by Ash Cutchin

I finally took Chuck Lilly’s advice (“‘2016:’ Obama’s America a documentary everyone should see,” Oct. 24) and went to see the movie “2016.”

I understand it is now available as an online download, and I encourage everyone to watch it.

Although nothing in it really surprised me, it is encouraging to learn that I am not such a rarity, being one who thinks Mr. Obama, as president, is in a position way, way beyond his ability.

I think the first debate with Gov. Romney proved beyond a doubt that Obama has virtually no leadership skills, a trait everyone should have been able to determine from his voting record as an Illinois state representative. I think he voted “present” on nearly every roll call vote.

What we have seen during the past four years is that he likes to play golf, take vacations, and he reads from a teleprompter reasonably well. Some say he is a great orator, but I don’t think he does such a good job unless he is reading from a prepared script.

We have also seen that his prior community organizer experience prepared him to bulldoze his way around Washington. With the support of a Democratic-controlled Senate and his handpicked “Czars,” unfortunately he has accomplished much of his 2008 campaign promise of hope and change.

Except, of course, he has not come close to living up to his promises of transparency in government or cutting the federal deficit in half. Both of those empty promises are a joke.

It is disturbing that many Americans, perhaps even a majority of Americans, do not like the change he has brought us and like even less what he might be able to cram down our throats if he is re-elected. Please pray that the Democrats lose control of the Senate and keep the House.

I accept the fact that Mr. Obama inherited a mess. During most of his term, he went to great lengths to blame everything on Bush. What he has failed to mention, however, is that during George Bush’s last two years in office, Bush was saddled with a Democratic-controlled Congress … both House and Senate.

While Bush was warning Congress several times (17 times I believe) that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac were in trouble, Democrats like Chris Dodd and Barney Frank were busy telling the American public that both of those government-supported enterprises were in fine shape. At the same time, Dodd, Frank and then-Senator Obama were the largest recipients of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac campaign contributions.

Why do government-supported enterprises need to make campaign contributions anyway? And another thing that Obama fails to tell us is that Bush did very little without the approval of Congress — a Congress of which Obama was a member.

I am very worried about the future of our country. I worry about the huge, almost unimaginable amount of debt we are passing along to our children and grandchildren. It is something like $16 trillion and growing by millions every day. Isn’t that 16 followed by 12 zeros?

Do you realize that a trillion is a million million, and we owe 16, much of it to foreigners. If there are 300 million of us in this country, that means every man, woman and child’s share of this huge national debt is about $53,000.

If the past four years are any indication of what we can expect under another four years of Obama, it will likely double. Think about it. We might soon be passing along to our children and their children maybe $100,000 of debt each. And, sad to say, with his admitted preference for “redistribution,” he will likely try to place the greatest burden of this debt on those of us who actually pay taxes, thereby increasing our “fair share” even more.

How is it fair that I pay thousands each year in taxes and some people actually receive money from the government? That debt is not even counting what our grandchildren will have to spend on education, housing, and taking care of their families. That is only their share of what they will owe to our creditors.

We have seen what such massive government spending and the accompanying debt can create by observing Greece and other European countries. We will have rioting in the streets like we have never seen if we do not bring our national debt situation under control and SOON.

I wonder if such a threat is the reason Obama is organizing the new National Community Service volunteers under the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

So far, Mr. Obama has shown us that he has no grasp of the debt situation, and in fact, he has worsened it by about $5 trillion. I read that his policies have created more debt than all the presidents who preceded him.

Gov. Romney is right. We cannot afford another four years of Obama and his cronies and their agenda. I repeat a meaningful message I received via email this week. Reelecting Obama would be like the Titanic backing up and then hitting the iceberg again!

And if that isn’t bad enough, here is one more thought. One or more Supreme Court Justices may retire soon. Can you imagine Eric Holder sitting on the Supreme Court?

ASH CUTCHIN  is a Courtland resident and owner of Ash Cutchin Real Estate Appraisals, and can be reached at ashappraz@charter.net.