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Do we need change, or to continue moving slowly forward?

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Updated: July 7, 2012 8:29AM



Do we need change, or to continue moving slowly forward?

President Obama’s campaign word in 2008 was “change.” It seemed appropriate, as we had lapsed into a recession that we were anxious to end. Obama promised to end it — “maybe not in one year, maybe not in one term.”

Now he is in his fourth year of his elected term, and only a small amount of progress has been made — And at the cost of raising our national debt to a dangerous level.

The president has not inspired other lawmakers or the business sector to take needed steps to end the effects of the recession. He did put forth several ideas, only a couple of which worked — tax credit for first-time home buyers and “Cash for Clunkers”. But his biggest ideas — the $800 billion economic incentive plan early in his first year and his unpopular Affordable Health Care plan last year — did not.

Now his new campaign word is “forward” ­— whatever he means by that. If he means progress in economic recovery at a continued slow pace, it is not enough.

A more appropriate word for this year’s election might again be “change” but maybe now more appropriate for Mitt Romney to use. While we thought that we needed a change in 2008 from the policies of George W. Bush who was president when the recession began earlier that year, now we may realize that we need a change from President Obama who has not been very effective in leading us back to prosperity. Might Mitt Romney be more effective?

Donald B. Abbs

Elgin

A plea to Illinois’ officials: Don’t cut retirement benefits

Please vote no. Please bring industry into Illinois and do not cut retirement benefits.

Many teachers were not allowed to contribute to Social Security and cannot collect the death benefits of a spouse.

Please do not cut any more of our funds. Thank you.

Harold Lachel

West Dundee





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