This summer has seen criticisms of our president.

First, he was criticized for not taking more responsibility for the Gulf of Mexico oil spill and now for his summer vacations.

Many people are quick to jump to conclusions and assume the worst.  The president has continued to work even while he has been vacationing.  His job is not one with a time sheet.

His involvement in the environmental after-math from the spill has been great and I find little to criticize.

He chose to make a point by vacationing in the Gulf, showing that our beaches are still safe.

In a CNN.com article, Stephen Leatherman, a professor at Florida International University in Miami who puts together an annual list of America’s best beaches, said, “Absolutely, I want him to take his shirt off and get in the water and show it is clean and safe, he said.  There is no better symbol than the president of the United States showing us the way.”

Many people this summer chose to go elsewhere or cancel their Gulf Coast vacations simply because of the possibility of oil on the beaches, but president Obama made sure the news caught wind of his vacation and showed him and his daughter swimming in the ocean.

I was on the Gulf Coast around the same time Obama took his vacation and there was no talk of oil in the water.

From the tourist standpoint, Gulf shore life has changed very minimally—besides the decline of visitors this year.

Many chose to point fingers at Obama for taking more than one vacation this summer, but I see it as a good thing.

Besides showing our country that the Gulf Coast is safe, Obama is showing how important family is.

Even when you are the busiest man in the country, it is important to take a time-out from life and enjoy the people you love the most.

CNN recently reported on Obama’s beach vacation stating, “a photo was published on the White House Flickr page showing a smiling President Obama and his daughter Sasha taking a dip in the gulf waters off Alligator Point in Panama City Beach, Florida.”

They continue to say, “No reporters or press cameras were present for the swim, but the image will nonetheless send a message that the White House has saught to convey with the families first trip: the Gulf Coast is open for business.”

Obama and his family also spent 10 days in Martha’s Vineyard towards the end of August.

They spent a lot of time indoors, playing board games together due to rainy weather, showing their support for an American value that many take for granted from time to time—simple family time.

While some choose to constantly criticize the president about his every move, I think we could all look a little deeper and take his actions as those of someone who cares for the country and its people.

So many people today look at the negative actions of the president, but past generations always respected the president.

It seems most of the news today focuses solely on the president’s negative actions rather than his positive actions.

We would all live happier if we chose to look at the glass as half-full rather than half empty, especially if we were to apply that thinking to the way we view our government.

I truly believe they do the best they can and represent our desires and needs as accurately as possible.

Our governmental system is the best and has been for hundreds of years and I think if more people came to trust those in charge, a lot more would get done and we would all live more positively.

The president’s vacations this summer were met with negative feedback, but I hope most of our country can appreciate his dedication to his family.

Without family systems like the president’s, our country would not have been able to function the way it has for hundreds of years.

The family structure is part of the backbone of this country and should be respected and appreciated.