Former President Bill Clinton really hit his speech out of the park Wednesday night at the Democratic National Convention. So many parts of his speech resonated with me and probably a lot of Americans. Though I am a registered Democrat, I am also a writer and try to remain impartial so I can clearly see the point of view from both sides of the aisle. During his speech, President Clinton stressed the importance of both parties working together. It has been difficult for Democrats to find common ground with the Republicans, who have been going to extremes on almost every issue. President Obama’s persistence to compromise with them has failed. Despite his best efforts they are unresponsive. I respect President Obama’s relentless attempts to end this partisanship so he can do what is best for the American people, but he has done this to the detriment of the liberals and progressives who voted him into power.
The Republicans repeatedly blocked President Obama’s extension of the olive branch. As their obstinacy persisted, this olive branch grew into an olive tree and my disillusionment grew with it. On Monday, during his speech at the Democratic National Convention, Senator Harry Reid reminded us that at the beginning of his presidency, the Republicans in Congress made it their goal to ensure that President Obama would be a one-term president. During his time as president, the Republicans have blocked everything he tried to do, and most notably blocked the much needed Jobs Bill.
Not only did these delays waste time and money, but they surely added stress to American families who were already in dire financial situations and experiencing hardships. These acts of blind and selfish obstinacy on the part of the Republicans prevented what we needed most the most: progress. It is truly reminiscent of the time and money that was wasted when Kenneth Starr and the Republican Party impeached President Bill Clinton.