“The politics of hope does not mean hoping things come easy. Because nothing worthwhile in this country has ever happened unless somebody, somewhere stood up when it was hard; stood up when they were told – no you can’t, and said yes we can.” – Barack Obama

In January 2009, Barack Obama moved into the White House and inherited some of the worst economic, domestic and international circumstances since the Great Depression. Our great America was plagued with two wars, skyrocketing job loss rates, a potential Wall Street collapse and an unbelievably high national debt. Since Obama has been in office, he has taken huge steps in restoring our economic security and international reputation. Obama created and saved millions of jobs, passed health care reform and ended the war in Iraq. When our country was faced with an economic collapse, President Obama brought the nation together with a message of hope. He believes that if we stand together as a nation and play by the same rules, America will prosper again. Obama has already achieved so much and has helped restore our nation’s credibility. However, he has not finished handling issues such as same-sex marriage, closing Guantanamo Bay and ending the war in Afghanistan. For these reasons, a 2012 re-election for Barack Obama is imperative.

It took us eight years of failed Republican policies to get us where we were. While Bush was president, 4.4 million jobs disappeared, 779,000 of which were lost in Bush’s last month in office. However, in just four years, President Obama was able to repair and reverse some of those alarming figures. In 2009, President Obama passed the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, more commonly referred to as the Stimulus Package. This program helped re-energize the economy by providing tax cuts to American households and businesses; saving millions of jobs and preventing unemployment rates from reaching dangerously high levels. Restructuring and reorganizing the Detroit auto companies is another significant accomplishment of the Obama Administration. This unpopular yet successful decision protected millions of workers from job loss and prevented a manufacturing collapse in the Midwest. After this government bailout, the big three American automakers, which includes Chrysler, General-Motors and Ford, reported record profits. Obama initiatives are clearly effective despite receiving constant Republican opposition on policies which are now returning positive results.

The Democratic Party advocates for and pursues equal opportunity and justice for all Americans. Democrats believe in the values of hard-work and fair play of the working class while Republicans support back room deals for the wealthy few and a quid pro quo style of government. The Democratic platform is the fair and just political way and Obama has proven multiple times that he too is a man of great ethics. For example, President Obama does not hire registered lobbyists as staff and promises lobbyists will not muffle the voices of the American people. As a Democrat, President Obama has represented the concerns and values of the working class. By no means do Democrats want people dependent on social welfare programs. However, the Obama Administration and Democratic party believe that it is society’s responsibility to help pull people up when a harsh world and a financial system rigged for the rich has pushed them down. President Obama constantly works for the people, so that everyone from Wall Street to Main Street is treated fairly.

Unlike many other political figures, Barack Obama did not grow up in the hustle and bustle of Washington D.C. or inherit family power, status or money. President Obama is not only likeable, but also a very relatable person. Obama grew up in Hawaii and was born to a mother from Kansas and a father from Kenya. He attended school in New York City and subsequently moved to Chicago where he began instilling hope in the people of poverty-stricken neighborhoods. Obama had a complicated and diverse background, he did not grow up in an ideal American household. As a young man, Obama could relate to the struggles and adversities of other Americans. As a senator and presidential candidate, Obama was greeted with accolades of praise and support everywhere he went. The Obama message encouraged people to believe in the American promise and helped pacify the frustrated people. For these reasons, Obama was elected the first African-American president and gave people a reason to hope for change. President Obama has shown that he cares more about fulfilling policy initiatives than playing political games.

The Obama Administration understands the struggles of the American people. They understand that the economic crisis was not created overnight and thus cannot be solved overnight. Obama initiatives are working to correct the problems caused by eight years of Republican leadership. However, a 2012 re-election for Obama is paramount because it would be senseless to return to these failed Republican policies just four years later but more importantly, because his implemented policies are working. However, since he is receiving little to no Republican cooperation, President Obama needs more time to repair and rebuild our economy. If Obama serves a second term in office, he will continue to run our country with the values of fairness and justice. Barack Obama will always work to ensure everyone, from Wall Street to Main Street, plays by the same rules. Obama’s approach to moving the nation forward will continue to be firm, aggressive and honorable in order to ensure the United States progresses and remains as the world’s strongest dominion.

“It's a dream shared in big cities and small towns; across races, regions and religions - that if you work hard, you can support a family; that if you get sick, there will be health care you can afford; that you can retire with the dignity and security and respect that you have earned; that your kids can get a good education, and young people can go to college even if they're not rich. That is our common hope. That is the American Dream.” – Barack Obama