Instead of listening to the American people whose focus in 2009 was the economy and jobs, this president decided to spend his first year on healthcare. Because as he said, seven presidents have tried and failed in getting healthcare legislation passed and he was bound to make history and be the last.

Forget about the millions who lost jobs in 2009, he focused on what he wanted, and in return —

Missed an opportunity.

The elections of Republican governors to New Jersey and Virginia aren’t anything new. Virginia has for the most part been a red state and every once in awhile New Jersey elects a Republican to lead them. But again, this president didn’t listen to the voters.

Instead, the White House reported that he didn’t even watch the returns and brushed the results off, stating that they had nothing to do with him.

President Clinton brushed off the New Jersey and Virginia Republican gubernatorial wins in 1993, and he lost his majority in November 1994. It appears President Obama —

Missed an opportunity.

The election of Senator-elect Scott Brown in Massachusetts should have been a wake-up call to President Obama. The state was electing someone to fill a seat held by a Democrat for more than 50 years. In the Bay State, Democrats outnumber Republicans 3 to 1 and Independents outnumber Democrats 2 to 1, so the White House should listen to the voters.

Like in 1994, Independents tried to tell the Democratic Party that they weren’t happy with their tax and spend policy and their desire to take over the healthcare system. This special election was an opportunity Bill Clinton didn’t have in 1994. It appears President Obama —

Missed an opportunity.

Many pundits thought that with his party losing in Massachusetts the president would have no choice but to move to the center. But his State of the Union speech showed us that he won’t give up trying to change the tone of Washington and continue to use liberalism as a way to separate America.

During his address, he scolded Democrats, Republicans, Washington, the Supreme Court and the American people. Since his election, he has talked to the American people as if they were school children.

This “we know what is best for you” attitude isn’t cutting it with voters. We might as well have all been sent to after-school detention. It appears President Obama —

Missed an opportunity.

When Obama campaigned for president, he promised hope and change. After one year, the “change-agent-in-chief” is showing us he has nothing to offer but more of the same: Back-door deals with Democratic senators in order to get their vote and deals with union leaders in order to get their support, just to get his agenda passed.

With a super majority, he could have taken the high road and worked with the opposition party. Instead he decided to tell them to get out of the way. He told them during the summer that he didn’t want the people who created this mess to do a lot of talking, just get out of the way. It appears President Obama —

Missed an opportunity.

A year ago the nation handed him a super majority and skyrocketing approval ratings. After one year, his approval ratings have plummeted and his super majority decided to not become “yes men” to his agenda. On top of that, he let far left groups such as Apollo Alliance write major legislation like the stimulus bill.

When Bill Clinton lost his majority in 1994, he rolled toward the center. He knew there would be “painful compromises” with Speaker Gingrich and his party. But some of Bill Clinton’s most successful legislation (welfare reform in 1996 and balanced budget legislation in 1997) came about when he worked with the Republican Party.

According to Rep. Marion Berry, Democrat from Arkansas, the president told him that the Democrats in Congress have one advantage they didn’t have in 1994, the president himself. When the Democrats lose control of the House and the Senate is split 50/50, will the president miss another opportunity?

Laura Lunsford

Fayetteville, Ga.

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