It’s over. Barack Obama has been re-elected as the President of the United States. The obstructionists lost and he won impressively. So now it’s time to get back to work.
What are the priorities for the upcoming four years?
 |
1. Balance the budget.
2. Boost the economy by creating jobs and lowering the unemployment rate to 5 percent or lower.
3. Invest in education to make America more competitive in a global market.
4. Obama Health Care kicking to save money and lives.
5. Immigration Reform. To compromise, build bigger and higher walls, and hire more border patrols, then pass a law where all the Latino immigrants who were bought here as children and have been here for most of their lives as productive citizens are automatically made U.S. citizens.
The big question is will President Obama be able to get anything through the House, which even though the GOP lost some seats, still has the majority.
The first issue is tax cuts. The Senate working closely with the President has passed a tax cut bill in which 98 percent of Americans will receive a tax cut, with 2 percent, people making $250,000 or more having to pay more. The rate many are giving is 39.6 percent.
The House speaker says this will not fly. He says it will cause some small businesses to go under.
Well I say to him, if something is not done there’s going to be more than a few small businesses going under.
The President has said that if this bill is not passed by the House he will let the Bush tax cuts end, which will lead to increased taxes for all. Every opportunity he has gotten he has stated that he wanted a tax cut for the Middle Class and that the wealthy will have to pay more. He’s not backing down.
My suggestion is move the number up to all people making $500,000 or more, then let’s see what the GOP says. That’s a compromise.
This is just the start. Once this bill is passed then both sides need to start working on spending cuts. One huge area is the military. There are billions to be saved by pulling out of Iraq, and Afghanistan, as well as the nuclear program. But nothing should be cut in health care for the veterans, and education and employment. Tax dollars should be going to the people in the military not more spent on weapons we really don’t need.
Then we must look at what can be cut in social programs and reforms of the entitlement programs, and the tax code. There has to be give and take on both sides of the isle. Maybe now, the GOP will be more willing to work with Obama because the American people have spoken, and the GOP has not been able to make him the one term president they set out to.
In his acceptance speech the president said he would be talking to Mitt Romney. That’s a very good move.
If Romney was sincere about being able to create jobs, then he should be willing to work with the President to create those jobs for Americans.
I for one believe the budget can be balanced, but it should never be the number one priority. The number one priority must be creating jobs, dropping the unemployment level down to around 4 percent. And not just for White men as it has been in the past, but for Blacks, Women, and Latinos as well, all Americans. If you create the jobs, most of the social programs will not be needed.
Even though low unemployment numbers are important, the quality of jobs must also be evaluated. Because income for Middle Class America has been stagnant or dropping the past decade, we must create jobs that pay more and are more competitive in today’s world economy.
This is where education comes in. Every one of all races and gender must have access to a quality education both from K through 12, as well as college and trade schools.
The education systems must be geared toward preparing our young people for jobs, as well as being able to re-train older people for the new developing jobs.
It’s time to put the politics aside, and start rebuilding America, by opening the doors to all Americans regardless of race and gender, or income. This country hit an all time high during the ‘90s when the Republican Congress worked closely with a Democratic President. Well we have a chance to top that and do much better than the ‘90s. We have one of the most intelligent presidents in the history of this country, all he needs is for Congress to stop being obstructionists and start working with him. John Boehner said “it’s time for the president to lead.” You are right Mr. Boehner, so let him lead and you follow. If his ideas and programs don’t work, then the GOP can take control in 2014 and 2016. But give him a chance.
Get out of the way.
(Ulish Carter is managing editor of the New Pittsburgh Courier.)
About Post Author
