Campaign hopes dashed

Last November we elected a relatively young, charismatic, smart but inexperienced U.S. senator as our president. His theme was hope and change, and on those coattails we had a substantial change in Congress. In at least two branches we now have a clear Democrat monopoly of government. So, in the last eight months what has this hope and change brought us?

Unemployment has risen from about 7 percent to nearly 10 percent and still rising. The deficit has gone from about $400 billion in 2008 to over $1.5 trillion (yes, trillion!) in 2009 and is projected to increase an additional $7.5 trillion (yes, trillion!) by 2019.

Congress is trying to pass a totally unnecessary energy bill that by all accounts will cost consumers trillions (yes, trillions!). Equally absurd is the health care fiasco, which, if implemented, will cost an additional trillion (yes, trillion!) or more. Am I getting through here?

And then, to add salt to this pork, we had “cash for clunkers,” where the government spends three dollars to buy a one-dollar clunker and then gives 70 percent of it to Toyota, Honda, Nissan and Hyundai!

Think about this prior to your next town hall or November 2010.

Jerry Olson

Spokane