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Subscribe to RSS“Barack Obama, who made history when he was elected president four years ago, would make a different kind of history if he wins re-election in November: The first incumbent in at least a generation to claim a second term when most Americans say they aren't better off than they were when he moved into the Oval Office,” USA Today writes. “In USA TODAY/Gallup Poll nationwide and in the 12 top battleground states, most voters say the situation for them and their families hasn't improved over the past four years, the first time that has happened since Ronald Reagan famously posed the question in his debate with President Carter in 1980 — a contest Carter lost. Even so, President Obama, who in 2008 became the first African American elected president, maintains a slight lead over challenger Mitt Romney in the battleground states likely to decide the election, 47%-44%. That's better than his standing in the non-battleground states, where Romney leads 47%-45%.
In a new Monmouth national poll, Obama leads Romney 45-41% among registered voters, but it’s just 46-45% among the voters most likely to vote.
“Mitt Romney’s cash advantage over President Obama and the Democrats more than doubled in July, as intense Republican fund-raising and heavy spending by Mr. Obama and his allies left Mr. Romney and the Republican National Committee with $62 million more in the bank than the Democrats at the end of last month,” the New York Times writes. “Mr. Obama’s campaign and the Democratic National Committee spent $91 million in July, significantly more than the $75 million the Democrats raised, underscoring the investments Mr. Obama made in technology and field staff as well as nearly $40 million his campaign spent on advertising that month. While Mr. Romney continued to husband his resources for the fall — he spent less than half of what Mr. Obama did on advertising — conservative ‘super PACs’ and other outside groups stepped into the breach, spending millions of dollars on ads attacking Mr. Obama.”
Politico: “Romney opens up big cash lead.”
A CEO who backs Obama for president also gave money to Paul Ryan, CNN Money reports. "I'm squarely a supporter of the president, and he is absolutely the right man for the job," Benioff said Monday. He likes Ryan’s focus on the debt and deficit and “has a long-term vision that is admirable.” But: "I don't think his budget is a good idea in today's world. It would put us back into recession. But he is putting the right issues on the table and has a long-term vision that is admirable."
Leave a Comment:
Yes, I am better off than I was 4 years ago. Much.
Me too, Obama in 2012
I guess if the natives of Detroit haven't burned your house down or shot you in the last 4 years you COULD be better off.
Yes, I am too and want that to continue
Obama/Biden 4 more years
Yes, I am better off than I was 4 years ago. Much.
Me too, Obama in 2012
Yes, I am too and want that to continue
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Good for all of you. Too bad most American's are not as fortunate as you are.
Albany Joe writes in answer to the question, are you better off than you were four years ago:
Gosh Joe, given your command of numbers in general, and finance in particular, I should think you would be doing much, much better. Just for starters, according to unemployment numbers say more than 9 out of 10 Americans are employed. (Maybe I don't understand your idea of "most Americans".
You regale us constantly with your tales of financial prowess, and with a stock market that has rebounded mightily - at least as measured by the DJIA - you must be rolling in garlic-butter drenched salmon and filet mignon.
Your taxes have stayed down, and though your are undoubtedly in that $250,000 and up group, even if income taxes are raised, your tax rate couldn't go up. You do make most of your money via capital gains, right?
Sure, you're a busy man paying attention to every tick of the market, but you do stop by every day to rub elbows with those of us not blessed with your financial acumen, and I just can't escape the conclusion that you are doing very well. Am I wrong? No more Sam Adams? Or are you doing quite well, just like all your very wealthy friends?
No doubt, we are much better off financially than we were 4 years ago and are quite happy about it. My husband's 401K is finally on track and making money again, we have both finally had decent rases in the last 4 years - more specifially in the last 2 years, kids are grown and gainfully employed, and I don't want to lose what ground we have regained. We lived through the trickle down mess in the 80's and early 90's, did not enjoy it anymore this time around than we did then - no more trickle down, what falls on us is not too pretty and smells very bad! Hope and change have worked very well for our working/middle class family, thanks for asking 1st read!
The Ryan budget is austerity European-style, on steroids. Not sure how a double dip recession is a good thing. Cutting when the economy is stagnant makes the situation worse. Spending on needed infrastructure projects would provide jobs and modernize the highway and power systems, a real win-win. Too bad the Tea Party wants to party like its 1899.
David Walker
"Your taxes have stayed down" - no thanks to the President. He believe that people who make $250,000 are the same as millionaires and billionaires and he wants to raise their taxes. In NYC where I live $250,000 is nowhere near the life of Reiley. A Police Captain and a tenured teacher make that combined.
250,000 a year is a lot of money, not rich but strongly upper middle class. And folks making more than a quarter of a million dollars a year can pay more in taxes without it adversely affecting their life-style. In the end that is what we are looking at here. Does an additional few percentage points of taxation change the way a family lives. And lets face it, you have to draw the line somewhere, surely 250,000 is not millionaire status and they are the segment who underpays most, but the pre-Bush tax rates for those making 250 K and more were not punitive, just reasonable.
I am better off than I was and am much better off than I would have been under McCain. If we get Romney in I am positive that my situation would be demonstrably worse for myself and my family. If handing everything over to the wealthy at the expense of the middle class and the poor is good politics, this country is at the mercy of gullible, foolish voters.
Get your facts straight Reb. There would be no tax increase for the people you described. The first 250,000 would not have any tax increase.
I am way better off, Osama bin Laden is not.
The GOP contingent would like to make really certain there is no improvement in our lot by:
Blocking 2 million jobs in the American Jobs Act, firing 700,000 government workers, and keeping the topic on more tax breaks for those who have never made more profits, and the deficits run up by the previous Administration.
The GOP Senate 60-vote filibuster has been their trusty blockade against helping out ordinary Americans, since the President was sworn in.
Adelson, Rove and Co. are raking it in bigtime at our expense, and they figure Citizens' United will keep it that way.
The stock market hit a five year high yesterday, the mortgage rates are at an all time low, the economy falling off a cliff has been avoided, OBL is dead, War over and American soldiers are coming out of Iraq, drawing down in Afghanistan, I'm guaranteed health-care no matter what I come down with, the prescription doughnut hole is covered and we have a president that cares about the country more than politics...
YES I'M/WE'RE BETTER OFF!
And after all this the republicans are waiting to take this country back in the same direction they drove this country for twelve plus years... Tax breaks for the richest, deregulation of big banks and Realtors, women with aspirin between their knees, one in five children going to bed hungry every night, I don't think America wants to go back to the Bush era... No way Jose...
Gosh Joe, given your command of numbers in general, and finance in particular, I should think you would be doing much, much better.
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David: Don't you worry about me. I'm doing just fine. However, that doesn't change the FACT that most American's are not as fortunate as the lefty liberals here who are her bragging they are much better off than four years ago.
BTW, I am on FR for the same reason I watch the MSDNC prime time Stooges: It's the best lefty liberal comedy on the internet and cable TV.
@Joe who loves to LOL at Obama
We went from peace and prosperity, to absolute military and economic mayhem, under the watch of GW Bush. Obama was handed the biggest crappiest stinking mess anybody living can remember, so just how do you come to the conclusion that this now makes it Obama's fault, because with the most obstinate Republican Congress in US history he could not clean up Bush's mess fast enough for you. Is it because the nation has to finally pay off Bush's credit card to the tune of trillions for unfunded wars and giving away a surplus and increasing the deficit with tax breaks at a time of increased expenses. The damage was long done before the man stepped into office, and things are considerably better since he has, and with no effort, or support from republicans whatsoever. You know if republicans were really worried about the welfare of the country, they could have acted on the jobs, jobs, jobs issue they were so successful with in 2010, but they were so worried about Obama having any political success they abandoned that for social issues and in the process denied themselves of any success, that will cost them the oval office, as well it should. Welcome to Waterloo Romney
Unlike the stupid crap you hear all the time on this blog about voting democrat because you are a lazy liberal on welfare, the truth is I vote democrat because I have worked hard all my life to earn everything I have, and have always paid my fair share of taxes. The tax giveaways, the unemployment, the real estate crash, and the stock market crash, came from the Bush presidency, not Clinton before him, and not Obama after him. I will help the unfortunate people you speak of, I will vote a straight democratic ticket on their behalf.
Albany Joe wrote:
Not as fortunate? Well, although many numbers are up and to the good, the fact is wealth has continued to be channeled to the wealthiest of Americans. That's an empirically demonstrable fact. You'd appreciate that, wouldn't you? By virtually every measure, America is doing better, at least on the financial front, and that's the only important thing, right?
With your brilliance that you constantly tell us about, you certainly could have forecast the disastrous plunge of the Bush years. Surely you short sold. Surely you anticipated the failure of the housing market, right? You should have made lots of money, the only thing that's worth having, right? Still, for some, being better off is a state of mind, isn't it?
If I were going to contend "that most American's are not as fortunate as the lefty liberals here....", I'd sure have a citation for that. A lefty liberal might call you out on that. Why, a lefty liberal might go so far as to suggest that you just pulled that out from your nether regions.
So there it is, Joe. I'm not worried at all about you. That's a job better suited for a minister or a shrink.
Reb lotsanumbers:
Just who would you thank for continuing the Bush tax cuts? I don't think I could tell you the number of times I've heard right-wingers insist they're the Obama tax cuts now. Is someone chanting the mantra off-key?
No, I am not better off. My personal income is down, while prices continue to rise. My kids are in school with weak job prospects for when they get out.
Meanwhile, Obamacare waits in the wings as our national debt continues to grow rapidly under Obama while the President still has yet to present a decent budget proposal. Health care costs continue to rise rapidly.
Obama has declared "amnesty" to a certain degree for millions of illegals at a time when he is suing several border states from trying to defend themselves.
The only president to ever grant unconditional amnesty to millions of illegal aliens was a republican, Ronald Reagan.
Am I better off now than I was 4 years ago? Yes, dispite the president's efforts.
Good Morning,
Just Polls, just numbers, just words.
Definitely worse off as the majority of the country. How ironic that the same thing that voted him in will be sending him on the "Road back". Newsweek "Hit the Road Jack".
It is the Economy and we are not stupid.
Just numbers and polls concerned? You seem to have an entirely different opinion when those favor your candidates. The economy is much better for the working/middle class and myself I could care less about those making over $250,000 per year, since they have never cared much for those of us who really work for a living.
I beg to differ with your thought Concern Citizen.
The majority of the country is far from being worse off than it was when Bush was in office. I and almost everyone else will agree that things could be better. But to say we are (as a nation) worse off is absurd.
The president has made great strides to help the majority of the nation. Now think how much better off we would be if we didn't have a Republican controlled house saying "NO" to anything and everything they can that would help the economy.
The republicans have been sabotaging the financial well being of this country since the beginning of the century. We were put here with the failed policies of the GOP and the Tea Party has exacerbated it. We don't need a new president, we need to rid ourselves of the GOP to bring this country forward again.
The GOP/TP has failed the country by their careless disregard for the middle class.
The short answer is yes. Long answer see below:
For people with short term memory loss think back to this time 2008. Now that was scary. Things are much better now. Maybe not 1996 good , not even 1992 good but the economy hadn't totally crashed and burned than either.
Based on my 401K balance, I'm MUCH better off than I was four years ago!
Heck Yes. The Bush years almost wiped out my 401 K. Now it's back strong.
I am better off than I was four years ago, thanks to the leadership of President Obama and NO THANKS to the Republicans who have obstructed his every move. More importantly, our country is better off----it is back from the brink of a depression, out of one pointless war and on its way out of the other one and respected again internationally. There is more work to be done and we can't trust the Republicans to do it.
Must be great to be a liberal. You can hide your head so far up the president's ass, you can't see where you're going. Blind and stupid sheep.
Better off No
Better off how? I am a public school teacher, one of those vilified public sector employees. I haven't had a decent raise in three contracts (9 years). I don't blame the president, in fact the group that has made it impossible for towns to negotiate reasonable contracts with teachers, is the same group of folks driving the republican bus. But I still have a job, my adult children are settled and employed. I know lots of people who are still struggling. The real question should be do you think in the next four years are you likely to be better off under the present administration or do you think Romney has a better plan. I have not heard anything from Romney that indicates that I or anyone other than millionaire business people would be best served by a Romney presidency.
Oats you need to organize in your state and bombard your state legislature, the republicans have a goal to wipe out several things, medicare, medicaid, social security and public education. Please join us in the fight to save your profession and educate our youth!
The most important jobs in our country are held by union employees. Teachers, police, firefighters, EMS. If you really think unions are a bad thing, see what kind of police department you have when you start paying cops minimum wage. Or what kind of education your kids will get. Or how long it takes the firemen to show up at your burning house. If you want to pay them past-food wages, expect fast food results. How many times have you gotten a completely wrong order? At Wendy's you can take it back if you don't like pickles, but what happens when its not extra pickle but lifesaving medicationand you are allergic to certain meds?
Oats Willy, thank you for being a teacher to our future generations. Some of us do appreciate what you do.
Sorry, but I just don't believe in this day and age we have any need for unions whatsoever, we have labor laws to protect us. And why is it that if the unions went away, all of a sudden teachers, cops, and firepersons will be paid minimum wage? I always vote yes for payraises for those types of public paid jobs. Unions make great workers mediocore workers!
YOU always vote for pay raises. Without unions, they would never be brought to a public vote.
"We have labor laws". I hear that one again and again. And what is to stop some politician from changing those laws? Newt Gingrich wanted to put kids to work. Others have argued for repealing minimum wage. Some want to get rid of overtime. Without those unions being present, you don't think it will go back to the way it was? It won't happen overnight, but some creep here and there and you may find that your protections are gone. If corporations are people, they are people that only care about themselves.
And as far as "Unions making great workers mediocre workers" (apparently spellcheck is disabled on your computer), thats malarky. There will always people that game the system, no matter how hard others work to keep it honest. You want to throw out the baby with the bathwater.
Thanks Detroit.
I have read every post from the first through this post.
I have never seen more liars in my life at one time.
No one who is honest will say they are better of now than when the destroyer seized the Oval Office.
Surely you liars have been well compensated fro your atrocious lies ?
But whne the eviction notice hits the Oval Office this Novembver remeber I said you were liars and thet none of us is better off than four years ago.
Just remeber that !
taking in consideration what the bush days allowed to happen to this country and our economy, yes my family is much better off today, than it was 4 years ago. and, if my life is much better then many, many more lives are too!
i belive that because obama had to hit the ground running to stop the bush mess that he never had time for a settle in break between the two presidents and therefore many voters have not been able to distinguish between the destroyer and the fixer and like any good sales man we must all be reminded, and reminded, and reminded.
bush/ republicans/romney/ryan = destroyer an obama/dems = fixer
My question: how much worse off would I be if the GOP had complete control of the government for the last 3 and a half years? Obama has done a great job of keeping the Great Bush Recession of 2008 from turning into another Great Depression like in the 1930's. Only 8 percent unemployment? How would you like to be looking at 33 percent unemployment? That's what we could have had, if the GOP had won in 2008. Because all they'd have done would have been to yammer about cutting taxes (some more) for the wealthiest 1 percent, which even if they'd done it, would have done NOTHING to keep the unemployment rate down.
Steve R, Maine got a Republican-majority legislature and a Tea Party governor in 2010 and all they have accomplished is legalizing the sale of fireworks. But, boy, are they proud of that! Just what you want: a means for low income people to set fire to $600 plus dollars and risk injuring themselves, or their un-insured children, in the process, yeah, that really helped!
A CEO who backs Obama for president also gave money to Paul Ryan.
Well, of course he did, CEO's don't care if girls have to get backstreet abortions while Republicans defund Planned Parenthood. No, it's all about making seniors pay more for their healthcare, or go without. (So the "savings" can be passed on to CEOs in the form of tax breaks.)
Do you liberals ever do anything but lie and spew hate? Lordy!!
I think a much better question is whether we would have been better without Obama.
To the 15% real unemployed, the answer is yes. To the rest of us, since the American economy has a wonderful ability to bounce back without regard for who's in the WH, we have to ask if Obama's policies have held back recovery.
The answer is yes. Obama is a failure.
How??? you have to be a lot more specific as to how his policies have held back recovery and for whom? The failure has to be at the very least shared with a republican congress whose #1 priority has been to defeat Obama and not to do the work of the people. Everyone would like the economy to recover faster and wider, but to what extent that can be laid at the feet of President Obama is debatable. Some bi-partisan cooperation might have allowed the recovery to strengthen but that would be counter productive for a republican/conservative game plan to win the white house back.
That is where leadership is supposed to kick in. No one likes to work with a narcissist know it all. Obama couldn't lead a horse to water let alone make him drink. Reagan did it, and so did Clinton. Where's the beef Mr. Obama? Oh, I forgot, beef isn't good for you.
To compare the current poltical climate to the past is disingenous at best. The hyper-partisan rhetoric has reached a fever pitch in recent years, as evidenced by the meeting on Obama's inauguration by Republican leaders to "do everything possible" to make this President look bad. Look no further than Alan West for proog of how far right they have swung. Compromise is the key to effective politics, but it is not possible when one side will not budge an inch.
I guess the concept of leadership is lost on you. Not to mention the will of the American people was carried out in the mid terms of 2010. If you are indeed better off than you were 4 years ago, what differences could you see in your life should some of the bills presented to the House AND Senate have made it even better if passed?
Because they knew what his agenda was going to be. They didn't like it. They needed to reign in the narcissist and keep the administration from running amok. Again, the will of the American people was evidenced in 2010.
You are the only person that is whining.
WAHHHHH! I didn't get what I wanted!!! WAHHHHH! Its all THEIR fault!!! WAHHHH! WAHHHHH! ITs all Obama's fault! WAHHHH!
Try and exercise some of that "personal resposibility" that is a cornerstone of the Tea Movement and stop looking to the government for answers. Unless you need some gub'ment cheese to go whith that whine?
You had me up to "Obama is a failure." His policies bailed out the American auto companies, when Republicans would have let them go bankrupt, leading to a domino effect of job losses in related industries. I call that a success.
We won't even go into President Obama's foreign policy successes, which just embarass the Republicans, who lost billions to fraud and mismanagement in Iraq, with very little to show for their invesment. Maybe the problem is with the Republican definition of "success?" I happen to think it's a thriving American auto industry, and Republicans seem to think it's the more money we lose, with the less to show for it.
GM is in serious financial trouble, the stock is less than half the value we paid for it. The auto bailout did great for a few selected GM employee blocs (unions), but as part of the deal, others filed chapter 7 and (I've read) 20,000 jobs were lost and $$ millions in debt was not repaid. In addition, small town america was hammered with the closing of dealerships and lost jobs. The auto bailout was a double edged sword, and now that GM is suffering so badly, it looks more like a bad deal all around. It was a bad idea then, and it's proving to be worse every day. So, yes, on the auto bailout, bad idea, bad policy, bad results...failure.
commonamerican
Your analysis is very good but just a little to technical for Amy Portland's cement brain to absorb.
Unemployment, under-employment, misery index, housing starts, foreclosures, inflation, GDP, debt, deficit, gas prices, oil prices, food stamp usage, food prices, labor participation rates, real unemployment, youth unemployment, have ALL gotten worse under Obama.
And still we have self-deluding left-wingers (is that redundant?) claiming that things are better now. Bizarre!
Every day I get farther and farther away from the Bush/Cheney years, the better off I am. Their policies started the downward trend, they were asleep on 9/11, they lied about intelligence which led to the Iraq war and four thousand plus American soldiers deaths, they disappeared and fear mongered us into a TARP program that did nothing for middle class Americans- the freaking list of the Republican wrongs would fill this blog with one post!
They left Obama an impossible task to straighten out the fiscal and military problems he did not create. Then the congressional Republicans met and have carried out a game plan of uncooperative 'against Obama at all costs' Party of No policies throughout the entire four years that hurt average Americans for political gain. There wasn't a thread of coordinating with the other side to help citizens, just stonewalling on any efforts- just to screw Obama. Hell, they couldn't afford a good Democratic Presidency after the disastrous Republican Presidency of Bush, now could they? He's done a incredible job with the hand he was dealt and the riff-raff he has to deal with in congress! All the while with the blocking and filibusters, America lost more than could have been done, and the GOP is to blame!
So am I better off now? Hell yes, no more Bush/Cheney, and no chance of Mutt getting in there!
Hey Dave.
What do you think the chances are that Jimmy Carter's going to get another former one term loser like himself president hammering together crap houses for humanity with President Oblumbles gettting landslided out of office in November?? I think pretty good!
Bob, Your bitterness is showing. Jimmy Carters work with habitat is inspiring, if Obama were to join that effort after his second term it would be likewise an example for us all. George H. W. Bush was a one term president and has also used his post presidency in a constructive and honorable fashion. Let go your hatred of liberal thought. You will feel better. I don't hate conservatives, i just don't agree with them.
Hey Willy-
I can only imagine the shock to Bobster here when he's got another 4 years of a liberal at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue- or more if Hillary runs in 2016!
When you have the worst flip-flopper, the quintessential liar in Mutt with tax return problems and dubious offshore accounts including a 100 million IRA, coupled with a VP pick who idolized an athiest/communist's rambling novels, who believes abortions in the cases of rape and incest aren't reason enough, who's 'budget' kills Medicare and tries to use Bush era privatization of Social Security to pay for even more tax cuts for the wealthy- those ideas and ideals are not going to reach the common American voter! If anything, it could be a landslide the other way with the debates coming!
I don't hate conservatives or liberals either. I just wish they'd try to compromise to achieve America's goals, not their corporate lobbyists!
It's the epitomy of irony when libs claim that because their 401k's are doing so much better, Obama's doing a great job.
Wait a sec...aren't these 401k's invested in the very same corporations the left was hammering a short time ago?
Bad corporations, bad, we hate you...huh?, i've got a couple of bucks more?....good corporations, good, we love you....
Liberals are true hypocrites. Most of them could use a lobotomy.
Kenva
Can't operate on a vacuum. Did you know that brain transplants are classified as "implants" for all liberals??
Liberals are true hypocrites. Most of them could use a lobotomy.
Hmmmm ! Would it be more accurate to say that most of them have had a lobotomy ?
Yes, based on the puerile comments made on this post by 'the libs'.
Like the one you obviously had?
Are you better off...hum, HELL NO! Half my home equity gone. Gas prices doubled, food prices through the roof, two of my three sons now unemployed, living off my savings to make ends meet, health insurance premiums and co-pays up 23% since ACA and likely to go higher. Conservative values and Christian faith now viewed as negative qualities and subjected to ridicule and tasteless jokes by those on the left. Our country is now sharply divided along racial, gender, political, and economic lines like never before. And then we have foreign policy. What a mess. The middle east is a huge powder keg waiting to blow up in our faces with a giant mushroom cloud. We are less respected abroad than ever before, even our once allied nations no longer view us as leaders of the free world or that we would even have their backs. We have become weak and powerless due in part to our enormous and ever increasing debt. So no, America is not better off now than 4 years ago.
Bob from San Diego
But most liberals would also point out that our freedoms have been cut in half and they would think that was a good thing.... 50% less to think about!! They're happier with the Goverment doing all the deciding.
Name some of those freedoms you've had taken away. Try not to deflect the question, as your ilk is wont to do.
I'm better off financially, but my freedoms were eroded with the Patriot Act. I no longer can walk onto a plane without being scanned, or wanded, or scared half to death by a TSA agent eager to terrorize a little old lady. Bob - why do you think democrats want to have government do the deciding? It's the republicans that want to make the decision about women's rights.
Bob says a lot with no back-up. He dosen't answer questions about his baseless statements either. He must be a ditto head, he lets Rush think for him and then parrots what he is supposed to. Talk about brainwashed and brain dead. Wake up Bob and think about these issues yourself instead of letting a conservative talk machine do all your thinking for you.
no, I am worse off than 4 years ago. the price of food, gas, electricity, insurance and other products has increased, however my income has flattened out as of about three years ago.
all of those items are important however, none of that is as important as our freedoms. The nation is in a crisis, and the issues that mean the most to me are not the issues being put forth. The erosion of our liberty, and freedom are far more important to me than who makes more money than whom and who drives which car vs someone else. or the price of food and clothing, and fuel. I can simplify my life if necessary, I do not need a cell phone, or a fancy truck or car to sustain my life. I do need my freedom from a repressive government, and the ability to protect myself and not have to rely on others to provide it for me.
I believe that government exists to facilitate the cooperation between the states, and the states to the local governmental entities. The basic problem stems from how one looks at a solution to the problems that face us every day. personal responsibility for your fellow man vs government run programs that are ripe with fraud and abuse.
I am not for any government agenda that takes from my personal finances and gives it to the poor. I am not for subsidizng bio fuels and save the this or that program. I am for volunteering ones personal resources as one is able to aid those in distress.
Personal liberty, freedom and the securing of the US Constitution and our way of life within the framework of a federal republic and keeping a socialist form of government from taking hold in this great nation is paramount to securing my vote, not whether I have food on the table or not, or the price of gasoline. I can and will provide for myself and my family as I am able to do so. Now I will get off of my soap box and thank my creator that I live in a country where I can live reasonably free from the overreach of a socialist form government.