Dear President Obama,
Today was a difficult day; a day of sickness over the tax cut horror you have perpetrated on the American people. It kept going through my mind: "we, the little people, counted on you and you have forsaken us. You bastard."
But then later on today I was talking to a friend. She said that her father told her more and more people are sleeping in their cars in Walmart parking lots and it suddenly dawned on me. I realized what your plan is! The ultra rich are the key, aren't they?! I mean, the government can't very well go out to all the Walmart parking lots, right?! So, like Santa's little helpers, the millionaire and billionaire beneficiaries of your tax cut plan are going to sneak about at night, leaving $100 bills under windshield wipers for the homeless who are sleeping in their cars. Right?! Oh, you are clever not to let on what you plan. I have to commend you for the fabulous idea to help the nation's neediest at their hour of greatest need.
Hopefully, one of these days, we'll all be able to return the favor to you.
Sincerely,
Belle
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
Monday, December 6, 2010
Dear President Obama,
I know I haven't been writing lately, but it's not because I have changed my opinion about your performance. It's just that I was getting tired of repeating myself. Really, if you weren't affecting my life and the lives of my family with your lack of spinal fortitude, I would much rather not even think about how pathetic your performance is. And that begs the question: don't you get tired of being a spineless wimp? Don't you disgust yourself? Or do you still think that it's everyone else that doesn't get it?
So that brings us to today. Do I understand right? Jobless benefits and tax cuts for the very rich? WTF?!?!? Remember that deficit? How is the country going to pay for the jobless benefits without the extra tax revenue? Too bad Nancy Pelosi isn't president.
There seems to be a fundamental piece of your education missing, so perhaps I should fill you in a little. I've been talking to the kids about this, too, so you can just come along for the lesson, if you will. In the US, we have system of checks and balances in more ways than one. Yes, there's the official governmental version, but that's not the only one there is, nor is it the most important. You know how it is with the US public, right? Or maybe not. There's the far right and the far left. They kind of balance one another out. Then there's the rest of the population in what is basically the middle. There's a cyclical thing going on here, and the pendulum of power swings right and left. Have you ever watched a grandfather clock? Have you ever noticed that the pendulum never sits in the middle while the clock is running? This is an important concept. You need to play your part to keep the pendulum moving properly. You aren't supposed to sit in the middle, you are supposed to swing your part of the pendulum to the left because you, Mr. Obama, are a Democrat. By definition, a Democrat is more liberal than a Republican. This is a good thing. You are supposed to fight the good fight for the people who aren't represented by the Republicans. That, in case you are wondering, is basically everyone in the US except the ultra rich. This does not mean that you will always win. On the contrary, the idea is to fight for too much, knowing all the while that you won't win it all. At the end of the day, at the end of the fight, you will get some portion of it, and that's the only way that most of the population will end up with enough. The Republicans understand this. They always fight the good fight for corporate greed, the ultra rich and the rape of the planet. You, on the other hand, are supposed to take the opposite tack. If you do that, the pendulum will swing back and forth and stay fairly well averaged in the center. If, instead, you try to reach a "compromise" with the Republicans by giving them something right away, you pull the pendulum off too far to the right and you advance the Republican cause. What the Republicans are demanding is not reasonable, and they know it. But you just keep on giving it up to them when you should be countering with your own set of unreasonable demands. It's called "negotiation" and business people do it all the time. And really? I have to say that if I were sitting there as a Republican right now I'd be thinking "hmmmmm, that was easy. I should have demanded more. Next time I will."
I know this is making no difference whatsoever, but I had to say it. Unfortunately, you, President Obama, strike me as a megalomaniac who thinks he is always right and it's everyone else's problem. You are glib, patronizing, and dismissive, and you have a ridiculously high opinion of yourself.
In the end, if there's one concept that you should take away, it's this one: you cannot be all things to all people. Know who you are and what your role is, and play it. Understand where you want to end up and then fight for a goal that is unreasonably past that. You won't get to your loftier goal, but you will get to where you want and need to be. Be sure enough of yourself and your goal that you can stand it when people say that you've gone too far. Aim for the sun and you will reach the moon. As Michelangelo said: “The greater danger for most of us lies not in setting our aim too high and falling short; but in setting our aim too low, and achieving the mark.”
Sincerely,
Belle
I know I haven't been writing lately, but it's not because I have changed my opinion about your performance. It's just that I was getting tired of repeating myself. Really, if you weren't affecting my life and the lives of my family with your lack of spinal fortitude, I would much rather not even think about how pathetic your performance is. And that begs the question: don't you get tired of being a spineless wimp? Don't you disgust yourself? Or do you still think that it's everyone else that doesn't get it?
So that brings us to today. Do I understand right? Jobless benefits and tax cuts for the very rich? WTF?!?!? Remember that deficit? How is the country going to pay for the jobless benefits without the extra tax revenue? Too bad Nancy Pelosi isn't president.
There seems to be a fundamental piece of your education missing, so perhaps I should fill you in a little. I've been talking to the kids about this, too, so you can just come along for the lesson, if you will. In the US, we have system of checks and balances in more ways than one. Yes, there's the official governmental version, but that's not the only one there is, nor is it the most important. You know how it is with the US public, right? Or maybe not. There's the far right and the far left. They kind of balance one another out. Then there's the rest of the population in what is basically the middle. There's a cyclical thing going on here, and the pendulum of power swings right and left. Have you ever watched a grandfather clock? Have you ever noticed that the pendulum never sits in the middle while the clock is running? This is an important concept. You need to play your part to keep the pendulum moving properly. You aren't supposed to sit in the middle, you are supposed to swing your part of the pendulum to the left because you, Mr. Obama, are a Democrat. By definition, a Democrat is more liberal than a Republican. This is a good thing. You are supposed to fight the good fight for the people who aren't represented by the Republicans. That, in case you are wondering, is basically everyone in the US except the ultra rich. This does not mean that you will always win. On the contrary, the idea is to fight for too much, knowing all the while that you won't win it all. At the end of the day, at the end of the fight, you will get some portion of it, and that's the only way that most of the population will end up with enough. The Republicans understand this. They always fight the good fight for corporate greed, the ultra rich and the rape of the planet. You, on the other hand, are supposed to take the opposite tack. If you do that, the pendulum will swing back and forth and stay fairly well averaged in the center. If, instead, you try to reach a "compromise" with the Republicans by giving them something right away, you pull the pendulum off too far to the right and you advance the Republican cause. What the Republicans are demanding is not reasonable, and they know it. But you just keep on giving it up to them when you should be countering with your own set of unreasonable demands. It's called "negotiation" and business people do it all the time. And really? I have to say that if I were sitting there as a Republican right now I'd be thinking "hmmmmm, that was easy. I should have demanded more. Next time I will."
I know this is making no difference whatsoever, but I had to say it. Unfortunately, you, President Obama, strike me as a megalomaniac who thinks he is always right and it's everyone else's problem. You are glib, patronizing, and dismissive, and you have a ridiculously high opinion of yourself.
In the end, if there's one concept that you should take away, it's this one: you cannot be all things to all people. Know who you are and what your role is, and play it. Understand where you want to end up and then fight for a goal that is unreasonably past that. You won't get to your loftier goal, but you will get to where you want and need to be. Be sure enough of yourself and your goal that you can stand it when people say that you've gone too far. Aim for the sun and you will reach the moon. As Michelangelo said: “The greater danger for most of us lies not in setting our aim too high and falling short; but in setting our aim too low, and achieving the mark.”
Sincerely,
Belle
Wednesday, November 24, 2010
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
Dear President Obama,
I'm really really upset today. A dear friend of mine - one of the kindest bravest people in the world - finally has a diagnosis for the medical condition that has been plaguing her for years. But her husband just started a new job. He had to start a new job; he was cheated out of his sales bonus in his last job.
You know where I'm going with this, don't you?
My friend has a "pre-existing condition" and the new insurance is refusing to pay her treatment costs for at least 6 months. So, while she is at a crucial stage in treatment, and let me tell you that she is exhausted, she now is forced to fight the insurance company with what little energy she has. Did I mention that means her small ration of energy is not spent on her kids? That she is forced to go to work with a pic line in? That now she MUST work more to pay for the extra health care costs?
Please explain to me exactly HOW the health care initiative - the one that you tout as a great victory - helps my friend and people like her? Because honestly? I don't see it. What I do see is rates rising, insurers doing away with child only policies (thank the heavens for those when we couldn't afford our own insurance), and record insurance company profits.
But that's ok. You really don't need to tell me why. I know that it's because you needed "buy-in" from one of the foxes that was guarding the hen house. Oops. I mean the insurance industry. That really is an amazing approach, btw. Like asking someone who's been arrested for grand theft to decide their own punishment. I mean, how does a year of picking up trash on a beach in Tahiti sound? All expense-paid trip, of course, since it's a punishment leveled by the government.
Of course, you and your family have health insurance and I'm betting you are pretty sure you'll never be affected by all of this.
Don't be so sure. Things change, President Obama.
Sincerely,
Belle
I'm really really upset today. A dear friend of mine - one of the kindest bravest people in the world - finally has a diagnosis for the medical condition that has been plaguing her for years. But her husband just started a new job. He had to start a new job; he was cheated out of his sales bonus in his last job.
You know where I'm going with this, don't you?
My friend has a "pre-existing condition" and the new insurance is refusing to pay her treatment costs for at least 6 months. So, while she is at a crucial stage in treatment, and let me tell you that she is exhausted, she now is forced to fight the insurance company with what little energy she has. Did I mention that means her small ration of energy is not spent on her kids? That she is forced to go to work with a pic line in? That now she MUST work more to pay for the extra health care costs?
Please explain to me exactly HOW the health care initiative - the one that you tout as a great victory - helps my friend and people like her? Because honestly? I don't see it. What I do see is rates rising, insurers doing away with child only policies (thank the heavens for those when we couldn't afford our own insurance), and record insurance company profits.
But that's ok. You really don't need to tell me why. I know that it's because you needed "buy-in" from one of the foxes that was guarding the hen house. Oops. I mean the insurance industry. That really is an amazing approach, btw. Like asking someone who's been arrested for grand theft to decide their own punishment. I mean, how does a year of picking up trash on a beach in Tahiti sound? All expense-paid trip, of course, since it's a punishment leveled by the government.
Of course, you and your family have health insurance and I'm betting you are pretty sure you'll never be affected by all of this.
Don't be so sure. Things change, President Obama.
Sincerely,
Belle
Monday, November 15, 2010
Dear President Obama,
I don't understand something. Maybe you can help me out here.
Do you relate more to former President Clinton or Bush 43? I always really assumed it was Clinton, but here's where your actions really don't back that up. Here we are, two years into your presidency and I still feel like he's here.
Here's the thing, and I just had a discussion with my son about destruction that brings about creation, or creative destruction. Great innovation comes through the destruction of what is past. But you aren't destroying anything. You're barely scratching the surface. You sold us a bill of goods. I have to hand it to you; you're a great snake oil salesman. But you're an empty suit. A shell.
How do you build anew when the old system is still there? Yes, that means great upheaval. But honestly? That's what we need. Or are you going to wait until people get angry enough to storm the metaphoric bastille? You can't keep a lid on change. You can only subvert it for so long until it all bursts open. And then how do you control it? Amnesty International?
Think about it.
Sincerely,
Belle
I don't understand something. Maybe you can help me out here.
Do you relate more to former President Clinton or Bush 43? I always really assumed it was Clinton, but here's where your actions really don't back that up. Here we are, two years into your presidency and I still feel like he's here.
Here's the thing, and I just had a discussion with my son about destruction that brings about creation, or creative destruction. Great innovation comes through the destruction of what is past. But you aren't destroying anything. You're barely scratching the surface. You sold us a bill of goods. I have to hand it to you; you're a great snake oil salesman. But you're an empty suit. A shell.
How do you build anew when the old system is still there? Yes, that means great upheaval. But honestly? That's what we need. Or are you going to wait until people get angry enough to storm the metaphoric bastille? You can't keep a lid on change. You can only subvert it for so long until it all bursts open. And then how do you control it? Amnesty International?
Think about it.
Sincerely,
Belle
Friday, November 12, 2010
Dear President Obama,
You know how people are always saying that the only way to get a really good deal is to be willing to walk away from it if you don't get what you want?
Well, I think that applies to presidents, too.
I mean, think about it. The only way to be a really good president and actually fix our country is to forget about being re-elected. Because the more you wonder what everyone wants (especially Wall Street, banks and big business, apparently) and pander to them all, the more off-message you get. The more diluted your policies and actions become. It's not a good idea to make policy by committee, n'est pas?
What are you worried about now anyway? If you keep being so accommodating and spineless, you're going down anyway, and so are the rest of the Democrats. What have you got to lose? Wouldn't you rather go out fighting?! Wouldn't you respect yourself more in the morning? I sure would.
Sincerely,
Belle
You know how people are always saying that the only way to get a really good deal is to be willing to walk away from it if you don't get what you want?
Well, I think that applies to presidents, too.
I mean, think about it. The only way to be a really good president and actually fix our country is to forget about being re-elected. Because the more you wonder what everyone wants (especially Wall Street, banks and big business, apparently) and pander to them all, the more off-message you get. The more diluted your policies and actions become. It's not a good idea to make policy by committee, n'est pas?
What are you worried about now anyway? If you keep being so accommodating and spineless, you're going down anyway, and so are the rest of the Democrats. What have you got to lose? Wouldn't you rather go out fighting?! Wouldn't you respect yourself more in the morning? I sure would.
Sincerely,
Belle
Dear President Obama,
This article is worrying me today. Have you seen it?
I just have a moment in passing, but I wanted to bring it to your attention.
And I have a question for you:
after everyone in the world was so excited about having you take the lead in the US after the Bush era, why did you continue Bush II's policies?
I'm mortified.
Sincerely,
Belle
This article is worrying me today. Have you seen it?
I just have a moment in passing, but I wanted to bring it to your attention.
And I have a question for you:
after everyone in the world was so excited about having you take the lead in the US after the Bush era, why did you continue Bush II's policies?
I'm mortified.
Sincerely,
Belle
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