To those who are disillusioned

Sid Morginstin of Bordentown Township
To the editor:
   In 2008 I saw many high school and college students and other young folks working for the election of Barack Obama. They were very idealistic. Now they are disillusioned. This letter is for them.
   Your idealism is to be admired. I was the same way when I started in politics working in the George McGovern Presidential campaign in 1972. One thing that was not properly explained to you is that idealism runs smack into the brick wall of reality.
   The reality is that in government one does not always get 100 percent of what they want.
   Not everything that is promised on the campaign trail gets done. In the real world of government, there is always compromise. The proponent of an idea may not get it all. Not all sides of an issue agree in everything. Compromise is essential; it is how things get done.
   At times, some ideas and plans presented in a campaign sound very good. However, when they are looked at more closely it may happen that the idea would just not work or be too difficult to implement.
   You need to look at the whole picture. In 2009 when Obama took office, the United States was on a steep decline — both domestically and overseas. The situation was far worse than imagined. Obama had to first, and foremost, stop the bleeding and then start on the long road to recovery.
   Progress has been made. Yes, it is slow. But the USA is recovering. Things are better now than in January 2009.
   After 40 years in politics, my advice to the idealists of 2008 is to continue your idealism but face reality. That reality is that if Obama is defeated all of the gains made in the last four years will be in danger. Though he is far from perfect, I believe that his re-election would be far better for the country than his defeat. And perhaps, you will get more of what you wanted in 2008.
Sid Morginstin
Bordentown Township