A dictator wouldn’t admit a mistake

To the editor:

I'm incredulous when people say President Barack Obama is a dictator. The definition of a dictator is 'a ruler with total power over a country, typically one who has obtained power by force.” If Obama had total power, the conservative element in Congress would not have been able to stymie many of his legislative goals. He would have taken over the presidency using military force. He was duly elected. Twice.

Something is seriously amiss when members of a political party say that they'll do everything in their power to make our president fail and when Rep. Joe Wilson calls Obama a liar on national television as the president addresses Congress. Where is the respect for the office of president? There is nothing wrong with disliking a president, but let's be civil in our dislike.

Much has been made of Obama's low approval ratings. Here's some perspective. Every president since JKF has had lower ratings at some point in his term in office than Obama. The younger of the two Bushes had the lowest rating at 19 percent. Obama's lowest so far has been 39 percent. Yes, he has made mistakes. Every president does. Obama has the courage to admit his in public. In fact, he did so again in his State of the Union address. A dictator would never admit a mistake.

Presidents are rated on the state of the economy. Remember Clinton's 'It's the economy, stupid.”? Where's our economy now? Healthy and growing. What's Obama's current rating? Forty-four percent.

Lawrence L. Rettig

South Amana