One year ago the American voters chose hope over fear. Chose intelligence over mockery of intelligence. Chose a diplomacy-first foreign policy over a bomb-first and ask questions later foreign policy.

Chose a presidential candidate who told us, yes we can, instead of no we can't. One year later under the leadership of the current administration and support from many in Congress and in the private sector we can say, yes we did to many things.

Due to the passage of a strong recovery and economic stimulation package our economy has stabilized and avoided a second economic depression. Yes we did.

The current administration has kept it's promise on Iraq and is bringing and end to American entanglement there. Yes we did.

We can now look one another in the eye and know that we no longer live in a nation whose political leadership authorizes torture. Yes we did.

Under the leadership of the current administration health care reform is closer than ever. Solving health care is a tough problem but so was going to the moon, developing the atomic bomb, surviving a civil war and defeating the British to give birth to our nation. Most other industrialized nations have solved health care... and we can too. I suggest looking at the Singapore solution.

The Department of Justice has been restored to being the third branch of government and not the personal lawyers for the White House. Yes we did.

We now have an administration who believes in science. Who recognizes the importance of education especially in the critical areas such as math, science, engineering and technology. The 20th century was an American century. The 21st century does not have to be, but it can be and there will be nothing more important to our nation's success this century that the quality of our educational system. I would actually like to see the Department of Education renamed to the Department of Preparation with an emphasis on a much closer connection and association between the educational system and industry and the private sector.

Under the leadership of the current administration we now live in a nation that is once again admired and respected by the international community. We now live in a nation that has respect for international law and treaties. Yes we did.

We now live in a nation with an administration who believes in conserving and preserving our environment. Yes we did.

The next three years will continue to bring historical progress for America and hopefully the American voters will be wise enough on November 6th, 2012 to give give these guys another four years to continue to repair the widespread damage done to America from the Executive Branch from 2001 through 2008.

But for now we can look back over the past year and in so many areas say... YES WE DID!

-- cross posted to Steve Everett Blog .com