An Open Letter To President Obama

[LowriseMinis]

So I'll ask again, since it wasn't addressed: Why do we have people in this country dying because they can't afford health care?

This is not the mark of a great nation.

 

[tagalong]

You few that only seem to show up when there is a political discussion really make it hard to come back to these forums.

Hmmm... how completely dismissive of the opinions of others.

I post in other threads and always have - for many years - even before this incarnation of the forum- as have many others whose opinions you seem to feel should not be heard or considered. So you may only take part if you have the "right" opinion? It takes a a variety of opinions to make a discussion - not just a long series of people that agree with each other. How dull - and frightening - that would be...

People who need good medical care and can afford to seek it here in the USA DO vs. waiting time on end for their "turn" in their own countries' medical systems.

And equally, many Americans go elsewhere to seek medical care - as a friend of mine recently did to use a brilliant surgeon in Vancouver. That's B.C. (Canada), not Washington. Go figure. I know that does not fit with the long-established storyline... but there you go. And no - it was not elective surgery or a sex change.

I have lived under two different Health Care systems - or lack thereof. I have seen what works and what doesn't. I have LIVED it. I am in debt for the skin cancer treatments I have had to undergo here... because I could not pay the extravagant health insurance premiums required (and high deductibles) that would have covered it. If you can afford it, you are fine. Not all of us can. I pay what I can afford - and it covers virtually nothing when it comes to those treatments. So telling me that everything here is fine and dandy and one should not criticize health care in any way.. is not going to go over well. The nest egg I had - is gone. My security - is gone. And you can pooh pooh and sneer at that all you like - but it will not change the facts...

 

[AppyLover2]

Does "support" means total agreement with anything he does?? There isn't a darned thing we peons can do to control or change his actions. The best we can do is let it be known when we disagree with something we feel is wrong.

Having been in the military for 25 years I've got to say that it's rare indeed to hear anyone in uniform saying anything derogatory about the President. If we didn't agree with him we merely kept our mouths shut. It's all a part of the President being the Commander In Chief of our military personnel. And in all reality, it just isn't smart, if you're wearing a military uniform, to sit around criticizing the President (whoever he may be).

As far as the 3rd grade teacher's letter is concerned.....evidently she didn't write it. BUT somebody did and whoever it was made (IMO) some very valid points.

Kay I don't think the issue is so much that he hasn't turned around 8 years of ruin in 6 months but that he's adding to the problems and creating new ones.

 

[Bassett]

So I'll ask again, since it wasn't addressed: Why do we have people in this country dying because they can't afford health care?

Silly question. We also have people dying who have excellent medical attention.

 

[HGFarm]

It's been MUCH more than 8 years to 'ruin' this country. It started back when laws were being changed to allow all the overseas jobs and other things. Through the years things have been changed and moved around, and nobody said a word because the corporations were getting fat. Now the steak is gone and the corporations are going under, but the government thinks it's ok to bail them out? To me, this is just postponing the inevitable. What will they do next year, when people here still have no homes, no jobs, etc.... Is the government going to continue to keep them afloat while they continue to slash jobs here and send them overseas?

What is the current government doing to help all the small business owners that are going under on a daily basis?!! For the big companies being 'overtaxed'? They will just continue to move overseas! There are currently huge tax incentives for these corporations to LEAVE the U.S.- and they are- in droves. There is no incentive for them to stay.

With America being one of the 'wealthiest' countries in the world that supports a lot of the world trade, what is going to happen when we can't do that any more? (Oh oops, too late! We can't!) If the economy here continues to sink, much of the rest of the world will sink with it.

But that was already mentioned in the letter:

"You scare me because you want to kill the American capitalist goose that lays the golden egg which provides the highest standard of living in the world."

Look at the layoffs in China, by the thousands the last few months... also the Brazilians in Japan, etc..... If we can't afford to buy, they can't afford to stay in business either. Walmart sales worldwide had fallen by 10% and they were going to lay off about 10,000 China employees. (There are 227 stores there)

This huge mess does not just affect us here, it is hitting worldwide, and continuing to send jobs overseas is not helping.

No, none of this is going to be fixed in six months. It has been created over the last two or three decades and I see NO one attempting to right it.... just add to it, and the mess is getting bigger. Unemployment and forclosures continue to rise. The unemployment rates are hitting time highs but that is only based on the stats by people qualified to actually collect it, it doesnt count all the ones who no longer can or didnt qualify to begin with.

There are just too many things I see that I dont like about this administration, but everyone is so convinced that it was Bush who made this mess all by himself that they can't see what was not only going on before that, but don't want to see what is going on now either.

Just my opinion...............

 

[kaykay]

There are a lot of people out there with cancer going especially to Germany for treatments they cant get here. Unfortunately only the wealthy can afford it. My sister so wanted to go there when she was fighting her cancer battle. Their cancer patients over there live much longer then here

Appy I was just replying to a post here that said our troops dont support Obama. Now my poll was very informal but thought I would ask my son just to see what his and his buddies think.

We have been very affected by what is going on (my entire family in fact) but do I blame Obama?? No but I do pray he and others can get this turned around soon. Its not just our President that has to get this country going again its everyone working together. Republicans, Democrats, financial heads etc etc.

I do know we all better come together and stop going against each other! This country does not need more division

Added: I do agree its more then 8 years of mess to clean up!

Kay

 

[loveminis]

Look at the total MESS Obama has walked into. A complete and utter disaster thanks to Bush and the Republicans. Obabma has only been in office 6 months, he deserves a chance. I don't care about a "letter" some nimrod has written, it is only his opinion.

Time will tell.

 

[Bassett]

Time will tell.

You got that right. And it's not taking long. It's already telling much more that a lot of us like.

 

[Danielle_E.]

You scare me because you did not spend the formative years of youth growing up in America and culturally you are not an American.

Barack Obama was born in 1961 and he lived in Indonesia from 1967 to 1971, so from the age of 6 to the age of 10 and because of this such a stupid statement was made

I wonder if any american military families who are stationed outside of the U.S. for lets say from the age of 6 to 10 of a child they have and who goes on to serve his country in the military, if this bumbling fool would have the audacity to say such a thing to that individual or his parents and say he or she is not "culturally" an American so yes I say it again, it smacks of a racist and bigotted remark in this case, full of hatred and contempt and it's not pretty. I wonder if he thinks the same of any military personel who was perhaps not born in the U.S. but are now American citizen and who bravely serve THEIR country to keep all of you safe, wonder if he would be as flippant to make such an assinine remark about those American citizens,

.

With the pure venom this has been penned I am surprised you have given the man 6 months before crucifying him. Unbelievable and mind boggling this mentality that this author is spewing. Reminds me of the Pied Piper.....

 

[Jill]

Time will tell.

You got that right. And it's not taking long. It's already telling much more that a lot of us like.

How true that is!!! The reality is becoming pretty clear and more and more people are joining those of us who already get it.

 

[CharlesFamily]

I know many here don't know me, but I had to weigh in on this discussion from someone who has not jumped into this fight before. I voted for Bush - twice. I felt he was the best one for the job given the other options that we had. I've often felt that voting is "for the lesser of the two evils." I haven't had a lot of faith in any of the options we've been given.

I've always been a staunch Republican as that party seemed to mirror most of my own beliefs. However, last year I voted for Obama. And I'd do it again. I really, really tried to find a reason to vote for what had always been my party - but they just never gave me one. I grew so tired of the hate mongering and the fear mongering that was going on. They NEVER came up with one original idea to help our country that was already diving into this recession. The recession did NOT start with Obama - he inherited this mess. I grew so tired of tuning in to watch speeches by McCain and Palin only to hear them emphasizing their opponents' name, "Barack HUSSEIN Obama" like just by carrying that name he was the anti-Christ. All they continually did was stir up fear about what would happen if Obama was elected - very rarely did they address what good they could do if they were elected. So I chose to vote for the man who had a plan. At least he had a direction he wanted to take this country, and I agreed with a lot of those plans. The only plans the Republican party had to offer were the same ones that hadn't worked the previous 8 years.

This country is in a mess - and our entire government is a mess. I feel we need to be turning our eyes more to Congress than to the person who is currently the President. There needs to be so much Congressional reform before this country can regain its status as the leader of the World. This country was built on the backs of the working middle class - and that is who is going to turn this country around.

We cannot sit around and wait for our leaders, whomever they are, to change it. Change will start with us. We need to make smarter choices within our own situation. We can't change the national debt - but we can take charge of our personal debt. Our society has become a quick-change, disposable society. If you don't like it - get rid of it. If it's too hard - just quit. Our entire mindset as a country needs to change. It's going to take a lot of hard work and sacrifice to make our country great again.

Trickle-down economics do not work as I am seeing it. The truly wealthy (not just those who were living above their means) are not being affected by this recession one little bit. In fact, they just stand to make more money when we pull up. They're buying stocks and real estate at rock bottom prices and the market will recover and they'll make a killing. The people who are suffering are the middle class workers who had invested retirement savings and those were wiped out. They don't have the time or the money to rebuild. The rich are making money on the backs of the poor and it is outrageous and time someone put a stop to it.

We need to stop being complacent and looking for the next person to come along to "fix it." WE ARE THE PEOPLE WHO CAN FIX THIS! We have to start holding our elected officials responsible starting with our city councilmen and women right up to our congressmen and women. President Obama may have a lot of ideas, but not many of them can be implemented without congressional support, yet few people even know who their representatives are! The working middle class is the largest class in this country. If we decide to start working for a change - we can do it! And we need to quit being a country divided by party and start working together. That means listening to both sides. Not all of the ideas Democrats have are liberal, socialist ideas that are going to bring this country to its knees. And not all of the ideas Republicans have are conservative, old money, protect the wealthy ideas that are going to keep us in this recession.

I love this country, and feel amazingly blessed to live here. I think when everyone starts reclaiming their responsibility for making this country great - it will be again.

Barbara

 

[Carriage]

Look at the total MESS Obama has walked into. A complete and utter disaster thanks to Bush and the Republicans. Obabma has only been in office 6 months, he deserves a chance. I don't care about a "letter" some nimrod has written, it is only his opinion. Time will tell.

"Bush and the republicans" only played their choreographed part just like the current crew is doing.

Another post specified these problems going back 2 or 3 decades. This statement is correct only in part. You can pick several points of genesis going back to the revolution. From a constitutional perspective, the anything but cival war and the "creation" of the fed. and "income tax" are HUGE way points and dramatic departures from Constitutional/Common law. But there are also MANY more.

I would agree with the above posters sentiment IF we had a president that was "upholding the Constitution against all enemies both foreign and domestic". Such is not nor has been the case since day one. Violating your oath even once is grounds for immediate dismissal and or impeachment. Handing complete control of your countries financial future to a private corp. that has systematically destroyed you financially and enslaved current and future generations

IS criminal and unconstitutional! ( "Give me control of a countries currency and I care not who makes the laws." Meyer Rothechild )

I wanted to keep this fairly topical and short and so will leave it there. It just still amazes me however, how many folk are STILL buying the peddlers wares (both repub and dem) in spite of

the increasingly obvious unlawful actions being taken by leadership right in their faces. However, it would be curious to see a poll of how many reps and dems have realized their long held folly and are now much more aligned with constitutional patriots? If the past 6 months haven't changed you to move in that direction, I couldn't fathom what would....

And in a turnabout is fair play kinda thing, the above poster wants their opinion heeded but doesn't care what the "nimrod" has to say. Nice......

 

[Sue_C.]

Barbara, you get a standing ovation from me.

Well thought out, and very well said.

I am a Canadian, and stay out of these political posts as "we" have in the past been told to basically shut-up

and keep out of them...but for ANYONE to seriously think that todays problems affecting the WORLD are Obama's fault and he is a failure after only a short six months in office...they just cannot be seriously that niave??

Come-ON people...

 

[Jill]

Sue --

I'm sure you've got me in mind. I'd like to just clarify that I've never told anyone here to "shut up". I have said that I personally have zero interest in the Canadian (British, African, Mexican, ETC.) perception of American politics. Since you brought it up, I'll go on and re-affirm that is how I still feel. Not a popular opinion here, but I'm hardly the only one who feels this way. It doesn't mean I don't think you have a right to express your opinion about our politics, it just means I probably won't be a part of your audience.

Jill

 

[Marylou]

Barbara, you said it all! Thank you! Finally a voice of reason. Bless you!

 

[Miniv]

Barbara,

You touched on some excellent valid points with your post. So often I see the answers to most of our problems by using moderation and I feel that is what you have pointed out.

You say that the largest segment of the population in this country is the "middle class".........EXCELLENT point. And it is this middle class that should band together and become a power! The politicians don't want people to wake up to this.

Ma---

 

[tagalong]

I'd like to just clarify that I've never told anyone here to "shut up".

Actually, Jill, to be fair... you have. Many times. To me and others. You may not have said those exact words but that is simply hiding behind semantics - your intent and meaning were very clear. You felt that I should just shut up and that my thoughts and opinions were not welcome or were laughable - even more so when you found out I was Canadian... even though I live here, pay my taxes and carry on day to day the same way you do. You tended to run roughshod over other posters who did not agree with you. No other opinions mattered. No other opinions were to be considered. We got that message Loud and Clear. I think you do not realize how strongly you have come across at times

...

Fortunately the threads that went that direction and got OTT were deleted and sucked into the void.

JMO - but declaring that a President is a failure and that the country is in ruins after only 6 months... after ignoring (or in some cases, condoning) the downward spiral of the last 8 years (yes, it started well before that but the last 8 years produced the steepest accumulation of debt than all other adminstrations combined) only serves to tear the US down - and not help build it up.

Barbara - that was a very well thought out post....

 

[Jill]

Oh boy

Anyone who thinks I don't know what I'm saying, or thinks that I don't mean to say exactly what I do, doesn't know me at all

I wish people would just think of how it looks from the outside when they see people like Rush, Hannity & and their many radical followers from the "party of NO", daily, tearing down the U.S.A. - It really makes me sad..

And I wish that our President would discontinue his worldwide apologizing for the U.S.A. - It really makes me, and a lot of others, mad

 

[LowriseMinis]

 

[tagalong]

Oh boy

Anyone who thinks I don't know what I'm saying, or thinks that I don't mean to say exactly what I do, doesn't know me at all

Well, I was trying to be nice about it - but if you want to own the past rudeness and sneering and embrace the contempt and disdain you have shown for many of us in the past (and seem to want to continue to do so) - so be it...

I tried.

Please explain to me how that HISTORY bumper sticker is in any way true - or even remotely supportive of the country in any way? Seriously?

Wow.