Editor:

On Sept. 5, 2012, I heard the woman running for Massachusetts Senate, Elizabeth Warren, give a powerful and gritty speech. A few minutes later Bill Clinton gave us a pitch perfect contribution. His speech was both a seminar on complex issues that really really matter; and, a reminder of why we should love civic debates. Some people say, “Don’t talk politics with friends and family if you want to keep peace” I think we should talk about these things. The people we elect still put their pants on one leg at a time. And they make decisions and laws that affect every wrinkle of our lives.

Clinton spoke to the lies told by the Ryan/Romney crew (the most dangerous guy listed first), the Destructive Reconstruction ahead if those two, and their fellow tea party, no compromise, selfish congressional and state level conserves are elected. The fact is that just weeks before taking office, this president inherited two destructive, free-falling economies: ours and the rest of the world. He guided the process here in the US and got a floor under it, including the brave move of giving American Car companies the possibility of surviving. Can you imagine our country having no American made cars? Now, rather than losing 750,000 jobs every month, we are gaining jobs each month. Housing prices are stabilizing. Millions are still looking for work and far too many of people who do have jobs have only part-time, low wage, no sick days, no insurance jobs. Our country still has a whole bundle of economic woes to turn around.

This stuff takes time. President Obama’s values and strategies are working.

There have been some outstanding Republican legislatures over time. They have been voted out, they have dropped out refusing to be a part of the poisonous, no-compromise culture of the new Republicans, or they are dead and are turning over in their graves. The people at the helm of RNC don’t want to compromise. As Mitch McConnell said, “Our first priority is to put Mr. Obama out of work. Their math is horrid. They say they’ll make further tax cuts for the highest earners, massive defense spending past what the pentagon has requested, and they promise to repair our national debt.

Their math is not 2+2=4. It’s just not there! They will cut funds from community college trades’ programs that are supposed to train badly needed skilled workers; and funds from schools trying to educate America’s youth. They will further shrink budgets for our treasured national parks, protection of safe air, water and food, meals-on-wheels, other social programs that give dignity and opportunities to young and old alike, and reconstruction of our crumbling highways and bridges.

Scary! Let’s keep talking.

Catherine Joppa, Rhinelander