2012 Election Shoud Have Been A Slam Dunk

"...in Paul Ryan, the Golden Boy from Janesville who schooled himself in the ideology of right-wing think tanks inside the Beltway, they finally have one of their own -- a true believer for the new Gilded Age." - Bill Moyers

If Obama had the enthusiasm behind him that he had four years, ago, this year's presidential election would be a blowout. But Obama frittered away all of the good vibes among the old and young alike with his listless performance during his first term. Change you can believe in became business as usual...in Afghanistan, on Wall Street, in Washington, and in his refusal to be a principled leader. For example, rather than fight the good fight for single payer universal health care, we ended up with a hybrid plan that helps a little but that no one likes, and one that preserves the for profit healthcare system. Rather than take the advice of his vice president, Obama added more troops to the war in Afghanistan. Obama had to be shamed into embracing marriage equality. We almost didn't get the long promised repeal of DADT. Gay activists had to chain themselves to the White House fence in order to pressure Obama to do the right thing. Is it any wonder that there is an "enthusiasm gap?" Nevertheless, with Romney/Ryan vs. Obama/Biden Americans will indeed have a choice. They can either vote to return this country to the 19th century, when social Darwinism and all of its evils was the order of the day, or they can re-elect a flawed president who at least gives lip service to the idea of social justice. That this is not a great choice is squarely the fault of Barak Obama. If he loses in November, president Obama will have only himself to blame.