationally and internationally. When the Republicans nominated John "Hey, you kids get off my lawn" McCain and Sarah "My secessionist husband and I are the only real Americans" Palin, I was spurred on to even more heights of activism to get President Obama elected. Just imagining those two as President and Vice President made me fear for my own future as well as that of my children. It gave me tangibly increased levels of anxiety.
Anyway, thank G-d, our current President won. Now don't get me wrong, I am not experiencing "disappointment" in the sense that I feel that we have the better people in office, but I feel very let down by what is happening now.
I voted for a man who I thought would or could be the next FDR, JFK, or Abraham Lincoln. What I feel we got was maybe at best Dwight D. Eisenhower. I am sure that there are many who would disagree with me and moreover would say, well he ran as a moderate what do you really want?
What I want is someone who will stand up to the Republicans in congress and to the Tea Party in General and say "Damnit, not this time, your disasterous agenda will lead us down the road to ruin and we have had enough". I realize guys like Grayson and Feingold lost but we need to start creating that again and pushing it forward. That is what the Republicans did and it worked. Their conservatives knew they were going to lose at first, now... they are the ones who dictate the arguments. The center of the conversation in this country is dictated on Right Wing terms.
Is this all President Obama's fault... NOT. AT. ALL. He faces a group of traitorous (yep I called them traitors) Republicans. He has a majority leader in the Senate that only got re-elected because his opponent was certifiable (and he only won by 5 points), he has to deal with "Blue Dogs" that really wish they were moderate Republicans. Not to mention that he inherited a disaster from his predecessor that still threatens to wipe out the nation.
But with all that, we elect Presidents to lead us and act in that capacity. I didn't elect my neighbor Bob to the office, I voted for someone I thought could transcend all of the above (like an FDR). That to me, is what a President does.
I have my issues - Public Option. I want to see that, not some buddy buddy bill for the Healthcare industry. I supported the President through that though because something had to be done and it least this was something. I wanted to see the Bush Tax Cuts expire instead we saw this issue get extended into an election year and American schools and infrastructure suffered for it. BUT still, I supported the President
Now with the "debt ceiling".. we get valuable social programs cut with no revenue increases. OH and don't give me this bullshit about the Bush Tax Cuts expiring in 2013. That will get negotiated out of existence shortly. What person is going to run on a platform of raising taxes in this atmosphere? The Republicans are going to whip that like a horse running for the Triple Crown.
So... you know as a friend says "the Bromance is over" and the "POOF" of dreams has happened. Mr. President... you have my vote but honestly don't ask for anything else because really your not getting it. Not my time, not my money, just my vote. You don't represent what I look for in a President and as far as my vote is concerned, you are lucky that Republicans are such a bunch of nutters that I would never consider voting for them.
You are a great guy Mr. President. You represent a lot of things I respect like your commitment to your country, and your family. You are educated, and intelligent, and a very gifted orator. However, you simply are not a very good leader and right now we need one to help us get through the coming times. Sorry, but that is just how I feel.