As I read the letter to the editor from Steve Duffany on Sept. 20, I remember back just four years ago when George Bush and Dick Cheney were leaving office. They left, giving billions of taxpayer dollars (with no strings attached) to the huge banks that they deregulated, and the banks were going under.

The national debt had gone from $4 trillion (when Bush took office) to $12 trillion and was climbing? He left a budget shortfall of just over a trillion dollars to President Obama and Vice President Biden, bringing the national debt to $13 trillion.

Employers were laying workers off by the thousands. Bush left the nation and thus the world, on the edge of financial collapse. Obama/Biden were supposed to fix that and create millions of jobs to boot. If you remember, Bush gave the super-rich two huge tax cuts that were supposed to create jobs. Where are those jobs 12 years later?

The economy is getting better, slowly! No one could expect an immediate recovery from the financial mess that Bush/Cheney left us!

Had Obama been left with full employment, budget surpluses for the foreseeable future, and everyone making money (like Bush was), the economy would be in a much better place. It is amazing that we are in the position as were are thinking back to when the Republicans ran things.

If you want to return to the ungoverned banks, more huge tax cuts for the super-rich and more national debt, then vote Republican.

If you want some relief for the middle class that pays for everything when Republicans are in office, then vote Obama/Biden.

Things are not perfect, but we are making progress, as slow as it may seem. Give Obama a chance, starting with a somewhat better playing field.

John Orr

Watertown

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