20-20 Vision

I applaud the President for having 20- 20 eyesight as he enunciated his "vision" for the future of our country. Like him, I see our universe through a very different prism than those on the Republican side of the aisle. But many of us who have heard the words before view them with a great deal of skepticism and concern.

Further,even in his strongest rebuke in many a day to those who would govern to the "needs" of the wealthy, the President's plan calls for most of the future pain to come from cuts to programs and not from enhanced tax revenue. We are still speaking the Republican party line that we need belt tightening rather than a combination of economic stimulus and more contributions from those with the most among us to propel this nation back from the brink. And we continue to focus our vision on tomorrow while the problems of today go seemingly unnoticed and unattended. The Republicans have managed not only to control what we discuss, but to take our eye off of what we should be concentrating on. If we can do better for those in our care right now, and get them back on their feet through aggressive government attempts to reinvigorate our work force, if we give them back their homes and their dignity, then quite possibly tomorrow they will help us eliminate what is made to appear as an overwhelming debt crisis.

It is encouraging that the man we first knew, the one who saw a better world for us and who was definite and defiant in his tone, emerged yesterday. We missed that man. But we are concerned he will disappear tomorrow, we are worried that his line in the sand will keep moving, as it has over the past 2 years, and we fear that we will continue to center the argument around the Republican muddled and distorted view of our nation. Prove my concern unjustified, Mr. President, please.