GOP election will turn back the clock

“We always overestimate the change that will occur in the next two years and underestimate the change that will occur in the next 10. Don't let yourself be lulled into inaction." Bill Gates.

Mr. Gates' quote probably wasn't directed to Democrats, independents and moderate Republicans but, hopefully, they will heed his words on Nov. 2. Many of the 69 million Americans who voted for a new direction in 2008 are impatient with the accomplishments of the first two years, even though more landmark legislation has passed in this Congress than in any Congress in the past 40 years. We “overestimated the change that could occur in only two years.

Can you remember what America was like in November, 2000? A lot has changed since then, and not much for the better. We “underestimated the change that would occur after almost a decade with a Republican administration.

The election coming up is critical to our future. If Republicans take over the House or Senate, they will turn back the clock at least a decade. They have demonstrated no willingness to help solve problems in the past two years, and “pledge to stall any future progress if returned to the majority.

President Obama's administration deserves a Congress more concerned with helping middle class Americans than helping big business and the richest 2 percent of us. Remember, the Republicans did not inherit a mess when they won the election in 2000. They were handed a budget surplus, and the jobs situation was very healthy.

Democrats, independents and moderate Republicans need to get out and vote for Democratic candidates to continue the change that began on Nov. 4, 2008.

Send Peter Roskam, Judy Biggert and Mark Kirk home to Illinois. Send Ben Lowe, Scott Harper, Bill Foster, Debbie Halvorson and Alexi Giannoulias to Washington, D.C.

Diane Niesman

Wheaton