Furthermore, these kinds of spending policies have been ridiculed in the past by Barack Obama himself. In July of 2008, Barack Obama’s economic policy advisor Jason Furman criticized the Bush administration’s spending by declaring, "These have been years of unprecedented fiscal irresponsibility. That's an important issue in this election because Sen. McCain is proposing to continue the same Bush economic policies that put our economy on this dangerous path and that will drive America even deeper into debt" (CNN.com, Jul. 2008). Furman continued by stating that Obama will “restore balance and fairness to our economy by cutting wasteful spending, shutting corporate loopholes and tax havens, and rolling back the Bush tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans, while making health care affordable and putting a middle class tax cut in the pocket of 95 percent of workers and their families." The year before George W. Bush took office, the United States of America held a total public debt of $5.67 trillion (Wikipedia, Jan. 2009). Our current public debt is listed at $10.626 trillion (Treasury Direct, 2009). Therefore, if one does the math, the deficit grew by $4.95 trillion over Bush’s eight year term from 2001-2008. That averages out to an astounding $618 billion per year average. Even this figure, the largest annual average increase under one sitting president in the history of our country, is being dwarfed by Barack Obama’s stimulus package. The $825 billion figure set aside by Obama and the United States Congress could grow to as large as $1.2 trillion, and that is assuming that the debt will be paid off as scheduled.

I am praying for Barack Obama's future success. This country has only rarely been blessed with a president that possesses the astounding charisma that the now 44th President of the United States of America has. His words have inspired a nation, unified a racially divided society, captivated the youth of our nation, and have caused millions to put their faith and families in the hands of a proud African American man.

And yet, even though this may all be absolutely and indescribably accurate, I am left here pondering what precisely our president has accomplished. Hope, dreams, inspiration, and faith are important but are rarely productive. Ultimately, policy is the only true measure of a president's value. His personal characteristics are only important in that they determine how well one determines, defends, or explains great policies. Charisma and vitality are astounding traits but are worthless if they remain in solitude.

President Obama's policies are unknown. Yes, he has advocated various pieces of legislation and plans in the past. Until he actually enacts these promises in the form of laws and executive orders, they mean nothing. I find the majority of his thoughts thus far to be at the very least, ineffective. If he were to go through with enacting higher taxes for those who create jobs, or negotiating with terrorist organizations, or even allowing the continuation of a nuclear program in Iran, then the consequences of his policies would be dire. No amount of charisma or profound oration could possibly hide these results of Obama policies. But until this day arrives, I will provide Barack Obama with the opportunity to be a good president, and quite frankly, we all should.

Barack Obama has done what nearly all politicians must do:

He has taken whatever steps necessary to rise to the highest of political heights. If this tradition continues, Obama may actually be a better president than many conservatives expect. Radical liberal policies have dismantled multiple presidents in the past (Just ask Jimmy Carter). If President Barack Obama wishes to seek another term, he must continue to appeal to the middle class by acting as a moderate. Beyond any other facet of his presidency, it is my belief that his popularity is not only his greatest asset but also what Obama values beyond all else. Therefore, I could see President Obama attempting liberal policies and then backing off of them. I can imagine four years of Obama constantly testing the water to see what is and what is not popular. This may restrict his political beliefs. Unlike certain other liberal politicians, Obama values his popularity over his beliefs...at least that has been the case thus far in his career.

Some believe that I owe Barack Obama a chance to be a good president. This, however, is absurd. Like every American citizen, I owe nothing to my president...He owes everything to me.

I will give him an opportunity to succeed because that is what our country needs. We live in a time of war, economic chaos, international miscreants, and suffering. We need a leader and I sincerely hope Barack Obama is that man. I did not vote for Barack Obama, but I sure as hell am praying for him.

Secondly, increasing taxes on the richest 1% includes small businesses, which means that it is not only the Wal-Marts and McDonald's of the world that are going to be hurt by increased taxes. Of the richest 0.5%, which accounts for 750,000 taxpayers, two-thirds report small business incomes.

During the Ronald Reagan years, (Hate him or love him, it proves my point) tax revenues increased 28% throughout the 1980's. The reasons deficits ensued is because spending increased by 36%, outweighing the gains caused by tax cuts.

Also, in 2005 and 2006, tax cuts on the wealthy led to increased tax revenues by 14% each year. Also, tax revenues at the beginning of 2007 had totaled 2.4 trillion dollars from 2006-2007. This total is $400 billion dollars higher than the collection peak of 2 billion dollars in 2000, the end of the Clinton years.

The economy is struggling now, but those struggles have NOTHING to do with tax breaks. The housing market, poor choices by consumers, and high gas prices are causing our current (or future, depending on how you look at it) recession. I'm not, by any means, saying Bush is doing the right thing. Spending is increasing year after year...but his tax cuts are the problem with the economy as the tax revenues prove beyond a reasonable doubt.

In recent American history, high tax rates often lead to poor economies. Under JFK, who inherited EXTREMELY high tax rates, the unemployment rate was:

1961   6.7%

Following JFK's terrible death, the implementation of his tax program under Lyndon Johnson, which led to tax cuts for the wealthy led to very low unemployment rates:

1964:  5.2%

1965:  4.5%

1966:  3.8%

1967:  3.8%

1968:   3.6%

1969:   3.5%

Under Jimmy Carter, who had marginal tax rates up to 70% for America's wealthiest few, the economy crumbled.
Unemployment rates under Carter:

1978:   6.1%

1979:   5.8%

1980:   7.1%

1981:   7.6%

1982 (carried into Reagan's term): 9.7%

Under George Bush's tax cuts for the wealthy, the unemployment rate for the last three years has been under 5%, currently standing around 4.8%.

Only three of Bill Clinton's eight years in office had unemployment rates lower than the current unemployment rate.