When Obama was elected, it was a huge step for our country. After all, he is the first man of color to be our president. He brought with him slogans of “Yes We Can” and “Change We Can Believe In” along with a whole lot of hope—hope that we desperately needed. But just as fast as he got the reputation of a modern day hero, that distinction was torn apart relentlessly.

Obama has been under a great deal of scrutiny from day one of his presidency—maybe even before that. From avid supporters, to those who claim he’s a do-nothing president—he has had his hands full not only with the affairs of our country, but also with those proclaiming his birth certificate is fake.

He came into office during a time when we were deeply in debt and embroiled in a war. But where are we four years later? Not far from where we started. Yet, I’m uncomfortable saying that he has done absolutely nothing. Obama didn’t spend four years in the Oval Office with his feet up on his desk counting the ceiling tiles. His four years were full of both triumph and failure, but ultimately, in spite of all the obstacles and oppositions he has faced, Obama has proven that he’s just not the change we need.

Right now, we’re still in debt, although not $1.75 trillion in debt— the amount Obama “inherited” from Bush. By the 2013 fiscal year, our nation’s debt is estimated to be about $641 billion, a change that speaks for itself. Obviously, the stimulus plan did something right. In addition, his foreign policy is something to be admired. By devastating al Qaeda’s leadership (most notably, by eliminating Osama bin Laden in May 2011), we’re on our way to definitively ending this war.

His actions toward race relations are also noteworthy. Obama never “preached” to the people but rather delivered his own brand of logic to the issue—and I think this was the right approach. On Henry Louis Gates Jr., a black Harvard professor arrested for supposedly “breaking in” to his own home, Obama stated that though he wasn’t aware of exactly what happened in Cambridge, the police had acted “stupidly.” He continued to explain that “there is a long history in this country of African-Americans and Latinos being stopped by law enforcement disproportionately,” expressing that issues of race were still prevalent in the United States.

Despite all this, I feel that the most admirable characteristics in our nation’s leader shouldn’t be what he stands for—it should be his actions. Obama’s done good, but maybe just not enough of it.

Much of what Obama promised before he came to office didn’t come to pass.  He promised a change in environmental policy by means of a cap and trade system that would reduce emissions of certain products (such as carbon dioxide). But the funds to implement this system weren’t upheld by Congress, not the president.

Obama’s health insurance reform also didn’t serve its primary function. Too many already rely on Medicare and Medicaid. Furthermore, these numbers will continue to grow exponentially by means of rising unemployment, baby boomers getting to be “that age” and a whole slew of other factors. For us, this means the financial burden will be piling on at an alarming rate.

Whatever your affiliation, it is obvious that Romney is a successful businessman—his net worth alone proves that. He has the experience and knowledge needed to get us out of the gutter. Despite his disconnect from middle class America, I can safely say that the guy knows what he’s doing.

In the end, this election comes down to two men: one—obviously knowledgeable, someone who explores each issue thoroughly, yet, if his first four years are any indication, has trouble translating his ideas into a format that would truly affect us. The second isn’t as relatable, and may not be interesting as our current president—if the “Saturday Night Live” skits are anything to go by—but his ideas are more realistic. They are by no means perfect, but can nonetheless be implemented in our society and make the greatest impact for the most people.