Dear President Obama,

Today I had an epiphany. It's not your fault; it's the country's fault. Anyone who could have gotten to your age being squeaky clean enough to not be Swift Boated has, by definition, no ability to break the rules in any way, no spine, no balls.

Such a tragedy.

Sincerely,
Belle

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

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

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

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

Dear President Obama,


I guess I'm in a talkative mood today, eh? But this little snippet from the Huffington Post is seriously bothering me:

WASHINGTON -- President Barack Obama's top adviser suggested to The Huffington Post late Wednesday that the administration is ready to accept an across-the-board, temporary continuation of steep Bush-era tax cuts, including those for the wealthiest taxpayers.

That appears to be the only way, said David Axelrod, that middle-class taxpayers can keep their tax cuts, given the legislative and political realities facing Obama in the aftermath of last week's electoral defeat.

"We have to deal with the world as we find it," Axelrod said during an unusually candid and reflective 90-minute interview in his office, steps away from the Oval Office. "The world of what it takes to get this done."

"There are concerns," he added, that Congress will continue to kick the can down the road in the future by passing temporary extensions for the wealthy time and time again. "But I don't want to trade away security for the middle class in order to make that point."

Translation: Republicans are going to fight you and you're just going to roll over, even if it means increasing the deficit. This is really nothing new. The Republicans have historically been very very good at being Republicans. Can you be a good Democrat? And what does that mean to you? I suppose if it means being a spineless lump of protoplasm, you've got it down. Aren't you ashamed of letting yourself be bullied?


Okay, so maybe that's not the right approach to take with you, so let's look at it this way. Are there more people who earn over $250,000 a year or under $250,000 a year? This should be simple. So far, each person's vote is equal. Do you think we'll be upset when we lose a bunch of programs and services because you wanted to appease the Republicans and the richest Americans? Don't you think we might just stay home or vote for someone - anyone - else? Oh! Wait! That just happened.


I guess you really don't get it, do you?


Sincerely,
Belle

Dear President Obama,


I feel betrayed, and I want to tell you about it.


I've written to you, but you never respond.


Sure. I know thousands and thousands of people write to you every day. Maybe you should try reading some of the letters?


I have a bone to pick with you, President Obama.


You lied to us. You told us we mattered to you. You told us we could change things. You said you would fight for us. But none of it was true. You used us and then you tossed us aside.


And then you said that we just don't understand all the things you've done for us. Oh, we understand, all right. We understand privatized gains and socialized losses. We understand useless health care legislation that won't even take effect for years. We understand that the banks are just getting more and more powerful thanks to you. You've made it clear to us all that you don't care about the people any longer. That all you wanted was to get elected. That now since you are powerful, you've moved on to richer friends. And most of all? We understand that we didn't get the FDR we voted for. We got an empty suit with empty promises. All we wanted was for you to fight for us and to lead us. We didn't expect everything to work out; it never does completely work out. But you didn't even try. You set about caving in immediately.


That's it for today. I'm tired. I've been working crazy hours to make ends meet so I can feed, clothe and house my family. And it's tiring feeling betrayed all the time.


Sincerely,
Belle