OBAMA: It's Time to Face Reality...

I'm not writing today as a Republican, or a Democrat, or an Independent (politically I'm a fiscally conservative Independent). I'm just writing as a concerned citizen of a fast-shrinking middle class.

Remember back 5 plus years ago when we had such a divisive election for president? On one hand we had the "wealthy" candidate, Mitch Romney, running on the "conservative" ticket, and on the other our "liberal" candidate, who represented himself as the champion of the middle class. Well, he was elected, and promised to spread the wealth, bring more equality to the disparity between the wealthy and the rest of us. He promised change, he promised transparency, and he promised to bridge the gap between the parties. So what is the reality, now some 5 years later?
First, we have more divided government than ever. it seems the only lower favorability ratings than the president belongs to Congress. The president repeatedly denigrates and demonizes his political opponents, referring to "them" and "us" as if there's two different war camps (which in essence there now are). What happened to "we" need to do this? "We" need to work together? After all, it is one government...
Second, we were promised transparency. Today there is a far greater lack of transparency than ever. Recently Obama was interviewed (on Superbowl Sunday) and he stated emphatically that "there is no corruption in the IRS. Not even a smidgen". Perhaps he needs to talk to the man he appointed to run the IRS on an interim basis,( because the last head resigned amid controversy over their gestapo tactics in investigating the tea party), who testified on Capitol Hill that he was doing his best to clean up the agency from the top down. How can it be both ways? And this is only one example. We could rehash the Benghazi catastrophe and subsequent cover-up and reach the same conclusion that there is no transparency. Or the millions spent on "green" research and hand picked companies, that took our tax-payer money (millions!) and folded... Or any number of other scandals plaguing this administration.
And what about bringing equality to the classes? Great campaign promise, hooked many people, especially those who are lower or middle class. But what's the reality? The reality is the middle class is shrinking, and has each year under this president. Today the wealthiest take home far more of America's wealth than ever before. ConvergEx market strategist Nick Colas recently told CBS news that inflation, especially food inflation is far greater than the government is representing. As a result the middle class is quietly suffering under the policies of this administration. So why is this?
Let me remind everyone of something. Obama is not "middle class". He never has been, never will be. Obama is part of that "richest of the rich". And he and his wife live like it, even in the White House. While we all struggle in a depressed economy he takes a vacation, at tax-payer expense, to South Africa. Cost to tax-payers? $100 million dollars. That's right- ONE HUNDRED MILLION. Think of all the good we could do with a hundred million dollars. Previous First Ladies have had personal attendants to help with their schedule. Up until D.D. Eisenhower that cost came out of the president's pocket. The most attendants prior to Michelle Obama was three- Michelle has a staff of 22 full-time employees to do her beck and call. At a cost of over a million tax-payer dollars a year. These are just two examples of the many, many examples we could list here. The Obamas are spending out of control- not just government spending, which is bad enough, but personal spending of tax-payer money at the tax-payers' expense. What happened to leading by example? What happened to showing some self-sacrifice to the nation? I don't  care how many people Michelle Obama wants on her "personal staff", but let her pay for them after the first three... I'd wager her staff would shrink in a major hurry!
I just think, with another election around the corner, with candidates beginning to run their ads, their attacks, their mud-slinging, their campaigns, as a country we need to delve deeper, to investigate these people, to look at past performance (for their is no greater indicator of future performance than past performance), and see who keeps their word, who honors their campaign promises, who is worthy of our vote. For our future lies in our hands. We listened to promises, with no past performance to back them up, and we've paid a heavy price. It is time to return our Government to We the People, to those who can deliver fiscal conservation, who are willing to be part of "we", not "them or us". It is time to elect people willing to work together to bring our country back to solvency, back to respectability, back to a place of honor and respect in the eyes of the world. It is time for true change, not lip service...
Food for thought.