Don't blame Obama
Anytime I hear something in this ultra-conservative city about America's problems, everyone wants to point fingers at President Obama -- from the high unemployment rate to Chicago's failure to land the 2016 Olympics. They point fingers at Obama for no other reason than he's a Democrat.
Instead of blaming Obama for everything, I think we as Americans should look at the facts.
Give the guy a break. He inherited Bush's mess and has been assigned by us to clean it up. Unemployment was well on the rise last year on Bush's watch due to his shortcomings. Obama wasn't going to be able to stop it immediately, and at least he's stabilized it. The unemployment rate went up a total of 0.3 percent in the last four months and the economic recession is expected to end later this year.
It's also not Obama's fault that Chicago failed in its bid for the 2016 Olympics. He helped make the pitch for America. He's our president and it's his hometown. We lost the 2016 Olympics due to anti-American sentiment in the IOC, which is again due to Bush's invasion of Iraq.
Give Obama some time. We'll see how much the U.S. has progressed in three years when the end of Obama's first term is up.
MATTHEW SMITH
Bakersfield
