Sorry Mr. President, Too Little Too Late

Imagine for a minute that you own a business which is on the brink of collapse.

You decide to hire a financial advisor to help you save your business and protect your livelihood.  Months and years into it, unfortunately you still end up laying off every one of your employees--including your spouse.  You lose your retail space.  You lose your cars.  You lose your business and you eventually lose your home.  You have maxed out every single credit card available to you and as a last resort, you move your family back into your childhood home with your parents.

Several years into this collapse, your financial advisor comes to you with some great news.  He says, "Hey, I was just able to save you a bunch of money on your car insurance.  This savings will save you hundreds of dollars a year."

Umm.

Your reaction?  I have no doubt it would be, sorry sir, where have you been?  Too little too late.  Oh, and you are fired.

***

This is kind of how I feel today after reading the news that unemployment rates dropped below 8% for the first time in nearly four years.  (If you listen carefully, you can almost hear the confetti launchers going off at MSNBC).

Too little too late.

Four years into this president's efforts to lead the recovery and this is what we get?

President Obama spent hundreds of billions of dollars to stimulate our economy, lower unemployment and ignite the flame of a prosperity in America.  This is what we get for that investment?  It has not worked.  This news today is good, but we must remember that it is the last 30 days of this president's term.  30 days before his reelection bid and the president wants to boast about this return on our investment?

No thanks, it came at too high of a price.

Image from realclearpolitics.com

Tragically the scenario I described above has actually happened to millions of people across this country and it all happened under this president's watch.

Millions of people lost their jobs.  Millions of people continue to lose their homes.  Millions of people dropped out of the middle class and are living in poverty.  Millions of Americans are dependent on food stamps---more than any other time in history.  Millions of people lost their livelihood and financial security and yes, millions of people lost their hope.

But what did they all share in common?  Every single one of them believed and hoped that our president could help them because he promised that he would.  He didn't.

Recoveries are supposed to feel like a recovery.  This has felt like a desperate state of decline.

***

Sorry Mr. President, too little too late.

Mitt Romney is now confidently inviting Americans to take a different path.  A path which he has shown can lead to jobs, prosperity and stability---the president's record doesn't even come close.

We need to remember that America has always been the coveted land of freedom and opportunity--the "Shining City on a Hill."  For hundreds of years, people have flocked here to take part in the American Dream, but our freedoms are not the only thing attracting people to this great land.  America is the land of freedom and opportunity.   People pay a price to live here not just for the freedoms we offer, but for the opportunities that are promised to all.

Image from mittromney.com

Mitt Romney is offering an America where prosperity is still attainable for anyone--the president is offering a path where dependency and safety nets are available to all.  There is a real difference.

We must remember that Europe has been trying Obama's approach for decades. Would anyone chant that Greece or Spain are the "land of opportunity?"  Are these countries a "Shining City on a Hill?"  Absolutely not.

Mitt's message?  Stand with me and I promise to show you what a real recovery is supposed to feel like.

I choose prosperity.  I choose opportunity over dependency.

I choose to stand with Mitt.