I am writing specifically to those Americans who are living in a gut wrenching chronic state of fear
because of the ineptitude of our government and the sinister policies of President Obama. My advice to
them is to listen to the song Don’t Worry Be Happy by Bobby McFerrin.
For those who prefer facts in lieu of lies, distortions, and misinformation, I cite as evidence the
following: before President Obama was sworn into office our economy was losing 800,000 jobs per month;
over 3 million jobs have been added to the private sector since 2008; if you are concerned about BIG
government you would be happy to know that in 2012, the Labor Department reported the number of federal
employees has decreased by over 600,000 since 2009; best auto industry job growth since 1997, e.g., the
expansion of the Toledo Jeep plant; and the lowest home foreclosure rate in 5 years. Furthermore, you
are not afraid of big government or the policies of President Obama if you are in the top 1% income
bracket.
According to the Tax Foundation, the (pre-tax) average household income of the top 1 percent has
increased from $386,900 in 1980 to $1,203,600 in 2008 (using the 2008 price index in both cases). Since
1980, the income share of the upper 1 percent of Americans has doubled and the share going to those
earning more than $1.2 million a year, has quadrupled.
Moreover, if you are a woman or a minority, you should be happy because President Obama signed into law
the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act 2009 which restored the protections against pay discrimination that
were stripped away by the Supreme Court decision in Ledbetter v. Goodyear Tire and Rubber Co. and the
Fair Sentencing Act in 2010 that reduced the sentencing disparity for possession of crack cocaine and
powdered cocaine.
Even the most politically partisan American would agree that the elimination of Osama bin laden, the
ending of the War in Iraq and the drawdown of troops in Afghanistan are significant accomplishments of
President Obama that ALL Americans should be happy about.
In closing, I would have more to be happy about if those whom we elected to Congress would find a way to
extend unemployment benefits to the 1.3 million Americans who lost their job as a result of the Great
Recession and increase the federal minimum wage for millions of our hardworking friends and neighbors
who are struggling to make ends meet.
Jack Taylor
Bowling Green