Every now and then, it is important to keep our eye on the ball. It's easy to get into the habit of destroying Mitt Romney. After all, he's the awkward oligarch who straps his dog to the top of his car, tells students to borrow tens of thousands of dollars from their parents, and offends many of our closest allies. Paul Ryan is the same, with his Ayn Rand discipleship, draconian economic ideas, and pseudo-intellectual ego that makes him believe that he is both an expert economist and an expert on Catholic moral teaching.
But sometimes it's good to realize that we aren't just running against a robot. We are supporters of the President of the United States, a man who has done many things right. Sometimes it's important to make the case for President Obama, if only for a reminder that four more years could lead to some substantial good.
I support the President because he championed the Recovery Act within his first two months in office, stopping the job hemorrhaging left to him by his predecessor. I support the President because his stimulus immediately reduces job losses. I support the President because the economy added 141,000 private sector jobs in March of 2010, starting a run of 29 straight months of private sector job growth. I support the President because he took over an economy that lost nearly two million private sector jobs in the last quarter of 2008 and has since added 4,477,000 private sector jobs since the start of 2010. Within one year of taking over an economic disaster, the President's policies have turned the economy back to a pattern of job creation. I support the President because, despite cries otherwise, he is trending up. I support the President because, despite false claims of failure from those who believe that economies move on a dime, the President helped the country avoid complete financial collapse and set it in a positive direction.
I support the President because he understands, like many great leaders before him, that not all decisions made by the government have to do with the economy. I support the President because he took a bold stand in favor of civil rights for our LGBT brothers and sisters. His stand provided legitimacy to an effort that has momentum. It emboldened other Democratic leaders to take a similar stand and undoubtedly played a role in the 2012 Democratic party platform including a plan on gay marriage rights.
I support the President because he has taken a brave stand on the unfortunate deportation of young immigrants who are here by no fault of their own. I support the President because he understands that American was built on great ideas from immigrants. He understands that immigrants start businesses in America at a greater rate than people born here. He understands that those people are dreamers and that is why his Dream initiative provides limited amnesty to those children. He allows them to come out of the shadows and live their lives in the open. Though not a radical champion of immigrant rights, President Obama has taken a step in the right direction. In the difficult political climate, I respect that step by the President.
I support the President because he kept his promise to wind down the war in Iraq. I support the President because he understands that there must be a balance between brute military force and diplomacy. I support the President because has helped to eliminate tyranny in many places around the world without involving his country in a painful and death-ridden war.
I support the President because he did away with Don't Ask, Don't Tell, a hateful program that demonized the people who protect our freedom. I support the President because he cut through the hateful rationalizations in support of the policy, remembering the human element and keeping in mind the bigger picture. I support the President because this move strengthened our military more than any Paul Ryan defense spending hike ever could.
I support the President because he tactically led the effort to find and kill Osama Bin Laden. Though war is a difficult and unfortunate thing, I support the President because he found a way to eliminate our greatest individual enemy without costing an American life. After a prolonged Bush effort to do the same had cost thousands of American lives, the President made bold decisions under the highest degree of pressure.
I support the President because he has represented our country with grace abroad. I support the President because he has restored the legitimacy of the office in the minds of our allies and enemies. Where his predecessor was often lamented as a joke, President Obama has been a serious leader on foreign issues. I support the President because I am proud to have him represent our nation.
I support the President because he passed bold legislation to save the American auto industry. In the face of criticism that still continues, the President understood that there are times when the American government must play an important role in protecting the sanctity of the country. He understood that does not just mean sending soldiers to die. In some instances, it includes stepping up to the plate to save jobs and save an industry that has been the life blood of America for nearly a century.
I support the President because he has invested in students. He has worked to ensure the sanctity of Pell Grants, even in the face of "entitlement reformers" who would drastically cut them. He has worked to stabilize interest rates and reform a system where banks earned profits just for playing middle man with the government's money. I support the President because he understands that Pell Grants and other educational programs are investments in the future of this country, allowing ideas to flourish when they might otherwise flame out.
I support the President because he looks out for consumers. He has established strong oversight with a Consumer Protection Agency and has championed a consumer bill of rights. He took notice of predatory lending tactics and brought them under control through swift action.
I support the President because he bravely worked to pass a form of healthcare reform. The Affordable Care Act provides insurance coverage for millions of Americans. It attacks the pre-existing conditions restrictions that keep Americans from getting the coverage that they need. It looks to make our system more efficient, as we currently pay more for less than many of our first-world neighbors. Though not the perfect system, it does a lot of things right.
I support the President because he has worked for the rights of women. His healthcare act provides support for female health services. He has put those into place early, providing women with the opportunity to experience a new age of health. He worked for women's equality in other areas, too. The Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act of 2009 was the first bill signed by President Obama. It give women a better ability to get paid what they are worth. The President has taken a brave stand on women's issues in a political time where many politicians want to eliminate their rights.
I support the President because he has done what he's done in the face of constant obstruction. He has faithfully plodded along while the Republican wing of congress has refused to help him. He has worked to save this country's economy and push it into the 21st century while nearly half of the country has wished for nothing more than his failure. While congressional Republicans vowed to take the country down with them in an effort to see his presidency fail, he has stood up for many of the things that he campaigned on. Faced with more opposition than any president in history, President Obama accomplished a great deal in his first four years.
Above all, I support Barack Obama the man. I support Barack Obama because he has handled the last four years with resolve. He has dealt with things that no other president has ever had to deal with. He has had to answer questions about his place of birth. He has dealt with disrespectful dialogue from the first day in office. From racist politicians shouting during his State of the Union address to racist politicians forwarding e-mail jokes about his dead mother, Barack Obama has seen it all. He has been called the Food Stamp President and he been exposed to dog whistles so loud they've converted to full-on sirens. He has been called "foreign," "un-American," and a host of other disrespectful names. He is regularly referred to by his middle name by those individuals whose racism prevents them from viewing the President with the respect other presidents have been due. He has done all of this without ever blowing up or losing his cool. While politicians like Chris Christie are calling people "idiots" in town hall settings, Barack Obama has taken it all and turned the other cheek. Accused of being a secret Muslim, Barack Obama has chosen not to make that an issue. He has chosen not to call out the inherent racist undertones in much of the criticism thrown his way. That's because he has a bigger plan in place. Barack Obama understands that this isn't about him. It's not about the culmination of his life story. Barack Obama understands that this whole president thing is about making good decisions to improve this country.
I support President Obama not because of his rhetoric but because of his action. Not because of his vision, but because of his resolve. I support President Obama because he is a good president and an even better man. I support him because four more years will move our country in a better direction.