For a president good intentions are not good enough

Sent as a Letter to the Editor of my local newspaper:

The day after the November presidential election we may look back on one day in particular that signaled defeat for President Obama. It was the day when the June unemployment news came out and Obama was in Ohio talking to a local reporter who asked why voters should vote for him again after he had failed to live up to the promise of his 2008 campaign to change the tone of politics and work with Republicans to solve problems. Obama’s response boiled down to this quote: “I’ve tried real hard.”

Was Obama trying “real hard” when he invited Republican leaders to the White House after his inauguration to discuss ideas for the upcoming Stimulus Bill but dismissed their ideas with the arrogant affront “I won” do it my way? Like other pieces of legislation Obama’s party rammed that bill through the House of Representatives without a single Republican vote. The result was legislation that ran up the debt with billions in payoffs to Obama’s big labor and big government allies but failed to lay the necessary foundation for economic recovery and job growth.

That was followed with billions wasted on green jobs that enriched Obama campaign donors but left thousands jobless when firms went bankrupt as the promise of alternative energy failed to meet the easily identifiable demands of a free market.

If good intentions were enough Obama would be re-elected. But for a President, trying “real hard” isn’t good enough. Results matter and Obama isn’t up to the job.