Barack Obama captured the imagination of our country with his positive message of HOPE and CHANGE. He promised to do away with the influence of lobbyists and have a transparent Administration. He called for a new era of bi-partisanship and promised to be a UNITER not a divider. The voters bought it. Obama won a sweeping election and entered the oval office with the goodwill of voters across the political spectrum. Since then, Obama has faced a steady downward spiral in his poll numbers. In most polls he is now at or below 50% in his job approval rating and in his handling of the economy. Approval of his health care plan has fallen to 48%. The suggested reasons for the most precipitous fall in Presidential poll numbers since Ford pardoned Nixon are numerous. Some have suggested Obama has tried to do too much, too soon and too fast. Others have blamed the economy. Republicans have been blamed for being too negative. Some have blamed racism. What is clear in all the public opinion surveys is that Obama has lost the all important Independent voter. They have shifted from overwhelming support to negative. It could be that Obama's change in style is responsible. He has gone from being a UNITER to a DIVIDER. And, Independents don't like it. In the past few months Obama has attacked cops for "acting stupidly." Attacked Republicans for "lying about my health care plan." Accused insurance companies of "jerking people around" and doctors of making money by doing unnecessary procedures. He has branded CEOs and Wall Street as greedy. He has criticized the thousands, speaking out at public forums on health care, as "getting in the way of a civilized debate." His new rhetoric and criticism of cable TV isn't selling. He is so over exposed on TV and radio that he has become little more than elevator music. Obama's loss of the Independent voters will cost him dearly in the coming elections. Republicans are ahead in the Governors contests this year in both Virginia and New Jersey. Senator Harry Reid, a close Obama liberal ally, is 10 points down in his Nevada re-election campaign. Polls are showing similar numbers in Senate campaigns in Connecticut, Pennsylvania and California. Obama is an effective campaigner. However, even with one-sided majorities in both the House and Senate, he has not yet shown that he is able to govern well. That takes more than firing up a partisan crowd to cheer a speech read from a teleprompter. Most presidents are judged on what they DO, not on what they say they'll do. So far the Obama Administration has not been lobbyist free, bi-partisan, transparent or effective. Ken Rietz lives in Delaplane VA.