Although I am a Republican and former Jasper County party chairman, during the campaign for president I looked hard at both candidates. John McCain is rebel who has a long record of being against the legal graft that goes on in Washington. Barack Obama was inexperienced, but had a strong record as a reformer and idealist.

Where exactly did Obama's leadership ability go? Based on his history, I expected him to strongly endorse universal Medicare as the best way to control cost and ensure coverage, a single-payer system that covers everyone like in every other democracy. Wow, was I ever wrong. He dumped reform in Congress' lap. He just sat back and watched the good ol' boys procrastinate.

Now, he has finally come up with the general framework of a confusing "Chinese menu" reform plan. Instead of being a visionary, he has become just another cynical politician asking: What can I get through Congress to make me re-electable?

No, President Obama is not the antichrist that the fanatics in my party believe him to be. But he is not the passionate, creative idealist and tough reformer that progressives thought he was, either.

Jack Bernard, Monticello