Jul 4, 2015 2 min read

U.S. Rep. Bill Shuster hit it right on the head when he said the following in a commentary piece that appeared in the Wednesday Observer-Reporter: “If the name “Obama” was nowhere to be seen in this deal, it would be fine for most Americans…”

That really sums up what President Obama has had to deal with during his two terms in office. Yes, this president has made mistakes, as have all past presidents. But other presidents did not have to start their administration faced with a pledge, like the one that came from Sen. Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, that Republicans would make Obama a “one-term president.”

So where did that “public mistrust” of the president come from? From the first day of this administration, the combined efforts of Republicans and conservative media to misinform people and distort the facts have resulted in that “public mistrust” to which Shuster refers. Why did it happen? People today are lazy. If you keep saying the same thing over and over, people will eventually believe it. Few people actually read in-depth articles in newspapers or magazines to get all the facts. It is why negative campaigns are so successful.

The title of Shuster’s commentary was “The Founding Fathers wanted it this way,” referring to checks and balances and a separation of powers, and that is true. What the Founding Fathers anticipated were differences of opinion and compromise. However, they did not foresee the blatant obstructionism that has been the hallmark of opponents of Obama during his presidency.

Gary Ford

Washington