After returning home this weekend after a week on the road, I've had a little time to re-watch the latest the Presidential Debate that was held on Tuesday, October 16.
What amazed me while watching this debate the second time around was how little the President had to say in terms of his plans for a second term. Apparently he has no plans, except to enact more of the same failed policies that have devasted this country, especially the middle class, during the past four years.
In short, this President continues to be an empty suit of broken promises, a pathetic economic record and no articulated plans for the future. His only campaign strategy appears to be smearing Republican candidate Mitt Romney, a man with a proven record as a job creator and leader of government.
While Romney talked about how he worked collaboratively with Democrats to pass legislation while Governor of Massachusetts, the President blamed the Republicans, including his predecessor, George W. Bush, and the Republican House, for the current state of the economy.
While Romney talked about a clear path toward energy independence, the President talked about his support of coal and oil, although his policies have devastated the coal industry and hindered the development and transportation of domestic and Canadian oil that could dramatically decrease our dependence on oil from the Middle East and our prices at the pump. His rhetoric during the debate certainly hasn't matched his policy agenda.
Ask any coal miner if the President's policies have helped or hurt their industry and you'll receive a resounding answer: The President is killing their entire industry, one unreasonable EPA regulation at a time.
While the President proudly cited the jobs that have been created during his first term in office, Romney pointed out that the jobs created under the Obama Administration haven't even kept pace with population growth or the loss of jobs under this Administration. As Romney astutely and accurately explained, fewer Americans are working today than when this President took office. Romney also compared his exemplary record as a job creator in the private sector to the President's dismal record leading this country out of a recession.
While the President discussed how he would like to address comprehensive immigration reform in a second term, Romney promised that he would address this major issue in his first term as President. In contrast, the current President did nothing when he had a Democratically-controlled House and Senate for the first two years he was in office, and has done nothing since to move immigration forward in Congress.
While the President merely mentioned how he would like to reduce the deficit, Romney cited his own experience turning a deficit into a surplus as Governor of Massachusetts, while also pointing out that the current President has dramatically increased our nation's debt in just four years.
Simply put, the debate was a comparison of a leader with a proven record of achievements to a community organizer who would like more time to do what he's been unable to do or hasn't even attempted in four years. The debate came down to Romney talking about the record of what he's done as a business leader and governor -- creating jobs, reducing deficits and working across party lines -- compared to the President saying he would like to accomplish those same things if given another four years.
The debate featured a candidate spelling out his five-point plan to revitalize the American economy, with the President asking for more time to continue the same policies that have resulted in massive unemployment, record poverty and year-over-year slowing of our Gross Domestic Product.
In my 54 years on this Earth, I have never seen an election with such a stark contrast in the top two Presidential candidates. Although the President's rhetoric may sound soaring to some, his words ring hollow -- if you take the time to listen intently to what he has to say and closely examine his record of non-accomplishments.
I have to believe that Americans are smart enough to spot a used car salesman when they see and hear one. We'll all find out on November 6.
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