Want proof President Barack Obama is a failure? Listen to his words (as a U.S. senator, March 16, 2006):

“The fact that we are here today to debate raising America’s debt limit is a sign of leadership failure. … It’s a sign that we now depend on ongoing financial assistance from foreign countries to finance our government’s reckless fiscal policies. … Washington is shifting the burden of bad choices today onto the backs of our children and grandchildren. America has a debt problem and a failure of leadership. Americans deserve better. I therefore intend to oppose the effort to increase American’s debt limit.”

Congress should give Obama a taste of his own medicine and resist raising the debt ceiling unless Obama agrees to stop his reckless spending and agrees to measures that halt and control spending. In the past four years we’ve seen a dramatic rise in federal spending under Obama and a $6 trillion increase in debt. That is leadership failure, in Obama’s own words.

Today, millions of Americans are out of work and 14 percent are underemployed in Obama’s economy. Obama is standing on the neck of prosperity with oppressive government regulations, restrictions on energy development, higher taxes, and more. Gas has doubled, food stamp use is up dramatically and despite his Pollyannaish attitude, things are not great.

Obama refuses to compromise on any issue. He spends his time campaigning and finger pointing because he does not have the skill or expertise to lead. We can do much better.

Gary Ellis

Cedar Rapids