In response to Jerry Payne's letter on June 10, Obama deserves all the criticism he has gotten. Corporate America is not the enemy; Obamacare is a disaster; and the bailouts were politically motivated catastrophes. I hope that covers it.
The president didn't rescue the car industry. He confiscated ownership of GM using taxpayer money and dictated they build the Volt, an impractical and allegedly green car. Then Obama had the government buy up the bulk of these cars to pave over the losses on GM's books for turning out this unwanted product. This cost the American taxpayer over $9 billion.
If this demonstrates how the president "believes" in the American autoworker, then explain why as much as 70 percent of many of General Motors' operations are outsourced to non-American workers. The rest of us believed the car industry could restructure on its own and become profitable again. So far, we have not gotten our money back or seen improvement in the job market.
Don't forget, Obama also "believed" in Solyndra, Evergreen Solar, Spectra Watt, SunPower, First Solar, and at least a dozen more supposedly green energy ventures on which he spent billions of borrowed tax money. Almost all were once wealthy donors to his campaign. Almost all are bankrupt. These moves have further increased our debt and damaged our economy.
The president has no compunction about deficit spending on useless projects and then has the gall to use a mother fighting cancer as a shill for compassionate health care reform. While crying about health care for a fictional number of children, Payne neglects to mention that Obamacare cuts $8 billion from Medicare and rations cancer treatments for the elderly. Even with the assaults on senior health care, Obama's health care bill potentially has the power to bankrupt the nation and intrude on every aspect of our personal liberty. By the way, without any implementation of his bill, cancer survivor rates are higher in the U.S. than in any country in the world.
The wealthy and powerful that are robbing our country are not on Wall Street. They are in the White House. We are weary of seeing the president and his family taking extravagant vacations, giving lavish parties, attending fundraising dinners with wealthy elites, and apologizing for the actions of Americans.
Payne claims he wants a forward-looking, prosperous, rebuilt America for the next generation. Then he needs to stop supporting a politician who resembles Louis XIV.
Helen Hofwager
Washington, W.Va.
