No president is going to be liked by everybody all the time. But don't you wish President Barack Obama would promote policies that merit admiration by at least a reasonable majority of our people?
Specifically, don't you wish that our current president and Congress -- as well as those of the past several decades -- had handled our nation's finances in such a way that we were assured of soundly balanced budgets and sensible tax rates? Isn't that the way it's supposed to be?
Perhaps, but unfortunately we have "none of the above" -- and that is reflected in recent opinion polls.
A CNN/ORC International poll indicates that about 65 percent -- nearly two-thirds! -- of our people do not approve of Obama's handling of the economy. His overall job approval rating is not much better -- stuck in the low 40 percent range in various polls -- and views of Congress are similarly dismal.
Meanwhile, the Office of Management and Budget says we will run about a $1.3 trillion deficit for fiscal year 2011. The president and many in Congress apparently see no connection, though, between their unwise economic policies and their low ratings from the public.
Don't the numbers suggest that the people of the United States need to elect leaders who will at least begin the difficult work of balancing the budget?