Gov. Romney would be a pretty good Republican candidate for president if the tea party would only quit shoving him to the right. His greatest accomplishment was the health care act he was responsible for in Massachusetts - the same one Nixon and the Republicans were for before they were against it - the same health care plan President Obama brought us and the Republicans are now trying to do away with. I'm sure Romney would be a lot more moderate on a lot of other issues too, only he is trying to prove to everyone how conservative he is.
Obama believed the government needed to spend money in order to stimulate the economy and provide more jobs. His stimulus program would have worked better if it had been bigger, but the Republicans were against any stimulus. We appreciated the new roads in downtown Marietta and I'm sure a lot of people appreciated the jobs. Money was provided for the hiring of teachers and firefighters, etc. There was even a plan for high-speed rail service connecting some of Ohio's largest cities for even more jobs. Gov. Kasich killed it and the money went to another state instead. Some European countries were like the Republicans and thought that cutting taxes and austerity were the way to go and now Europe is headed for another recession. Our economy has grown slowly but it is growing, thanks to Obama and his economic policies.
We need to get away from the "talking points" of both political parties and educate ourselves on the issues. No one has all the answers and the way will not be easy but we cannot continue to be like little children - selfishly wanting our own way all the time. It is ironic that Dick Luger, a Republican, was praised more by the Democrats than by the Republicans as he left office. Luger was not afraid to cross the aisle and work with the Democrats. But then no one does that any more.
Carol Lazear Mitchell
Marietta
