Perspectives from Elkhart: President Obama's Visit is a Dubious Honor

Elkhart, Indiana, is a city of just over 50,000 people. Over its history, it's had a few key industries, but none so important as trailer and RV manufacturing that has been recently devastated by high gas prices and lack of credit for people still willing to buy. It's a city of hard-working, salt-of-the-earth types, most of whom vote Republican. It's middle America at its best and its worst. And it's not so very different from cities of its size all over the country. 

Most significantly, at least as relates to the President's first town hall meeting, Elkhart has seen its unemployment rate rise from around 5% in December of 2007 to around 15% today. So, now the people of Elkhart now wonder: How many more jobs will be lost? How will they take care of their families? Will the economy improve? Can they make it until it does?

I live about a half-hour from Elkhart, and my city's economic well being is entwined with that of Elkhart's and of every city and town in the surrounding area. Almost every day, I hear of someone else who has lost their job--a husband, a mother, a sister-in-law. People in my own family are struggling. Food banks are depleted and aid services have been cut.

When I was knocking on doors for the President during the campaign and people asked me why I was supporting him, I would tell them that for too long, politicians in Washington have been fighting over stuff like flag burning and abortion, preferring gridlock to action, while those of us living in the middle of the country are languishing. Our schools are failing, our infrastructure is falling, and we're losing economic ground every day. I am voting for Barack Obama, I told them, because he envisions a government that puts aside the petty bickering and gamesmanship and works for the people. I am voting for Barack Obama because he knows what it's like to live the life that we are living. He understands the things that matter to us.

Today, the President came to Elkhart because it boasts the highest unemployment rate in the country, triple what is was just a year ago. He came to Elkhart to make the point that outside of Washington, we are no longer simply languishing. We are in real trouble. And if the government does not help us, we may not weather the storm. 

At this point, it looks like a recovery bill is going to make it to the President's desk, but it will be no thanks to the majority of Republicans who are still playing the same tired games, starting disingenious fights over tiny provisions in the bill in an attempt to turn public opinion to their side only so they can weaken the President and gain political leverage. 

It would be nice to know that we had national leaders in both parties who cared more about the plight of average Americans than they did winning points. But at least we've got one. One who understands what is happening far away from Washington and is doing his damnedest to make it better.