The root cause of all anger or disappointment is unmet expectations. The intensity of such emotion is related to the size of expectation; real or perceived; that is unmet. For example, you would have a low expectation of winning the lottery and be disappointed, but a high expectation that your spouse will be faithful and be angry when they are not met!
Understanding this reasoning might help explain why there is so much controversy surrounding Barack Obama's re-election efforts. In spite of having no record of accomplishments from previous successes to prove any competency, Obama was elected in 2008 only because he campaigned with lofty promises. These promises set much higher expectations than his ability to fulfill them. The only way to appease such disappointment or anger would be to lower any expectations after the fact. This begs the question, how low do your expectations have to be for the country to improve, for you to vote for Obama again?
Bill Clinton said "No one could fix the problems in one term, not even himself." But, the expectation of the country subsided from him fixing everything, to being satisfied with him just making things better, and yet things are not. He promised to unite the country, and yet he stirs up a self-created war on women, or Hispanics, or Blacks, or illegal immigrants, and even religious liberty! He has pitted the poor against the rich, the unemployed against the working, and the two parties against each other.
He promised to cut the deficit in half, and yet he doubled it! The price of gas has doubled! The unfettered printing of money decreases the value of the dollar meaning the cost of everything goes up. Eight percent unemployment is the new normal, and 9%-plus is predicted for next year. If Obama has a plan for what to do in the next four years, why isn't he doing it now? What is he waiting for?
Has this country's expectations for a better America been lowered so much that some are willing to lower them even further and give Obama yet another four years of on the job training? He is a good campaigner, he just isn't a very good president. Isn't it time that America gets a chance to raise its expectations once again! How about this time we elect someone who isn't such a great campaigner, but who has a proven track record of personal and business success. Someone who is used to signing the front of a pay check instead of just the back of one.
Keith McAndrew
Williamsport
Submitted by Virtual Newsroom
