Voices from abroad

By E. Faye Williams
TriceEdneyWire.com Columnist

In small loans over 6 months 2008, when President Obama launched his first campaign for the Presidency, we heard a multitude of voices expressing adoration for his candidacy. Not surprisingly, much of Senator Obama’s staunchest support came from abroad. I believe the entire world was waiting for the U.S. to more fully live up to its’ creed. I also believe that it recognized Mr. Obama as leader who could accomplish that great feat.

Through the years, as obstructionists in Congress, animosity of Republicans and enmity of home-grown racists have eroded the confidence of the people in President Obama, it is refreshing to see that he still enjoys the support of millions of citizens outside the U.S.

After the mid-term elections, my attention was drawn to reading an article entitled “You Americans Have No Ideas Just How Good You Have It with Obama.” It was written by a Canadian. Given the title, I half expected the article to have been written by someone whose name would be immediately recognizable, but this article caught my eye because it was an open letter written by a new name – Richard Brunt. I thank Leslie Salzillo for sharing the letter with us here in the U.S. Mr. Brunt expressed what I was thinking well and I quote:

“Many of us Canadians are confused by the U.S. midterm elections. Consider, right now payday loan kaahumanu in America, corporate profits are at record highs, the country’s adding 200,000 jobs per month, unemployment is below 6%, U.S. gross national product growth is the best of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Dev­elop­ment (OECD) countries. The dollar is at its strongest levels in years, the stock market is near record highs, gasoline prices are falling, there’s no inflation, interest rates are the lowest in 30 years, U.S. oil imports are declining, U.S. oil production is rapidly increasing, the deficit is rapidly declining, and the wealthy are still making astonishing amounts of money.

America is leading the world once again and respected internationally — in sharp contrast to the Bush years. Obama brought soldiers home from Iraq and killed Osama bin Laden.
So, Americans vote for the party that got you into the mess that Obama just dug you out of? That defies reason.

When you’re done with Obama, could you send him our way?”

A singular source of frustration was the conduct of the 2014 midterm elections, as well as the outcome. It’s unconscionable that two-thirds of the American people either couldn’t or didn’t see through the negative spew that had no purpose other than to provoke racial animus against President Obama. I’m in utter disbelief that mobile phone payday loan so many could be persuaded to vote against their own interests, while others were frozen in fear, refusing to stand up for principles they claim to hold dear.

It’s also embarrassing that observers from other nations can so positively assess the qualities and accomplishments of our President while members of his own party led the desertion against him and the policies that salvaged America from the demons of a Republican administration gone mad. It was disappointing that uninformed voices echoed the age old “blame the victim” mantra against the President.

The fact that Democrats abandoned our principles, surrendered so many seats and are now scratching heads in disbelief is indicative of inexcusable political ineptitude. The lessons of the 2 Obama campaigns demonstrate what can be accomplished when we honor the groups that give foundation to our “base” and the progressive ideals that elevate us all.

As much as I care about my party, I’m angry with those who acted as though we didn’t exist after we gave the party two great victories with President Obama at the top of the ticket. We shouldn’t have to depend upon foreign friends to tell us how great our President is.

This article originally published in the November 24, 2014 print edition of The Louisiana Weekly newspaper.