Obama should fight earmarks in budget

I voted for Mr. Obama and I gave money to his campaign. I did not, however, lay palm fronds in his path on the way to the presidency as did some of his supporters. Some of his first moves have been laudable attempts to dig us out of the swamp that his predecessors dug for the economy. We'll have to wait and see if they work.

We want the President to succeed because if he does, we do.

The latest polls (a measure of something but no one save Merlin himself can tell us exactly what) seem to indicate that the populace is pleased with Mr. Obama, so far, and are willing to go along with the measures he has proposed to drain the swamp.

Now, on the issue of the federal budget and earmarked projects, he's about to test those polls by deviating from what got him there in the first place.

The question for our President is: What are you thinking? Will you ever have a better opportunity to demonstrate in a very clear way that yours is truly a new way of governing? Do you really think this spending measure is worthy of the promises you made to the electorate about shaking things up in Washington? Do you think that the people who elected you will turn a blind eye if you abandon the principles you so eloquently enunciated during your campaign? It remains to be seen what havoc you will cause with your poll numbers with this action (or should we call it inaction).

I, for one, don't like the way you're handling this issue and I hope you change your mind. Do what you told us you would do. We elected you to lead and this isn't leadership. Ducking the bully only delays the inevitable fight. But what do I know? I'm just a guy.

Tony Lombardo

Arlington Heights