On October 28, 1980, the final presidential debate between then-President Jimmy Carter (D) and Republican candidate Ronald Reagan was held. The state of the economy at that time was in what is called "stagflation", meaning stagnant growth and high inflation/interest rates/unemployment. Reagan asked a simple question during his closing remarks that hit home with voters then: "I think when you make that decision (who to vote for president), it might be well if you would ask yourself, are you better off than you were 4 years ago? Is it easier for you to go and buy things in the stores than it was 4 years ago? Is there more or less unemployment in the country than there was 4 years ago? Is America as respected throughout the world as it was? Do you feel that our security is as safe, that we're as strong as we were 4 years ago? And if you answer all of those questions yes, why then, I think your choice is very obvious as to who you'll vote for. If you don't agree, if you don't think that this course that we've been on for the last 4 years is what you would like to see us follow for the next 4, then I could suggest another choice that you have." In 2012, that same question is before us, and I will interject a little personal stuff in relation to this: In 2008 we lived in South Carolina, I had a great job making a great wage, our house was in a nice subdivision, family and friends visited regularly, we were only 10 minutes from the beach, and our life seemed set. After Obama's election, I lost my job, house, and had to relocate back to my home state of West Virginia, living with my in-laws while I tried to find a job here. I had heard whispers that companies were planning layoffs if Obama was elected due to the radical change in the economic environment that was to follow but never thought it would hit me.
Yes, I collected unemployment during that time, but it's a slap in the face for me to have to live with family when we should have our own place and I should have a job instead of depending on family or anyone else. It took me eight months, but I finally found a job that I am still at, but making less than half of my previous salary, and missing South Carolina everyday. Am I better off now than four years ago...NO! And I have heard countless stories of others in the same boat as myself over these past few years. So why would anyone want to have four more years of this crap? I will now take Reagan's question and apply it to today's world: Is it easier to buy things in the stores and gasoline than it was four years ago? (Gasoline was less than $2 a gallon when Obama took office, it's now nearly double that) Is there more or less unemployment than there was four years ago? (Unemployment was 5.8% in 2008, it's been over 8% continuously since 2009, and 8.4% in July) Is America as respected throughout the world as it was? (No, especially since Obama bows to every leader and apologizes for our country every chance he gets) Do you feel that our security is as safe, that we're as strong as we were 4 years ago? (Bin Laden is dead, but soldiers are being killed in Afghanistan, Iran is building nuclear weapons, the Arab Spring in 2011 has brought extremist Muslims into power instead of democratically elected governments like in Iraq) I hope the American people make the right decision for our country...choose someone who's policies have all failed and the only thing he has to offer is character attacks, lies, coverups, or someone who has a vision to help get America out of the funk it's been in the past four years...the choice is yours.
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