To the Editor:
Re “More American Idols,” by Gail Collins (column, Aug. 12):
Clearly, many G.O.P. comments about President Obama are not only silly
and disrespectful, but also not rooted in reality. Sarah Palin has held
the lead here, but as Ms. Collins observes, the ad made for Dan Quayle’s
son Ben charging that “Barack Obama is the worst president in history”
takes the prize.
These Republicans bank on a stumbling economy’s causing the electorate
to lose sight as to what has actually taken place these last 10 years.
Under eight years of a Republican White House we had two wars, one
unnecessary, a trillion dollars of tax cuts for the rich, deregulation
of the financial sector and an economy teetering on another Depression.
Under President Obama, another depression was avoided, and the economy
has turned around, health care and financial institutions have been
substantially reformed, one war is winding down, the other properly
fought, and the Bush tax cuts for the wealthy are going to expire.
What, exactly, is the G.O.P. talking about? How stupid do they think Americans are?
John E. Colbert
Chicago, Aug. 12, 2010
Note from KBJ: We'll find out in November, won't we? Of course, if Americans throw Democrats out on their ears, the letter writer will call Americans stupid. Heads I win; tails you lose.
Keith Burgess-Jackson, J.D., Ph.D. 