On our last night in Italy, we saw Bruce Springsteen in concert. My husband wore his treasured shirt that he got at an Obama rally in 2008. The t-shirt reads "Born To Run" and it has a picture of Obama and Bruce Springsteen. Many, many people came up to him and said that the shirt and its message was "beautiful," "great shirt," "love it," etc. Every single Italian we met had good things to say about President Obama. The USA has regained the respect of people around the world.
While we've been gone from the U.S., it is apparent that the President and the Democrats are still trying to make some progress on the problems of the economy and world diplomacy. Meanwhile, the Republicans continue to act like complete idiots with no new ideas, plans, or alternatives. They are like the "Debbie Downers" of American politics---- nothing but negativity, whining, and roadblocks to progress.
I've reviewed some recent legislation from the House of Representatives and have concluded that some House Republicans are doing their best to slow down the legislative progress. If you look at some of the amendments that Republicans have initiated, you realize that the GOP has no plan other than to obstruct, waste time, and cause problems (see U.S. House Roll Call Votes). Republicans Reps. Flake, Hensarling, Blackburn, have made concerted efforts to block, and slow down legislation. These Republicans give new meaning to the phrase...."if you're not part of the solution, you are part of the problem...." Clearly, these Republicans and others like Foxx, Boehner, and Bachmann, are part of the problem of why things are getting done fast enough. By wasting valuable legislative time with cockamamie amendments, they slow down our ability to pass legislation for meaningful laws and regulation. If these Republican clowns are your elected officials, send them an e-mail and give them a piece of your mind.