What's the fastest-moving object in America? Possibly a Democratic Senator who is up for reelection in a red state running away from President Obama. Mary Landrieu of Louisiana, Mark Pryor of Arkansas, and many other Democrats want the president to steer clear of their states, although they'll gladly accept some of the cash he raises from those dastardly one-percenters in New York and Hollywood.
But it's not just President Obama they're running from, it's also his vision of a massive federal government. There has long been a civil war in America that is really an un-civil debate about whether to trust the feds. Right now there's little doubt as to who is winning. According to a recent Pew survey, only 19% of Americans trust the federal government to do what is right at least "most of the time." 19%! More Americans are unaware that the Earth revolves around the Sun, but that's a sad story for another time.
The nation was once solidly in President Obama's corner. His approval rating hovered at around 70% after his initial election. Americans looked forward to better times under a young and dynamic leader. But that was then. The president's approval now sits at around 40%.
The biggest factor is President Obama's health care reform, which was recently described as a contraption that could have been built by Rube Goldberg. The only thing is, Goldberg himself could not have created such a convoluted mess of subsidies, regulations, and perverse incentives. ObamaCare has actually harmed many of the very people it was intended to help.
Conservative Americans, almost 40% of the population, have always been outraged at Obama's expansionist policies. The right simply does not trust the president and never will. Liberals, about 20% of the folks, are standing by their man; they want a huge federal presence to dictate who gets what in health care and they love the idea of income redistribution.
But it is the other 40% of Americans, mainly independents, who have lost faith. Most Americans are not hardcore ideologues and were willing to give the president a chance. But with the economy still causing massive pain, with health care in chaos, many of those independent folks have simply given up on "hope and change."
Look for President Obama to try and change the subject. He'll soon be flying around the world to Europe, Saudi Arabia, Asia, and back to Europe. Along the way he'll probably warn about "climate change," which is now being blamed for pretty much every drought, flood, typhoon, and blizzard.
There has indeed been a drastic "climate change," but it has nothing to do with the temperature. There is a climate of distrust in America when it comes to their leaders in Washington. President Obama didn't cause it all by himself, but the failures of his big-government vision have alienated millions.
You've all heard the adage: Trust, once lost, is difficult to regain. It was originally written about individuals, but it is just as applicable to the trust we place in our leaders and our government. For many Americans, that trust is gone ... possibly forever.
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