For the first time in my adult life I feel HOPE for our country. I feel like there is actually someone in the White House that knows a little something about someone like me. I feel like you are the kind of man that will not put up with the $10000 toilet seat.
Hope is some completely appropriate for your administration...It is exactly what I feel every time I hear you speak, or hear about something else going wrong in our country. This is a tough time for Americans...we have been too self absorbed for too long...We are in a crisis...and I think we are up for the challenge.
I am grateful for being here at this time. I am grateful for being a part of history in the making. I believe you will do us proud, and I believe that you will do what is right.
Thank you
Dawn
Plainfield, IL
27.
I have so much hope with you in office and I'm looking forward to the changes in the many individuals inspired by you and in this country as a result.
Your address to Congress on the 24th was amazing and I'm now wondering where I should begin donating my time as a volunteer to help my community. (I'll find something, don't worry ;). I got goosebumps when you invoked the name of Teddy Roosevelt...such power and passion.
I can't wait to see what great things will come from your administration.
You rock! Keep it up! Tell Joe and the family I said hi.
Peace,
Ginger
Denver, Colorado
Your address to Congress on the 24th was amazing and I'm now wondering where I should begin donating my time as a volunteer to help my community. (I'll find something, don't worry ;). I got goosebumps when you invoked the name of Teddy Roosevelt...such power and passion.
I can't wait to see what great things will come from your administration.
You rock! Keep it up! Tell Joe and the family I said hi.
Peace,
Ginger
Denver, Colorado
26.
Dear Mr. President,
It was a thrill watching you get sworn into office, and I'm proud to be of the generation that broke from the norm to elect you. I know you've inherited a mess, but I am hopeful. I also understand that this isn't your burden alone, and that I have a part to play as well. So, as you vow to do what you can for this country, I vow to help where I can.
That being said I do have two wishlist items for your administration: first is gay marriage. Someone tried to explain to me that much of that issue hinges on the definition of the word 'marriage', but quite frankly I care very little about a definition if it stands in the way of two people being legally joined together. I hope by the end of your time in office that same-sex couples have the right to be legally married.
My second wish is that once you've gotten all of this stimulus spending out of your system, that you work to bring about a Balanced Budget Amendment. It seems to me that we get into a deficit mess every time we get someone in office who doesn't care about expenditures balancing with revenue. It would ease my mind to know that we have some protection in the future from excessive spending.
That's all I have right now. Thanks for your time and good luck.
Christa
Houston, Texas
It was a thrill watching you get sworn into office, and I'm proud to be of the generation that broke from the norm to elect you. I know you've inherited a mess, but I am hopeful. I also understand that this isn't your burden alone, and that I have a part to play as well. So, as you vow to do what you can for this country, I vow to help where I can.
That being said I do have two wishlist items for your administration: first is gay marriage. Someone tried to explain to me that much of that issue hinges on the definition of the word 'marriage', but quite frankly I care very little about a definition if it stands in the way of two people being legally joined together. I hope by the end of your time in office that same-sex couples have the right to be legally married.
My second wish is that once you've gotten all of this stimulus spending out of your system, that you work to bring about a Balanced Budget Amendment. It seems to me that we get into a deficit mess every time we get someone in office who doesn't care about expenditures balancing with revenue. It would ease my mind to know that we have some protection in the future from excessive spending.
That's all I have right now. Thanks for your time and good luck.
Christa
Houston, Texas
25.
Dear Mr. President,
I'd like to say that I am happy that you won the election. You seem like a smart man who treats us as a people as if we are intelligent and reasonable. Sometimes I feel that you give us too much credit, but I like being spoken to honestly by our leader since, well, for the first time in my life.
There are many changes I would like to see happen to this nation but I will not list them. instead I would just like to ask you to please maintain you integrity and your morals while in office. Treat others as you would like to be treated, both in your interpersonal relationships and in your diplomatic ones. Do not forget the human element in your decision making process.
Please help us show the rest of the world that Americans are intelligent and reasonable, and please help us remember what that looks like.
Lise Baker
I'd like to say that I am happy that you won the election. You seem like a smart man who treats us as a people as if we are intelligent and reasonable. Sometimes I feel that you give us too much credit, but I like being spoken to honestly by our leader since, well, for the first time in my life.
There are many changes I would like to see happen to this nation but I will not list them. instead I would just like to ask you to please maintain you integrity and your morals while in office. Treat others as you would like to be treated, both in your interpersonal relationships and in your diplomatic ones. Do not forget the human element in your decision making process.
Please help us show the rest of the world that Americans are intelligent and reasonable, and please help us remember what that looks like.
Lise Baker
24.
First of all, congratulations on becoming our new president. Secondly, I want to thank you for selecting Hillary Clinton to represent the United States as Secretary of State. I love what she is doing now on her Asian tour ... listening, listening, listening. This is so important and we need to have allies out there in the world, we are not in this alone. Her statement at the U.S. Embassy in Tokyo that your administration, the Obama Administration, seeks to balance defense, diplomacy and development. To me this is the basis of encouraging the other D-word, Democracy, in the rest of the world.
The choice of Madam Secretary's visit to a mainly Muslim democracy, Indonesia, is of particular importance. Understanding that being a Muslim country does not mean human rights are violated or that individuals cannot embrace a more Western attitude. We are off to a good start in the diplomacy department.
Sincerely,
Cheryl Cato
Bastrop, TX
The choice of Madam Secretary's visit to a mainly Muslim democracy, Indonesia, is of particular importance. Understanding that being a Muslim country does not mean human rights are violated or that individuals cannot embrace a more Western attitude. We are off to a good start in the diplomacy department.
Sincerely,
Cheryl Cato
Bastrop, TX
23.
Dear Mr. President,
Congratulations! I was so excited to watch you win the election, and
wish I could have been among those standing in the cold chanting "Yes
We Can." You truly inspire hope for all of us, especially in a time of such uncertainty.
If I had one wish for this country it would be for an education and
health care plan like that of the UK. Free for all citizens.
Times are hard and we do need a change. A BIG change.
Rachel Smith
Congratulations! I was so excited to watch you win the election, and
wish I could have been among those standing in the cold chanting "Yes
We Can." You truly inspire hope for all of us, especially in a time of such uncertainty.
If I had one wish for this country it would be for an education and
health care plan like that of the UK. Free for all citizens.
Times are hard and we do need a change. A BIG change.
Rachel Smith
22.
Dear President Obama,
First of all, congratulations on the big win!! Woohoo!! I voted for you and I'm proud to call you my president! I just have a small bone to pick with you.
A few years ago, my family debated whether or not we could afford to move into a bigger house in a better school district. After lots of number crunching, we determined that it would not be possible. No matter how many coupons I clipped or what luxuries we gave up, it was a better financial decision for us to stay in our smaller house and wait to move when we could better afford it. In other words, we made a responsible decision. We continued paying our mortgage and other bills as most Americans do and hoped that one day the opportunity would come for us to move.
Now that I'm hearing that there may be some sort of mortgage bail-out for those people that got in over their heads, I am feeling a bit frustrated. I understand the need to prevent people from going into foreclosure for the better good of the nations economy, BUT I do think it should be done in a way that doesn't reward people for their poor financial decisions. Please restructure their loans in a way that does not reward irresponsible behavior.
If you are going to reward someone, please reward those of us who have been consistent in paying our mortgages on time. I voted for you because I believed that you would help to make this country better. Please be fair.
Thanks for your consideration in this matter.
Sincerely,
Jen
Baltimore, MD
First of all, congratulations on the big win!! Woohoo!! I voted for you and I'm proud to call you my president! I just have a small bone to pick with you.
A few years ago, my family debated whether or not we could afford to move into a bigger house in a better school district. After lots of number crunching, we determined that it would not be possible. No matter how many coupons I clipped or what luxuries we gave up, it was a better financial decision for us to stay in our smaller house and wait to move when we could better afford it. In other words, we made a responsible decision. We continued paying our mortgage and other bills as most Americans do and hoped that one day the opportunity would come for us to move.
Now that I'm hearing that there may be some sort of mortgage bail-out for those people that got in over their heads, I am feeling a bit frustrated. I understand the need to prevent people from going into foreclosure for the better good of the nations economy, BUT I do think it should be done in a way that doesn't reward people for their poor financial decisions. Please restructure their loans in a way that does not reward irresponsible behavior.
If you are going to reward someone, please reward those of us who have been consistent in paying our mortgages on time. I voted for you because I believed that you would help to make this country better. Please be fair.
Thanks for your consideration in this matter.
Sincerely,
Jen
Baltimore, MD
21.
Dear President Obama,
I was honored more than you can know to vote for you in November's election. As a young twenty-something, this is the first time I voted and truly felt happy with my decision.
I am writing this not to tell you what needs to be done to fix our broken country. I am writing this more to show you how things look from my point of view.
I am a single parent. I work out of the home full-time. I do not have a college degree. I rent an apartment, and do not own any property. I do not have stocks. My car was given to me by my mother free and clear. I am not struggling to make ends meet on a day to day basis, but we do live paycheck to paycheck. I am lucky enough to make decent money doing something I enjoy.
Despite, or possibly because of all these factors, my son and I have not been affected as badly as others by the failing economy. I have very little to call my own and as a result, have very little to lose. On the flip side of that coin, what I stand to lose is vital to the survival of my son and myself.
I have friends who have had to walk away from homes that they scrimped and scraped to buy because of foreclosure. I have family members who are in college and not sure how they will be able to afford to continue with the rumored cuts on financial aid and freezes on student loans. Small businesses all over are having to close their doors because they aren't making enough to cover their space rentals let alone paying their employees. People are losing their jobs left and right with no hopes of finding new ones with things being as bad as they are.
Families that are utilizing our social programs such as medi-cal, welfare, food stamps, and childcare subsidization are being sent notices that their assistance is being reduced or cut off completely. Violent crimes are already rising. Food and gas prices are rising.
What are we supposed to do? How much worse can things get? How long will it be before things begin to look up?
These are the questions I ask myself every day while driving to work, tucking my son into bed at night and balancing my checkbook.
I don't think that will you be able to fix everything that has gone wrong (it would be unfair to ask that of anyone) but I do have faith that you will at least be able to begin the healing process within our country and get things on the right track.
Thank you,
Nikki
San Diego, CA
I was honored more than you can know to vote for you in November's election. As a young twenty-something, this is the first time I voted and truly felt happy with my decision.
I am writing this not to tell you what needs to be done to fix our broken country. I am writing this more to show you how things look from my point of view.
I am a single parent. I work out of the home full-time. I do not have a college degree. I rent an apartment, and do not own any property. I do not have stocks. My car was given to me by my mother free and clear. I am not struggling to make ends meet on a day to day basis, but we do live paycheck to paycheck. I am lucky enough to make decent money doing something I enjoy.
Despite, or possibly because of all these factors, my son and I have not been affected as badly as others by the failing economy. I have very little to call my own and as a result, have very little to lose. On the flip side of that coin, what I stand to lose is vital to the survival of my son and myself.
I have friends who have had to walk away from homes that they scrimped and scraped to buy because of foreclosure. I have family members who are in college and not sure how they will be able to afford to continue with the rumored cuts on financial aid and freezes on student loans. Small businesses all over are having to close their doors because they aren't making enough to cover their space rentals let alone paying their employees. People are losing their jobs left and right with no hopes of finding new ones with things being as bad as they are.
Families that are utilizing our social programs such as medi-cal, welfare, food stamps, and childcare subsidization are being sent notices that their assistance is being reduced or cut off completely. Violent crimes are already rising. Food and gas prices are rising.
What are we supposed to do? How much worse can things get? How long will it be before things begin to look up?
These are the questions I ask myself every day while driving to work, tucking my son into bed at night and balancing my checkbook.
I don't think that will you be able to fix everything that has gone wrong (it would be unfair to ask that of anyone) but I do have faith that you will at least be able to begin the healing process within our country and get things on the right track.
Thank you,
Nikki
San Diego, CA
20.
Dear President Obama,
I was honored to vote for you from abroad (Guatemala) last November
and have watched with admiration as you have begun tackling the
countless challenges America faces today. Your calls for "national
service" whether domestically or abroad, inclusion of "non-believers"
and acceptance "homosexuals" in your rhetoric resonates deeply with me
as a gay, atheist, Peace Corps volunteer currently serving in Central
America.
I write today in total confidence that you have the "steady hand" of
stewardship to get America back on track with transparent and
economically sound terms. But there is so much yet to do.
With every passing day, I continue to feel like a second-class citizen
because of one identity characteristics listed above. I am a gay
American, Mr. President. You promised to repeal DOMA (the defense of
marriage act) and "don't ask, don't tell," and to support equal
protection statues under federal law for gays and lesbians across this
country during your campaign. I have yet to see these statements
realized and while I understand that "these things take time," but the
time has come to make history.
You Mr. president should understand as a black man that no American
deserves to feel like a second class citizen for something that they
cannot change and should understand and that the power of societal
inclusion can only go so far without federal support. As I would argue
that your awesome rise to become my president exists today because
of federal civil rights laws protecting you as a African-American from
unjust and undeserved discrimination and hate crimes I demand that you
now make such a dream possible for any gay or lesbian child who could
someday be my president as well.
President Obama, I choose to love instead of hate and would not snap
my fingers to "become straight" even if I could. Why? Because I am
proud of who I am. I am proud to serve my country. I am proud to
support you. I am proud that I have the power to love and be loved in
return. In this world filled with so much wrong and hate I would
expect this worlds leading democracy to be a beacon of love in every
way possible. Viewing non-straight people as equals seems like such an
easy way to express said love.
So now is your turn, Mr. President. Use your bully pulpit and
political capital to keep strong on your promise to provide equal
rights to all Americans: gay or straight, black or white, man or
woman.
I support you and have secular faith in your power to make me feel
like a 1st class citizen in this free country we call the United
States of America.
Grant Martin Picarillo
Guatemala
February, 2009
I was honored to vote for you from abroad (Guatemala) last November
and have watched with admiration as you have begun tackling the
countless challenges America faces today. Your calls for "national
service" whether domestically or abroad, inclusion of "non-believers"
and acceptance "homosexuals" in your rhetoric resonates deeply with me
as a gay, atheist, Peace Corps volunteer currently serving in Central
America.
I write today in total confidence that you have the "steady hand" of
stewardship to get America back on track with transparent and
economically sound terms. But there is so much yet to do.
With every passing day, I continue to feel like a second-class citizen
because of one identity characteristics listed above. I am a gay
American, Mr. President. You promised to repeal DOMA (the defense of
marriage act) and "don't ask, don't tell," and to support equal
protection statues under federal law for gays and lesbians across this
country during your campaign. I have yet to see these statements
realized and while I understand that "these things take time," but the
time has come to make history.
You Mr. president should understand as a black man that no American
deserves to feel like a second class citizen for something that they
cannot change and should understand and that the power of societal
inclusion can only go so far without federal support. As I would argue
that your awesome rise to become my president exists today because
of federal civil rights laws protecting you as a African-American from
unjust and undeserved discrimination and hate crimes I demand that you
now make such a dream possible for any gay or lesbian child who could
someday be my president as well.
President Obama, I choose to love instead of hate and would not snap
my fingers to "become straight" even if I could. Why? Because I am
proud of who I am. I am proud to serve my country. I am proud to
support you. I am proud that I have the power to love and be loved in
return. In this world filled with so much wrong and hate I would
expect this worlds leading democracy to be a beacon of love in every
way possible. Viewing non-straight people as equals seems like such an
easy way to express said love.
So now is your turn, Mr. President. Use your bully pulpit and
political capital to keep strong on your promise to provide equal
rights to all Americans: gay or straight, black or white, man or
woman.
I support you and have secular faith in your power to make me feel
like a 1st class citizen in this free country we call the United
States of America.
Grant Martin Picarillo
Guatemala
February, 2009
19.
Dear Mr. President-
Congratulations on your election. For once I voted for someone who won.
I am a married mother of 2 college-age daughters in Texas. My husband and I work for the same market research company that is based in the UK. We are fortunate that our company is doing well and foresees no need to reduce its workforce in the UK or the US.
I’m pleased to see that the stimulus bill has finally passed despite Republican hostility. I had hoped that we would see a new day dawn on Washington but that is not to be. Old ways die hard and it will be a long fight to restore our democracy.
You have inherited quite a few problems but I believe you are the man for the job. Don’t let yourself fall into excuses or rhetoric. You may have inherited these problems but we’re looking to you to fix them. Keep looking forward and not back.
Change comes neither easily nor swiftly but it will come. Know that there are many Americans who await this change and look to you to lead this charge.
We are entering a new political landscape, one that allows the electorate more voice than ever before. The Internet and all that can be accomplished using its many wonders and voices will change the way politics are played forever. Your campaign was a herald of things to come but know that the genie is out of the bottle. Just as you were able to use the Internet to defeat your opponent, it can used to keep you honest.
I recently wrote to my Senators and Congressman with a plea to put aside their partisan differences and vote Yes on the stimulus package. I ended those letters with a phrase that I share with you here:
“The electorate is awake, we're pissed off and we're paying attention.”
I hope that you, as an intelligent, gifted individual (and let me just say how refreshing that is to see in a politician) will be able to move our nation forward through these difficult times and into a new day. You have a difficult job ahead of you fraught with hardship both personal and public, but one that I feel you were called to do. Move forward with hope and peace and the knowledge that despite the many shrill voices allayed against you there are those who wish you well with all their hearts.
Stacy
Round Rock, Texas
Congratulations on your election. For once I voted for someone who won.
I am a married mother of 2 college-age daughters in Texas. My husband and I work for the same market research company that is based in the UK. We are fortunate that our company is doing well and foresees no need to reduce its workforce in the UK or the US.
I’m pleased to see that the stimulus bill has finally passed despite Republican hostility. I had hoped that we would see a new day dawn on Washington but that is not to be. Old ways die hard and it will be a long fight to restore our democracy.
You have inherited quite a few problems but I believe you are the man for the job. Don’t let yourself fall into excuses or rhetoric. You may have inherited these problems but we’re looking to you to fix them. Keep looking forward and not back.
Change comes neither easily nor swiftly but it will come. Know that there are many Americans who await this change and look to you to lead this charge.
We are entering a new political landscape, one that allows the electorate more voice than ever before. The Internet and all that can be accomplished using its many wonders and voices will change the way politics are played forever. Your campaign was a herald of things to come but know that the genie is out of the bottle. Just as you were able to use the Internet to defeat your opponent, it can used to keep you honest.
I recently wrote to my Senators and Congressman with a plea to put aside their partisan differences and vote Yes on the stimulus package. I ended those letters with a phrase that I share with you here:
“The electorate is awake, we're pissed off and we're paying attention.”
I hope that you, as an intelligent, gifted individual (and let me just say how refreshing that is to see in a politician) will be able to move our nation forward through these difficult times and into a new day. You have a difficult job ahead of you fraught with hardship both personal and public, but one that I feel you were called to do. Move forward with hope and peace and the knowledge that despite the many shrill voices allayed against you there are those who wish you well with all their hearts.
Stacy
Round Rock, Texas
18.
Dear Mr. President,
I am so proud to sit here and write this. You are not only our 44th president of these United States; you are also our very first African American President (just in case you were unaware of that fact). That in and of itself is a great thing and shows how far we've come. As you said in your inauguration speech, not even 60 years ago your father would have been refused service at a restaurant. From my perspective, the greatest part of today is that we chose the best candidate for president (in my opinion) DESPITE the fact that you are African American. I may be naive when I say this, but I choose to believe that in this race for president we did not vote for a color but rather the best of the best. I believe that you would not have wanted to be elected just for the color of your skin, but rather how you proposed to change the country for the better.
When you were declared the winner, I hope that everyone felt (even those who did not vote for you) that there was no loser. Truly, we all won and proved that we have come so far. My favorite quote was something to the effect of "Obama has finished what a King started."
The night you were declared the 44th president of the United States I thought of my students, who were so interested in the election since school began last fall, making banners and begging me to tell them who I was voting for. The day after the election I asked my class (21 7 & 8 year olds, many whose parents are immigrants) who they would have voted for, if they could have voted. Only 2 students disagreed with the outcome and I could swear that I noticed a difference in some of my students. November 5th, 2008 was a day when the world shifted, and children who were not white and affluent, believed with all their hearts they could be anything they wanted to be.
When I heard the news that you had been elected, I pictured my students from Sudan, India, Bosnia, Mexico, and many other countries. I saw them in a different light, a different world, where all their dreams could come true and no longer did just I and the child believe it, but the country confirmed it. This was a day that I saw the United States reach out to each and every child and whisper in their ear that "anything is possible, anything can be." This made me proud to be part of this country.
A student from the first year I taught, Ngor (from Sudan), is one of the most intelligent people I have met in my entire life (and that includes many adults) and I believe, down to my core, the only reason he entered my classroom with the academic skills of a Kindergartner was because he was not given the opportunity to succeed. He amazes me each day with his courage, generosity, and kindness. Today Ngor came to see me before school and said he had a present for Finn (my 8 month old son). He handed me a worn toy. This boy that has nothing (he wears the same outfit almost every day) has shared what little he has. He gives it selflessly and expects nothing in return. Be wise, Mr. President, and continue to provide these children not only with the hope that they can achieve anything they work for, but also the opportunity to make their dreams come true.
I bring Ngor up today because, although I don't believe the country is quite ready for a person with that color of skin, it does signify that we are moving in that direction and one day it will not only be possible, but it will also come to fruition. I look at my girls who proudly wear hajibs and all the other students, from Cambodia to China, and I feel their hope and it just about makes me want to do more. My son was born as a member of the most advantaged group in our society: American, white, male. However, I speak for both of us when I say that we are proud that he will be competing for college and career opportunities with all different ages, races, sexes, stages and may the best person win.
I watched you being sworn in as president with my class of second graders. It was completely silent, you could have heard a pin drop and as awesome of an experience it was to witness history being made, it was just as great of a moment to see all my students of all colors staring open mouthed at the screen. I almost cried when you took the oath of office and when you gave your speech; it made me want to do more for this country, to create the best country possible. We are so blessed that we live in the greatest country in the world and we need to do our all to make sure that it stays that way for our children, our children's children, and for our neighboring countries. All countries of the world should be so lucky as us and I hope that we can extend a helping hand to make sure they get there! I explained to my students that the reason I am a teacher is because I believe that they can be whatever it is they want to be, as long as they work hard. I work hard today so they can achieve their dream tomorrow.
I heard this today and I thought it summarized everything perfectly. Rosa sat so Martin could walk, Martin walked so Obama could run, Obama ran so kids of any color can fly. I say today Mr. President, that I bow to your wisdom, walk and stand beside you, call on me to help and together we will make this country even better than it is. I pray for your safety; would stand up to fight for this country, and give my life to protect yours.
Kate Hanke
I am so proud to sit here and write this. You are not only our 44th president of these United States; you are also our very first African American President (just in case you were unaware of that fact). That in and of itself is a great thing and shows how far we've come. As you said in your inauguration speech, not even 60 years ago your father would have been refused service at a restaurant. From my perspective, the greatest part of today is that we chose the best candidate for president (in my opinion) DESPITE the fact that you are African American. I may be naive when I say this, but I choose to believe that in this race for president we did not vote for a color but rather the best of the best. I believe that you would not have wanted to be elected just for the color of your skin, but rather how you proposed to change the country for the better.
When you were declared the winner, I hope that everyone felt (even those who did not vote for you) that there was no loser. Truly, we all won and proved that we have come so far. My favorite quote was something to the effect of "Obama has finished what a King started."
The night you were declared the 44th president of the United States I thought of my students, who were so interested in the election since school began last fall, making banners and begging me to tell them who I was voting for. The day after the election I asked my class (21 7 & 8 year olds, many whose parents are immigrants) who they would have voted for, if they could have voted. Only 2 students disagreed with the outcome and I could swear that I noticed a difference in some of my students. November 5th, 2008 was a day when the world shifted, and children who were not white and affluent, believed with all their hearts they could be anything they wanted to be.
When I heard the news that you had been elected, I pictured my students from Sudan, India, Bosnia, Mexico, and many other countries. I saw them in a different light, a different world, where all their dreams could come true and no longer did just I and the child believe it, but the country confirmed it. This was a day that I saw the United States reach out to each and every child and whisper in their ear that "anything is possible, anything can be." This made me proud to be part of this country.
A student from the first year I taught, Ngor (from Sudan), is one of the most intelligent people I have met in my entire life (and that includes many adults) and I believe, down to my core, the only reason he entered my classroom with the academic skills of a Kindergartner was because he was not given the opportunity to succeed. He amazes me each day with his courage, generosity, and kindness. Today Ngor came to see me before school and said he had a present for Finn (my 8 month old son). He handed me a worn toy. This boy that has nothing (he wears the same outfit almost every day) has shared what little he has. He gives it selflessly and expects nothing in return. Be wise, Mr. President, and continue to provide these children not only with the hope that they can achieve anything they work for, but also the opportunity to make their dreams come true.
I bring Ngor up today because, although I don't believe the country is quite ready for a person with that color of skin, it does signify that we are moving in that direction and one day it will not only be possible, but it will also come to fruition. I look at my girls who proudly wear hajibs and all the other students, from Cambodia to China, and I feel their hope and it just about makes me want to do more. My son was born as a member of the most advantaged group in our society: American, white, male. However, I speak for both of us when I say that we are proud that he will be competing for college and career opportunities with all different ages, races, sexes, stages and may the best person win.
I watched you being sworn in as president with my class of second graders. It was completely silent, you could have heard a pin drop and as awesome of an experience it was to witness history being made, it was just as great of a moment to see all my students of all colors staring open mouthed at the screen. I almost cried when you took the oath of office and when you gave your speech; it made me want to do more for this country, to create the best country possible. We are so blessed that we live in the greatest country in the world and we need to do our all to make sure that it stays that way for our children, our children's children, and for our neighboring countries. All countries of the world should be so lucky as us and I hope that we can extend a helping hand to make sure they get there! I explained to my students that the reason I am a teacher is because I believe that they can be whatever it is they want to be, as long as they work hard. I work hard today so they can achieve their dream tomorrow.
I heard this today and I thought it summarized everything perfectly. Rosa sat so Martin could walk, Martin walked so Obama could run, Obama ran so kids of any color can fly. I say today Mr. President, that I bow to your wisdom, walk and stand beside you, call on me to help and together we will make this country even better than it is. I pray for your safety; would stand up to fight for this country, and give my life to protect yours.
Kate Hanke
17.
Dear Mr. President,
I like you, a lot. I think you are just the voice we need for our generation and that is evident in the overwhelming support you got from the young voters. I believe you believe in your message and that your heart is in the right place. While all that is well and good I urge you not to forget how distressed your supporters really are.
I have worked hard for my money, working long hours, demanding physical labor, and taking low paying jobs just to support myself. I've lived within my means and haven't purchased a home I can't afford and yet I am one of the many suffering today due to the mistakes of others. Everyone I know wonders how they're going to stay in their homes with no income. Many of us, including me, are wondering which "luxury" we can live without, internet to find a job, heat to keep us warm, or gas for our car to keep up with the hunt.
I was responsible, I made wise financial decisions and yet I am hurting more than ever while the mortgage giants have to settle for smaller billion dollar bonuses. Seriously? I hate politics. I hate that the rich are the powerful while the poor fall under the rug. I'm not asking for communism or even socialism, I am asking for capitalism. If a bank messes up, let them fail. Obviously if they had horrible business practices that have led them to crash, so be it. We are better off. Let the ones with the right message and proper ethics prosper.
No more bailing out the ones dipping their fingers into your desserts.
You gave me the hope to believe in America and now I'm hoping you stick to your word.
Sincerely,
A Little Ol' Civilian
I like you, a lot. I think you are just the voice we need for our generation and that is evident in the overwhelming support you got from the young voters. I believe you believe in your message and that your heart is in the right place. While all that is well and good I urge you not to forget how distressed your supporters really are.
I have worked hard for my money, working long hours, demanding physical labor, and taking low paying jobs just to support myself. I've lived within my means and haven't purchased a home I can't afford and yet I am one of the many suffering today due to the mistakes of others. Everyone I know wonders how they're going to stay in their homes with no income. Many of us, including me, are wondering which "luxury" we can live without, internet to find a job, heat to keep us warm, or gas for our car to keep up with the hunt.
I was responsible, I made wise financial decisions and yet I am hurting more than ever while the mortgage giants have to settle for smaller billion dollar bonuses. Seriously? I hate politics. I hate that the rich are the powerful while the poor fall under the rug. I'm not asking for communism or even socialism, I am asking for capitalism. If a bank messes up, let them fail. Obviously if they had horrible business practices that have led them to crash, so be it. We are better off. Let the ones with the right message and proper ethics prosper.
No more bailing out the ones dipping their fingers into your desserts.
You gave me the hope to believe in America and now I'm hoping you stick to your word.
Sincerely,
A Little Ol' Civilian
16.
Mr. President:
Hope and change are all great, I like the tone you have set. But hope doesn't pay my bills.
I lost my job while watching idiots keep theirs and get paid obscene amounts of money to keep screwing things up.
Things have been screwed up far too long by idiots who just didn't seem to care.
You seem to care, so I have a feeling you won't screw things up.
Please do not abuse our trust. I for one am wishing you all the best.
Peace,
Kevin
Baltimore, Maryland
Hope and change are all great, I like the tone you have set. But hope doesn't pay my bills.
I lost my job while watching idiots keep theirs and get paid obscene amounts of money to keep screwing things up.
Things have been screwed up far too long by idiots who just didn't seem to care.
You seem to care, so I have a feeling you won't screw things up.
Please do not abuse our trust. I for one am wishing you all the best.
Peace,
Kevin
Baltimore, Maryland
15.
Dear Mr. President,
In a world where Global Warming seems to be the biggest environmental problem, I sometimes wonder if our representatives remember that people need clean water and sufficient food to survive…not new and improved cars. Not new ways to make "green" gas, or find ways to become "independent" from our energy needs. See with the economy in the shape it is, those energy needs will be going down anyway, as well as driving, as well as spending, and as well as anything else frivolous or extra.
It seems fashionable to talk about doing the whole "green" thing. It appears popular and the right thing to do and IT IS---but consider that there are people across the US who do not even have their basic needs met. And buying a green bag at stores is going to help the global community how? Going green is not buying a special bag at a store, or eating organic, or installing solar panels. These are good and GREAT things, however, is the govt offering people billions of dollars to revamp their lifestyles? it seems like a ploy just to keep digging ourselves into a deeper hole that will eventually collapse and bury us alive.
Realizing the USA is hard enough to deal with sir, it would seem prudent to worry about keeping our country alive…and less about making sure everyone likes us. Because they can like us all they want, but we'll die starving before we ask for help.
Respectfully putting my trust in your decisions and judgements, I will not judge you for what you think is best, just like previous presidents. You do what you can and what you think is right, and I will know at the end of your time that you truly worked as hard as you could. Because I believe every president deserves that trust to truly lead our country.
Sincerely,
Survival of the Wisest
In a world where Global Warming seems to be the biggest environmental problem, I sometimes wonder if our representatives remember that people need clean water and sufficient food to survive…not new and improved cars. Not new ways to make "green" gas, or find ways to become "independent" from our energy needs. See with the economy in the shape it is, those energy needs will be going down anyway, as well as driving, as well as spending, and as well as anything else frivolous or extra.
It seems fashionable to talk about doing the whole "green" thing. It appears popular and the right thing to do and IT IS---but consider that there are people across the US who do not even have their basic needs met. And buying a green bag at stores is going to help the global community how? Going green is not buying a special bag at a store, or eating organic, or installing solar panels. These are good and GREAT things, however, is the govt offering people billions of dollars to revamp their lifestyles? it seems like a ploy just to keep digging ourselves into a deeper hole that will eventually collapse and bury us alive.
Realizing the USA is hard enough to deal with sir, it would seem prudent to worry about keeping our country alive…and less about making sure everyone likes us. Because they can like us all they want, but we'll die starving before we ask for help.
Respectfully putting my trust in your decisions and judgements, I will not judge you for what you think is best, just like previous presidents. You do what you can and what you think is right, and I will know at the end of your time that you truly worked as hard as you could. Because I believe every president deserves that trust to truly lead our country.
Sincerely,
Survival of the Wisest
14.
Dear Mr. President,
And we thought Bartlet was the answer to all our prayers.
Love and peace,
Miriam
Seattle, WA
And we thought Bartlet was the answer to all our prayers.
Love and peace,
Miriam
Seattle, WA
13.
Dear Mr. President,
You are way hotter than the last President. Keep up the good work in the gym.
signed- anonymous
You are way hotter than the last President. Keep up the good work in the gym.
signed- anonymous
12.
First of all, this blog is incredible... thank you. Here's my letter...
Dear Mr. President,
I believe that you really do want whats best for this country. I do. I'm trying to support you. Trying to keep the faith, so to speak, which is not an easy task with all that's going on.However, you didn't make the mess, and I know that. But last night I heard some news that is earth shattering. Not only to my family, but to the majority of America. I hear that you're more worried about giving back to the unions who supported your campaign than you are about the rest of us. The majority of this country's workforce is non-union. My husband is part of that majority. What really get's me here is that even though companies like my husbands are at the cutting edge of their industry, winning awards, and consistently doing the best work, you've decided that the majority of the job's created by your stimulus (which WE'RE paying for) will be given strictly to union operated companies. Why is this?! Why ruin the hope of so many people before this has even got started!? Why not let the "cream rise to the top" by letting every company bid for the jobs just like it goes everyday??? If you eliminate the non-union workers, I have no doubt it will directly effect my family. Every day my husband goes to work to build better schools and hospitals. If all the new projects are only allowed to be bid by union workers, what will his company do?? Just think about it sir, I'm not saying don't give the unions a chance, because they deserve to work just like any one else. But don't ruin the rest of our opportunities.
Sincerely,
A Worried Wife Mother
Dear Mr. President,
I believe that you really do want whats best for this country. I do. I'm trying to support you. Trying to keep the faith, so to speak, which is not an easy task with all that's going on.However, you didn't make the mess, and I know that. But last night I heard some news that is earth shattering. Not only to my family, but to the majority of America. I hear that you're more worried about giving back to the unions who supported your campaign than you are about the rest of us. The majority of this country's workforce is non-union. My husband is part of that majority. What really get's me here is that even though companies like my husbands are at the cutting edge of their industry, winning awards, and consistently doing the best work, you've decided that the majority of the job's created by your stimulus (which WE'RE paying for) will be given strictly to union operated companies. Why is this?! Why ruin the hope of so many people before this has even got started!? Why not let the "cream rise to the top" by letting every company bid for the jobs just like it goes everyday??? If you eliminate the non-union workers, I have no doubt it will directly effect my family. Every day my husband goes to work to build better schools and hospitals. If all the new projects are only allowed to be bid by union workers, what will his company do?? Just think about it sir, I'm not saying don't give the unions a chance, because they deserve to work just like any one else. But don't ruin the rest of our opportunities.
Sincerely,
A Worried Wife Mother
11.
Mr. President,
I would like to introduce myself as your Independent citizen. One who is socially liberal, and fiscally conservative. I think a person should take care of themselves and their family, I believe in small government, and I don't think the government should have any say in my small business or personal lifestyle choices.
I didn't vote for you, I voted for the other guy. Not that I have anything against you - I think you have fantastic potential and I will happily put my vote behind you if I think you have done a good job four years from now. But things like this stimulus package are the reason I have my doubts.
I am the face of most of your young Southern citizens. I am also the married mother of three, whose husband will lose his job some time this year for the second time in two years. He works for the state government.
We are well-educated, firmly middle-class citizens who will not be able to make ends meet when he loses this job. We will lose our first house, which is now worth less than we paid for it, and have to suck up our pride and pray that one of our relatives has room for our family of five. A family we could afford two years ago, before we lost everything in his first layoff.
I see all these plans to make new jobs, but they're not aimed at people like my husband - a suit with two degrees and a decade of experience in a desk job. Your jobs are aimed at the factory workers, and those with blue-collar experience. Paving roads, and building new schools are admirable goals, but what about those men and women who have never lifted a hammer? The mortgage brokers and bankers and journalists and travel agents whose fields have disappeared? What should they do?
When my husband was laid off the first time, we even looked to the big box stores for simple jobs. But the thing is, that won't cover day care for our children, and we would both have to work full time at one of these stores to pay our bills. We live well within our means and had money set away for such an emergency, but there are only so many hits a family can take before
they're left perilously with nothing. That's where we are.
What are your plans for us, the struggling middle-class families? What are these stimulus packages going to to do for our retirement, and our children's college dreams? And what kind of country is this stimulus package going to leave for my middle-class children?
Sincerely,
Evans, GA
I would like to introduce myself as your Independent citizen. One who is socially liberal, and fiscally conservative. I think a person should take care of themselves and their family, I believe in small government, and I don't think the government should have any say in my small business or personal lifestyle choices.
I didn't vote for you, I voted for the other guy. Not that I have anything against you - I think you have fantastic potential and I will happily put my vote behind you if I think you have done a good job four years from now. But things like this stimulus package are the reason I have my doubts.
I am the face of most of your young Southern citizens. I am also the married mother of three, whose husband will lose his job some time this year for the second time in two years. He works for the state government.
We are well-educated, firmly middle-class citizens who will not be able to make ends meet when he loses this job. We will lose our first house, which is now worth less than we paid for it, and have to suck up our pride and pray that one of our relatives has room for our family of five. A family we could afford two years ago, before we lost everything in his first layoff.
I see all these plans to make new jobs, but they're not aimed at people like my husband - a suit with two degrees and a decade of experience in a desk job. Your jobs are aimed at the factory workers, and those with blue-collar experience. Paving roads, and building new schools are admirable goals, but what about those men and women who have never lifted a hammer? The mortgage brokers and bankers and journalists and travel agents whose fields have disappeared? What should they do?
When my husband was laid off the first time, we even looked to the big box stores for simple jobs. But the thing is, that won't cover day care for our children, and we would both have to work full time at one of these stores to pay our bills. We live well within our means and had money set away for such an emergency, but there are only so many hits a family can take before
they're left perilously with nothing. That's where we are.
What are your plans for us, the struggling middle-class families? What are these stimulus packages going to to do for our retirement, and our children's college dreams? And what kind of country is this stimulus package going to leave for my middle-class children?
Sincerely,
Evans, GA
10.
Mr President,
Close your eyes and turn a circle-- walk to a map of America--place your finger down-- open them-- no matter where your finger is pointing on that map we are hurting in ways you will never have to know.
Now.
Walk in front of that camera and explain to me why some asshole that ran a bank into the ground got a 18 million dollar bonus from my tax dollars. explain it slow. Apparently I'm an idiot. I've been working hard trying not to screw up. I didn't get a bonus. I got a punch to the groin watching CNN as they announced that banks got bailouts and we get a stimulus? Maybe I will get a chance to put weather stripping on houses. Things are looking up already.
Please tell me in a way that will move my walk thru a day why I should care anymore.
frustrated - an American?
Close your eyes and turn a circle-- walk to a map of America--place your finger down-- open them-- no matter where your finger is pointing on that map we are hurting in ways you will never have to know.
Now.
Walk in front of that camera and explain to me why some asshole that ran a bank into the ground got a 18 million dollar bonus from my tax dollars. explain it slow. Apparently I'm an idiot. I've been working hard trying not to screw up. I didn't get a bonus. I got a punch to the groin watching CNN as they announced that banks got bailouts and we get a stimulus? Maybe I will get a chance to put weather stripping on houses. Things are looking up already.
Please tell me in a way that will move my walk thru a day why I should care anymore.
frustrated - an American?
9.
Dear Mr. President,
I am sure you get a lot of advice, and some of it is bound to be good. I am also fairly confident you are smart enough to recognize said advice when you see it. In regard to your economic, domestic, and foreign policies, while I do value my voice in such matters, I will not presume so much about my own knowledge on these subjects as to lend you yet more advice. Instead, I will share a few hopes and fears.
In your inaugural address, you made mention of "non-believers," including them equally in your hope for a better America. You also caught some flack for that, though why anyone would want to be intolerant of tolerance is beyond me. In any case, there are many of us whose eyes lit up and whose hearts filled with hope at the simple inclusion of that segment of our society that does not believe in a higher power, a segment that has for too long felt that our nation has been steered by an inherently dogmatic hand. We have watched dogma color the tone of our wars, the domestic policies that affect our love lives, and even the way our taxes are handled.
I am expressing this sentiment not out of any hope for the exclusion of faith within the ranks of our public servants. Faith and fairness can coexist even in that context, I believe. You are a perfect example of that. I merely wish for one thing to be true about your time in office: that hope drives your hand, and not religious belief. I hope that you recognize the dogmatic and unfair nature of our laws governing same-sex marriage and the solely religious nature of this policy. I hope you remember the fear that many of our founding fathers had of religion affecting the government too much. I hope understand how much of the popular support for the war in Iraq was and is faith-driven. I hope that your faith can keep you strong enough to understand that not everyone uses that kind of faith for their strength, and that the strongest possible America will accept all of these strengths.
Even the term "non-believers" is a bit of a non-sequitur, I feel. Belief doesn't have to involve a "higher" power. We can believe in the vast breadth of human experience and the mysteries science holds. We can believe in the universe and rest assured that it's answers are out there. The same God that the dogmatist prays to and the impious pay lip-service to is the same one that is printed on our money, money created by a private corporation and conveniently used to fund our wars... at interest. Perhaps dogma can help people overlook certain fundamental problems with their society even as they use their faith in a similar way to help them overcome problems in their lives. That is the danger of belief, and while I feel that your beliefs are of a personal, spiritual nature, when applied to governmental policies, they are dangerous.
What I am saying, in summation, is that I hope that you keep hoping and dreaming, and chasing those hopes and dreams all the while remembering that our nation truly needs to be supported by as many ideals and strengths as possible, but the fundamental nature of our government should not be colored by any one of these. Keep hope alive, Mr. President, because even us non-believers believe in you.
Hopefully,
A Believer
I am sure you get a lot of advice, and some of it is bound to be good. I am also fairly confident you are smart enough to recognize said advice when you see it. In regard to your economic, domestic, and foreign policies, while I do value my voice in such matters, I will not presume so much about my own knowledge on these subjects as to lend you yet more advice. Instead, I will share a few hopes and fears.
In your inaugural address, you made mention of "non-believers," including them equally in your hope for a better America. You also caught some flack for that, though why anyone would want to be intolerant of tolerance is beyond me. In any case, there are many of us whose eyes lit up and whose hearts filled with hope at the simple inclusion of that segment of our society that does not believe in a higher power, a segment that has for too long felt that our nation has been steered by an inherently dogmatic hand. We have watched dogma color the tone of our wars, the domestic policies that affect our love lives, and even the way our taxes are handled.
I am expressing this sentiment not out of any hope for the exclusion of faith within the ranks of our public servants. Faith and fairness can coexist even in that context, I believe. You are a perfect example of that. I merely wish for one thing to be true about your time in office: that hope drives your hand, and not religious belief. I hope that you recognize the dogmatic and unfair nature of our laws governing same-sex marriage and the solely religious nature of this policy. I hope you remember the fear that many of our founding fathers had of religion affecting the government too much. I hope understand how much of the popular support for the war in Iraq was and is faith-driven. I hope that your faith can keep you strong enough to understand that not everyone uses that kind of faith for their strength, and that the strongest possible America will accept all of these strengths.
Even the term "non-believers" is a bit of a non-sequitur, I feel. Belief doesn't have to involve a "higher" power. We can believe in the vast breadth of human experience and the mysteries science holds. We can believe in the universe and rest assured that it's answers are out there. The same God that the dogmatist prays to and the impious pay lip-service to is the same one that is printed on our money, money created by a private corporation and conveniently used to fund our wars... at interest. Perhaps dogma can help people overlook certain fundamental problems with their society even as they use their faith in a similar way to help them overcome problems in their lives. That is the danger of belief, and while I feel that your beliefs are of a personal, spiritual nature, when applied to governmental policies, they are dangerous.
What I am saying, in summation, is that I hope that you keep hoping and dreaming, and chasing those hopes and dreams all the while remembering that our nation truly needs to be supported by as many ideals and strengths as possible, but the fundamental nature of our government should not be colored by any one of these. Keep hope alive, Mr. President, because even us non-believers believe in you.
Hopefully,
A Believer
8.
Dear President Obama,
It is hard to know what exactly to write to someone in a position such as yourself. You are this huge important person in the world. Over the course of your campaign I watched from afar and heard your message. Hope. Anything is possible. Change.
It’s what we all want. Change is never easy but I don’t think you can find people more eager for change then the citizens you now lead. I believe for the first time, my voice has been heard. You might not have my small American voice all the way from Germany had I not voted. I admit this was only my second time ever voting even though I’ve had the right to do so for thirteen years. I voted in the election because I finally felt that someone truly wanted to listen. And I am relieved that you are that someone who listened to my small but important voice.
I’m living as an expat family of four. My husbands employer had to remove all their operations from the US this January simply because they had so much loss of revenue the company wasn’t worth keeping. It’s a global company well represented elsewhere in the world. But what does that mean for me and my family? In one year we are going to return home to somewhere in America with no job, no company, no one place to call home. That’s such an enormously stressful thought for me and one I think about everyday. I’m reminded by all the good people I knew who worked with my husband who now no longer have jobs and with the layoffs and companies collapsing around their ears, no chance of employment without fighting tooth and nail with others who are just as deserving.
Does this make me scared to go home again? Very much so. I don’t want to wander the globe too much longer, my kids need stability and a community where we aren’t going to leave again in two or four years. But if we move back to America are we not setting ourselves up for the same thing? We were the lucky ones who left before the closure, got out before the mess. We are fortunate. But I think of my family. My sister and her three kids, her husband owns his own business. What do they do when they can no longer find anyone who wants to use their services? Where do they go? I worry about my parents, good people who served the city government for over thirty years. What do they do when they have no retirement money left? When every cent they’ve worked so hard for is gone because of this economy?
I don’t know but I certainly hope you do.
Living outside my country I hear things by reading blogs and news stories and I hear from people I know, my friends, about the hard times, lost jobs, good people who have to choose between paying their mortgage and buying food for their kids. I have the Hope that in the next year things can slowly start to move forward, gain progress towards these goals to relieve the stress of the American people. I will return home to America next year. With you as our President I hope the America I return to will be looking stronger and more like the America that I so love.
Kind regards,
Andrea White
US Citizen living in Bonn, Germany
It is hard to know what exactly to write to someone in a position such as yourself. You are this huge important person in the world. Over the course of your campaign I watched from afar and heard your message. Hope. Anything is possible. Change.
It’s what we all want. Change is never easy but I don’t think you can find people more eager for change then the citizens you now lead. I believe for the first time, my voice has been heard. You might not have my small American voice all the way from Germany had I not voted. I admit this was only my second time ever voting even though I’ve had the right to do so for thirteen years. I voted in the election because I finally felt that someone truly wanted to listen. And I am relieved that you are that someone who listened to my small but important voice.
I’m living as an expat family of four. My husbands employer had to remove all their operations from the US this January simply because they had so much loss of revenue the company wasn’t worth keeping. It’s a global company well represented elsewhere in the world. But what does that mean for me and my family? In one year we are going to return home to somewhere in America with no job, no company, no one place to call home. That’s such an enormously stressful thought for me and one I think about everyday. I’m reminded by all the good people I knew who worked with my husband who now no longer have jobs and with the layoffs and companies collapsing around their ears, no chance of employment without fighting tooth and nail with others who are just as deserving.
Does this make me scared to go home again? Very much so. I don’t want to wander the globe too much longer, my kids need stability and a community where we aren’t going to leave again in two or four years. But if we move back to America are we not setting ourselves up for the same thing? We were the lucky ones who left before the closure, got out before the mess. We are fortunate. But I think of my family. My sister and her three kids, her husband owns his own business. What do they do when they can no longer find anyone who wants to use their services? Where do they go? I worry about my parents, good people who served the city government for over thirty years. What do they do when they have no retirement money left? When every cent they’ve worked so hard for is gone because of this economy?
I don’t know but I certainly hope you do.
Living outside my country I hear things by reading blogs and news stories and I hear from people I know, my friends, about the hard times, lost jobs, good people who have to choose between paying their mortgage and buying food for their kids. I have the Hope that in the next year things can slowly start to move forward, gain progress towards these goals to relieve the stress of the American people. I will return home to America next year. With you as our President I hope the America I return to will be looking stronger and more like the America that I so love.
Kind regards,
Andrea White
US Citizen living in Bonn, Germany
7.
Dear Mr. President,
First things first. I like you. If you lived on my street we would be friends. I wouldn’t ignore you like I do that one creepy couple with the mean dog down the street. I get the feeling that you're a good person, light shines from good people and we were in the dark for a good 8 years. So I am excited about all of this. With that said, I wanted to say a couple things.
You are fond of saying and reminding us that you “inherited this mess.” I thought it was appropriate the first few times, but I’m worried that it will become a catch-phrase that you wield too often, and soon catch-phrases become excuses, and excuses become our problems. When people make a mistake as large scale as the over sight that occurred within our banks we are the ones that feel it. What the heck is going on up there on Wall Street? It’s like a pack of mad scientists gone wild, and they don’t realize that their inventions of these schemes and illegal money machines are creating massive amounts of hungry confused monsters, that are going to eventually turn on the system. You have to shut these freaks down. You have to do more then hard talk with these Wall Street bozos (which I totally appreciate that you aren’t afraid to show disdain for them, and it does make me feel a little better that you don’t smile their behavior off). But come on, grab one of these bankers by the neck and drag them across the White House lawn and give him the beating of their life. Make an example.
I get that you have surrounded yourself around a solid brain trust, and I dig the way you went about it. But just be sure you have yourself a good mix of reality in your ear. Because like the very rich, the very smart tend to shrug off the little man, and just does right by his/her own kind. All I’m saying is, I know you have ‘Fighting Joe’ at your side, and he does well to remember the common man, as have you. You served the middle class with great love and attention during your rise. I am just reminding you not to get lost in that sea of intelligencia that can get caught up in proving that their theories are right... and sometimes forgets how much we are hurting while we wait for answers.
I think it would serve all of you well to pretend that you have an entire country of drowning citizens, and right now we are watching that water line rise up to the necks of our families and watching you all put Wall Street into safety boats, and sending them to higher ground. That doesn’t feel good to see that stuff. If maybe the decision makers of Washington could move with the urgency that we are drowning, things might start to spark. I know you have that fire inside of you. I see it in your face when you have to explain to us why things are taking longer. I know that it kills you to have to deal with the stubborn old Washington and you are dealing with it. Just remember you’re the new President and you have a big wall of people behind you. Stir things up a little. Don’t worry about courtesy when you have a Nation to save.
All the best – Your friend
First things first. I like you. If you lived on my street we would be friends. I wouldn’t ignore you like I do that one creepy couple with the mean dog down the street. I get the feeling that you're a good person, light shines from good people and we were in the dark for a good 8 years. So I am excited about all of this. With that said, I wanted to say a couple things.
You are fond of saying and reminding us that you “inherited this mess.” I thought it was appropriate the first few times, but I’m worried that it will become a catch-phrase that you wield too often, and soon catch-phrases become excuses, and excuses become our problems. When people make a mistake as large scale as the over sight that occurred within our banks we are the ones that feel it. What the heck is going on up there on Wall Street? It’s like a pack of mad scientists gone wild, and they don’t realize that their inventions of these schemes and illegal money machines are creating massive amounts of hungry confused monsters, that are going to eventually turn on the system. You have to shut these freaks down. You have to do more then hard talk with these Wall Street bozos (which I totally appreciate that you aren’t afraid to show disdain for them, and it does make me feel a little better that you don’t smile their behavior off). But come on, grab one of these bankers by the neck and drag them across the White House lawn and give him the beating of their life. Make an example.
I get that you have surrounded yourself around a solid brain trust, and I dig the way you went about it. But just be sure you have yourself a good mix of reality in your ear. Because like the very rich, the very smart tend to shrug off the little man, and just does right by his/her own kind. All I’m saying is, I know you have ‘Fighting Joe’ at your side, and he does well to remember the common man, as have you. You served the middle class with great love and attention during your rise. I am just reminding you not to get lost in that sea of intelligencia that can get caught up in proving that their theories are right... and sometimes forgets how much we are hurting while we wait for answers.
I think it would serve all of you well to pretend that you have an entire country of drowning citizens, and right now we are watching that water line rise up to the necks of our families and watching you all put Wall Street into safety boats, and sending them to higher ground. That doesn’t feel good to see that stuff. If maybe the decision makers of Washington could move with the urgency that we are drowning, things might start to spark. I know you have that fire inside of you. I see it in your face when you have to explain to us why things are taking longer. I know that it kills you to have to deal with the stubborn old Washington and you are dealing with it. Just remember you’re the new President and you have a big wall of people behind you. Stir things up a little. Don’t worry about courtesy when you have a Nation to save.
All the best – Your friend
6.
Dear Mr. President,
First of all, thanks for taking the time out of running the country and trying your hardest to get us out of this mess that we’ve created to read this. It does mean a lot.
Second, you really need to give props to Ryan for creating this incredible forum for the common person to express their thoughts and needs and wishes and desires for their country and their leader.
I am a single mother living in a very tiny country town. I do not live above my means. I do not have ANY credit cards. Yet, I still struggle each paycheck just to eek out a living for myself and my daughter.
The only government assistance I currently received is reduced lunch for my daughter.
And it killed me that I had to do that. My pride took such a HUGE hit when I filled out that application. I understand that it’s there to help those of us who truly need it, but still, it stung.
I try my best to do what I can to cut costs. We buy off brands, we turn off lights and try not to use the A.C. too much in the summer, we buy deeply discounted out of season clothes from places like Old Navy and Wal-Mart, we buy things for the house (including furniture) from thrift stores and rummage houses.
Yet, I still can’t seem to pay the bills when they’re due. Not such much a lack of discipline, but lack of funds.
How is it that citizens of this country have to live like this? I’m not gonna cry “it’s not fair” because that isn’t even the issue.
Since there’s really nothing more to be said about that, I’ve got one more beef.
It’s small and probably not on your radar, but….have you seen the cost of food these days in the grocery store?
Due to this country’s current obesity issues, I’m trying my hardest to keep my daughter from falling in this trap.
However, if you go into any grocery store these days, healthy food costs so much more than the bad stuff. For the cost of fresh veggies, fresh fruits, whole wheat/grain products, organic food and healthy snacks for one week, I could feed my entire family unhealthy food for a month.
Can you do something about that?
Thanks again for listening.
Concerned in Mississippi
First of all, thanks for taking the time out of running the country and trying your hardest to get us out of this mess that we’ve created to read this. It does mean a lot.
Second, you really need to give props to Ryan for creating this incredible forum for the common person to express their thoughts and needs and wishes and desires for their country and their leader.
I am a single mother living in a very tiny country town. I do not live above my means. I do not have ANY credit cards. Yet, I still struggle each paycheck just to eek out a living for myself and my daughter.
The only government assistance I currently received is reduced lunch for my daughter.
And it killed me that I had to do that. My pride took such a HUGE hit when I filled out that application. I understand that it’s there to help those of us who truly need it, but still, it stung.
I try my best to do what I can to cut costs. We buy off brands, we turn off lights and try not to use the A.C. too much in the summer, we buy deeply discounted out of season clothes from places like Old Navy and Wal-Mart, we buy things for the house (including furniture) from thrift stores and rummage houses.
Yet, I still can’t seem to pay the bills when they’re due. Not such much a lack of discipline, but lack of funds.
How is it that citizens of this country have to live like this? I’m not gonna cry “it’s not fair” because that isn’t even the issue.
Since there’s really nothing more to be said about that, I’ve got one more beef.
It’s small and probably not on your radar, but….have you seen the cost of food these days in the grocery store?
Due to this country’s current obesity issues, I’m trying my hardest to keep my daughter from falling in this trap.
However, if you go into any grocery store these days, healthy food costs so much more than the bad stuff. For the cost of fresh veggies, fresh fruits, whole wheat/grain products, organic food and healthy snacks for one week, I could feed my entire family unhealthy food for a month.
Can you do something about that?
Thanks again for listening.
Concerned in Mississippi
5.
Mr. President,
My family is a military family. We are not rich. My family struggles to pay all the bills some months. You know, the military doesn't exactly pay top wages, but husband enjoys his job. Thankfully, unlike a lot of Americans we do not have to worry about our health care. We also don't have to worry about a mortgage payment. We don't have a lot of bills that other Americans incur, but my husband also works hard for the government and is willing to die for our country.
This so called "stimulus plan", lets not kid ourselves, lets call it what it is. It is a spending plan. According to you, you have to spend money to create jobs. I don't believe that. I believe if you help out the businesses, by cutting taxes or at least not raising them, they are going to be able to create jobs. If their business grows, they have no choice but to create jobs to keep up with the amount of work that is needed. I understand spending money on public works that are "shovel ready" and that are actually needed and will benefit the general population. I don't however think the government should create public sector jobs that are basically digging a hole and then filling it back in. Eventually these types of jobs will end. Then where are these new government employees going to be? Right back in the unemployment line. So really, the tax money spent on these jobs didn't do what it was supposed to do at all. It technically was just temporary work.
The pork that is in this "stimulus plan" also just makes my stomach turn. If I could I would take a slash and burn attitude towards this bill and go through it line by line and cut out any pork projects that would not immediately create jobs. We don't need money to be put towards the arts, or the zoos, or buying more books for a library. Yes, these are all noble endeavors, but frankly right now, there are more important things at hand.
Big banks. Let them fail. No I am serious. If they can't figure out how the heck to run their business properly, maybe they shouldn't be in business. This is what capitalism is. Survival of the fittest. These executives who are taking massive bonuses for running their company into the ground, let them invest their own money into their company to help it stay afloat. I would much rather have a bunch of smaller banks with smart lending practices than have a bunch of big banks that don't know when they are making a bad deal. We have already given them $790 BILLION dollar in federal money. If they can't figure out how to get that huge amount of money to work for them, good riddance. If we keep giving them money will they learn a lesson or will they come back looking for more handouts? Where are we even getting the money? Are we borrowing from Peter to pay Paul? Are we borrowing from countries that are not exactly our friends? I have a feeling the government is doing all of the above. Like my mom used to tell me, money doesn't just grow on trees. Please, cut these banks off and let them sink or swim on their own accord. We are not doing the American tax payers any favors by letting the banks pull us further into debt.
Personally, I know we are in for hard times. I know we are going to have to suffer a bit. I just don't want my kids paying for the stupidity of bankers who didn't know when to say no. I don't want my kids suffering because people didn't know how to live within their means. I don't want my kids to suffer because our society lost perspective, threw caution to the wind and spent our way into a nightmare. I know this spending bill is as good as passed at this point, but lets at least try to make the money that is going to be spent work for us for a long time. Lets think of it as capital that needs to be invested in the United States Corporation and lets get this business back on track. Hopefully, if it is spent right, we can start turning a profit instead of just constantly throwing more money at the next fire that pops up. Creating more government is not the answer. One more entitlement program is not going to help the problem. One more government study isn't going to help. The only thing that is going to help is to let Capitalism and our Constitution work their magic. Lets not just throw money at the problem and rewrite the rules for American society.
Thanks for listening. God bless.
A. Citizen
US Military Base Overseas via. Charleston, S.C.
My family is a military family. We are not rich. My family struggles to pay all the bills some months. You know, the military doesn't exactly pay top wages, but husband enjoys his job. Thankfully, unlike a lot of Americans we do not have to worry about our health care. We also don't have to worry about a mortgage payment. We don't have a lot of bills that other Americans incur, but my husband also works hard for the government and is willing to die for our country.
This so called "stimulus plan", lets not kid ourselves, lets call it what it is. It is a spending plan. According to you, you have to spend money to create jobs. I don't believe that. I believe if you help out the businesses, by cutting taxes or at least not raising them, they are going to be able to create jobs. If their business grows, they have no choice but to create jobs to keep up with the amount of work that is needed. I understand spending money on public works that are "shovel ready" and that are actually needed and will benefit the general population. I don't however think the government should create public sector jobs that are basically digging a hole and then filling it back in. Eventually these types of jobs will end. Then where are these new government employees going to be? Right back in the unemployment line. So really, the tax money spent on these jobs didn't do what it was supposed to do at all. It technically was just temporary work.
The pork that is in this "stimulus plan" also just makes my stomach turn. If I could I would take a slash and burn attitude towards this bill and go through it line by line and cut out any pork projects that would not immediately create jobs. We don't need money to be put towards the arts, or the zoos, or buying more books for a library. Yes, these are all noble endeavors, but frankly right now, there are more important things at hand.
Big banks. Let them fail. No I am serious. If they can't figure out how the heck to run their business properly, maybe they shouldn't be in business. This is what capitalism is. Survival of the fittest. These executives who are taking massive bonuses for running their company into the ground, let them invest their own money into their company to help it stay afloat. I would much rather have a bunch of smaller banks with smart lending practices than have a bunch of big banks that don't know when they are making a bad deal. We have already given them $790 BILLION dollar in federal money. If they can't figure out how to get that huge amount of money to work for them, good riddance. If we keep giving them money will they learn a lesson or will they come back looking for more handouts? Where are we even getting the money? Are we borrowing from Peter to pay Paul? Are we borrowing from countries that are not exactly our friends? I have a feeling the government is doing all of the above. Like my mom used to tell me, money doesn't just grow on trees. Please, cut these banks off and let them sink or swim on their own accord. We are not doing the American tax payers any favors by letting the banks pull us further into debt.
Personally, I know we are in for hard times. I know we are going to have to suffer a bit. I just don't want my kids paying for the stupidity of bankers who didn't know when to say no. I don't want my kids suffering because people didn't know how to live within their means. I don't want my kids to suffer because our society lost perspective, threw caution to the wind and spent our way into a nightmare. I know this spending bill is as good as passed at this point, but lets at least try to make the money that is going to be spent work for us for a long time. Lets think of it as capital that needs to be invested in the United States Corporation and lets get this business back on track. Hopefully, if it is spent right, we can start turning a profit instead of just constantly throwing more money at the next fire that pops up. Creating more government is not the answer. One more entitlement program is not going to help the problem. One more government study isn't going to help. The only thing that is going to help is to let Capitalism and our Constitution work their magic. Lets not just throw money at the problem and rewrite the rules for American society.
Thanks for listening. God bless.
A. Citizen
US Military Base Overseas via. Charleston, S.C.
4.
Dear President Obama,
First off, Congratulations for winning the coveted position of championing our wonderful country out of the jaws of the tiger, but I have to admit, it is not a position I personally envy. Thanks for giving this letter a bit of your precious time. I'll try to keep it short and sweet.
I used to be scared to death of flying. I would get sweaty palms, my mind would race, I would feel trapped and my heart felt as if were going to burst through shirt. During one of these early flights I sat next to a wise old fella who gave me a piece of advice that instantly calmed me down and has stuck with me ever since. It was this simple little statement that put me completely at ease and forever changed my outlook on situations that seemed to be out of my control. In his own words, "You know, the pilot has a family and he wants to make it to the destination just as bad as all of us". Genius. Why didn't I ever think of that? Instantly I was put at ease and my mind drifted off imagining the pilot pushing all the right buttons, pulling all of those important leavers and sweet talking the air traffic controller to get the best travel route. It was mind blowing how settling that little statement had become. I will spare you the borage of repetitive questioning you are swimming in these days and just offer up this for thought.
I need to know that we are on the same plane here. I need to know that as my pilot, as the pilot of my fellow americans that you are going to be there right along with all of your passengers now that things are so turbulent. There is a certain amount of comfort that comes from knowing that the captain goes down with the ship, especially since we are all on here together. I love this country and I do think it is truly a blessing to have been born here so I really look forward to standing together with you and all of my fellow americans as we grit our teeth, dig in and solve this dilemma.
One more thing, I myself am a man of faith as you are. I have faith that you will make decisions to the best of your ability based on what you truly believe in your heart as you also have to answer to more than just "man". My prayers are with you and your family and may you have the strength and the where with all to accomplish the task set before you. Thanks again for your time and consideration of the well being for your people.
American Citizen since 1975,
David Pender.
First off, Congratulations for winning the coveted position of championing our wonderful country out of the jaws of the tiger, but I have to admit, it is not a position I personally envy. Thanks for giving this letter a bit of your precious time. I'll try to keep it short and sweet.
I used to be scared to death of flying. I would get sweaty palms, my mind would race, I would feel trapped and my heart felt as if were going to burst through shirt. During one of these early flights I sat next to a wise old fella who gave me a piece of advice that instantly calmed me down and has stuck with me ever since. It was this simple little statement that put me completely at ease and forever changed my outlook on situations that seemed to be out of my control. In his own words, "You know, the pilot has a family and he wants to make it to the destination just as bad as all of us". Genius. Why didn't I ever think of that? Instantly I was put at ease and my mind drifted off imagining the pilot pushing all the right buttons, pulling all of those important leavers and sweet talking the air traffic controller to get the best travel route. It was mind blowing how settling that little statement had become. I will spare you the borage of repetitive questioning you are swimming in these days and just offer up this for thought.
I need to know that we are on the same plane here. I need to know that as my pilot, as the pilot of my fellow americans that you are going to be there right along with all of your passengers now that things are so turbulent. There is a certain amount of comfort that comes from knowing that the captain goes down with the ship, especially since we are all on here together. I love this country and I do think it is truly a blessing to have been born here so I really look forward to standing together with you and all of my fellow americans as we grit our teeth, dig in and solve this dilemma.
One more thing, I myself am a man of faith as you are. I have faith that you will make decisions to the best of your ability based on what you truly believe in your heart as you also have to answer to more than just "man". My prayers are with you and your family and may you have the strength and the where with all to accomplish the task set before you. Thanks again for your time and consideration of the well being for your people.
American Citizen since 1975,
David Pender.
3.
It is another Wednesday night and I sit at my pc and look at all the bills I owe. How on earth will they get paid, the mortgage is already 11 days past the due date and I am two months behind on my gas bill to heat my home which I share with my twin 17 yr old sons, the electric bill is due and so are many other things. I am a single mother who DOES not live above her means, I am a working single mom who would do anything for her children except sell her soul to the devil himself. I work hard for a living and you know I do not make enough to buy groceries to feed my growing boys. I am tired of the struggle and I believe you can get things on track for a better way of life, however I do not believe it can be done by bailing out the likes of the companies who helped put the country in the shape it is in today. Think about it.
This world in which we live in needs to know what the word NO means. This word should be said a lot to those of us who wish to get ourselves in debt up to our eyebrows. Why are those who control loans allowed to continue to say yes even when they know better. They should all be held accountable for such a decission to loan out money. Those of us who worry about everyone else but our own lifes should really step back and take a good look at our own yards. I personally feel that if everyone would just take care of there own yards first then and only then should we take on the task of butting into the lives of other folks and other countries.
Maybe you should think of something like how this stimulus money is really going to benifit the Americans who suffer day to day. Those who you have alocated this money to live in glass houses and make millions in paycks every single week. They do not need this money they all need pay cuts! There has been $790 Billion dollars given to bail out big banks, cooperations and god only knows who else. Tell me again why on earth should I give up my hard earned tax dollars to help with this kind of funding? Now with so much poverty in our own country and so much individual debt all brought on by those this money is supose to bail out, think about this. With roughly about 400 Million people who live here in the USA why not just give each and every one of us 1 Million dollars to get ourselfs out of the debt. Those who are infants should have a fund started for them because we all know that the cost of school by the time they are grown up will be crazy. I think this idea would work although it might put the banks and loan companies out of business and frankly I really dont care about them anyway. Again without them the country would not be in such a mess. You see if those of us who really needed that money used it to pay off our debts we would be so much happier and the banks and credit card companies would no longer have a strong hold on America! With folks being out of debt the world we live in would be so much happier I think. It would cut down so much anger that we all feel when we fail to pay the mortgage and we lose our homes because we can no longer pay back those loan companies for them. Do you know what that does to a persons ego? Yes even those who live above their means should be given a chance to make it right. Anyway you should think about this new approch, now those would be nice stimulus checks !
Single Mom in MO
This world in which we live in needs to know what the word NO means. This word should be said a lot to those of us who wish to get ourselves in debt up to our eyebrows. Why are those who control loans allowed to continue to say yes even when they know better. They should all be held accountable for such a decission to loan out money. Those of us who worry about everyone else but our own lifes should really step back and take a good look at our own yards. I personally feel that if everyone would just take care of there own yards first then and only then should we take on the task of butting into the lives of other folks and other countries.
Maybe you should think of something like how this stimulus money is really going to benifit the Americans who suffer day to day. Those who you have alocated this money to live in glass houses and make millions in paycks every single week. They do not need this money they all need pay cuts! There has been $790 Billion dollars given to bail out big banks, cooperations and god only knows who else. Tell me again why on earth should I give up my hard earned tax dollars to help with this kind of funding? Now with so much poverty in our own country and so much individual debt all brought on by those this money is supose to bail out, think about this. With roughly about 400 Million people who live here in the USA why not just give each and every one of us 1 Million dollars to get ourselfs out of the debt. Those who are infants should have a fund started for them because we all know that the cost of school by the time they are grown up will be crazy. I think this idea would work although it might put the banks and loan companies out of business and frankly I really dont care about them anyway. Again without them the country would not be in such a mess. You see if those of us who really needed that money used it to pay off our debts we would be so much happier and the banks and credit card companies would no longer have a strong hold on America! With folks being out of debt the world we live in would be so much happier I think. It would cut down so much anger that we all feel when we fail to pay the mortgage and we lose our homes because we can no longer pay back those loan companies for them. Do you know what that does to a persons ego? Yes even those who live above their means should be given a chance to make it right. Anyway you should think about this new approch, now those would be nice stimulus checks !
Single Mom in MO
2.
Good Evening, Mr. President,
I'm grateful that someone has found a way for us ordinary folk to reach out to you in a way that you seemed so comfortable reaching out to us during your election campaign.
I've followed you for quite some time now, and you had me believing in you for a good many months. I know you've only been in office for a mere 22 days, but I feel I have to tell you how we are truly hurting here.
I live in Raleigh, NC, and yes, I know, some will say that it's a community that isn't as hard hit as, say, Evansville, Indiana. Well, unfortunately, only the large corporations make the news, when talking of lay offs, and closures. In the RTP, there are many great technological and pharmaceutical companies, yes, but there are also many many small family owned businesses that have been around for decades, lest I say, generations. Small businesses have been the backbone of many communities, employing the bulk of the middle and lower class families. Those that have children and parents at home, the sandwich generation that's just struggling to feed the family, make sure they get schooling, get to the doctors when they are sick. When a small business has to cut back on it's staff, or hours, or medical benefits, if we're fortunate enough to get them, it hurts an entire community. Small towns all around RTP, have had to shutter doors, lay off emergency personnel, institute hiring freezes of teachers, because families don't have the money to spend, outside their desire to survive.
As you so eloquently noted in Florida on February 10, with Mrs. Hughes, people are in such desperate situations.
My husband and I are some of those struggling to survive. When we moved to NC in 2004, he had a full time job for Home Depot. About a year later, we learned he had bladder cancer. Since he was a sub-contractor, he did not have health insurance available to him. Thankfully, I was able to get it shortly before he was diagnosed, from the small business I work at. Here's our problem. Working for a small business makes it difficult to make large earnings, in my field. Almost half of my paycheck is gone to just health insurance premiums. I cannot afford to look for another job, since it is imperative that my husband have insurance for his follow-up care/treatments. I'm only bringing home about $700/month, after taxes and health care.
You had made it one of your pillar principles to fix the health care system. I'm imploring you to do that as soon as possible. I feel soon, I may be caring for my mother, who is on Medicare, and diabetic. There is absolutely no way, that I will be able to cope with the stress of the insurance, the care, the job, let alone myself, all rolled into a big bundle.
I voted for you, because I do have hope. My husband has not had any tumors since June of 08, so I am hopeful that maybe, just maybe, we've got it conquered. Please, now help us to be able to have a living wage, and healthcare, and not have to sacrifice one for the other.
Thank you for hearing me out.
V. Plain
Raleigh NC
I'm grateful that someone has found a way for us ordinary folk to reach out to you in a way that you seemed so comfortable reaching out to us during your election campaign.
I've followed you for quite some time now, and you had me believing in you for a good many months. I know you've only been in office for a mere 22 days, but I feel I have to tell you how we are truly hurting here.
I live in Raleigh, NC, and yes, I know, some will say that it's a community that isn't as hard hit as, say, Evansville, Indiana. Well, unfortunately, only the large corporations make the news, when talking of lay offs, and closures. In the RTP, there are many great technological and pharmaceutical companies, yes, but there are also many many small family owned businesses that have been around for decades, lest I say, generations. Small businesses have been the backbone of many communities, employing the bulk of the middle and lower class families. Those that have children and parents at home, the sandwich generation that's just struggling to feed the family, make sure they get schooling, get to the doctors when they are sick. When a small business has to cut back on it's staff, or hours, or medical benefits, if we're fortunate enough to get them, it hurts an entire community. Small towns all around RTP, have had to shutter doors, lay off emergency personnel, institute hiring freezes of teachers, because families don't have the money to spend, outside their desire to survive.
As you so eloquently noted in Florida on February 10, with Mrs. Hughes, people are in such desperate situations.
My husband and I are some of those struggling to survive. When we moved to NC in 2004, he had a full time job for Home Depot. About a year later, we learned he had bladder cancer. Since he was a sub-contractor, he did not have health insurance available to him. Thankfully, I was able to get it shortly before he was diagnosed, from the small business I work at. Here's our problem. Working for a small business makes it difficult to make large earnings, in my field. Almost half of my paycheck is gone to just health insurance premiums. I cannot afford to look for another job, since it is imperative that my husband have insurance for his follow-up care/treatments. I'm only bringing home about $700/month, after taxes and health care.
You had made it one of your pillar principles to fix the health care system. I'm imploring you to do that as soon as possible. I feel soon, I may be caring for my mother, who is on Medicare, and diabetic. There is absolutely no way, that I will be able to cope with the stress of the insurance, the care, the job, let alone myself, all rolled into a big bundle.
I voted for you, because I do have hope. My husband has not had any tumors since June of 08, so I am hopeful that maybe, just maybe, we've got it conquered. Please, now help us to be able to have a living wage, and healthcare, and not have to sacrifice one for the other.
Thank you for hearing me out.
V. Plain
Raleigh NC
1.
Dear Mr. President,
First, are you comfortable? Got something to drink, coffee? Can I get you anything else, because I tend to ramble? I and for the next several paragraphs, I'd like your undivided attention. I say like in the nicest way possible. I know you are busy, and I have a huge appreciation for your time. Thanks.
I don't really care how you got here. I don't care who your father is. I don't really care about your personal life much at all. All I want is for you to do your job. The job you were elected/hired to do. You work for me. I am your boss. Nice to meet you, my name is American Citizen.
You were hired to do a job that is probably the toughest job in the world. But I don't care about the politics. I care about us. You spent 2 years raising money to fund an election campaign. Impressive. But I don't want you tell me what you think I want to hear so I can dig deeper in my pocket. My pockets are empty. I'd even try to pawn the lint if I thought I could.
Now you need to raise money to fund a country, among other things. Little bit tougher task, I'd say, but doable. I have faith in your abilities, or you wouldn't have been hired.
We have been beaten down for so long it's tough to not be numb. But the feeling is returning. We are all so cautious. Trust is a big thing. Hope even bigger. And you asked us to hope. Don't sugar-coat what you say to me. I'm in the dirt. If you mix dirt and sugar…still tastes like dirt. Still leaves a bad taste in my mouth. Get a shovel.
I will work hard to get us back to where we need to be. I do that every day of my life, because I have to. You have been given an assignment, a commission, a job. Something I may not even have.
You speak for me: the person who isn't being heard; the person who doesn't agree with how you are doing your job, but will trust the outcome will be better; the person who thinks every word that you speak is yours; the person who knows sometimes they aren't; the person who dug deep to find $100 to send to your campaign; the person who didn't vote for you; the person who thanks God each night they have a roof over their head; the person who just spent $100,000 on a car; I am your boss. When you speak, you speak for me. When you do anything, it is on my behalf.
Do not have the attitude that you can't please all the people. That is your job. If you are as good as you say, or even close, we will all change OUR attitudes. And this business of country will profit.
I'm sure there will be other things we need to discuss in the future. But if we are square on where we start out together, then honesty and forthrightness will be the rule and keep us going in the correct direction. For us all.
Thanks for your time. You can return to your work, now.
-American Citizen
a.k.a. Wendy Hopkins
First, are you comfortable? Got something to drink, coffee? Can I get you anything else, because I tend to ramble? I and for the next several paragraphs, I'd like your undivided attention. I say like in the nicest way possible. I know you are busy, and I have a huge appreciation for your time. Thanks.
I don't really care how you got here. I don't care who your father is. I don't really care about your personal life much at all. All I want is for you to do your job. The job you were elected/hired to do. You work for me. I am your boss. Nice to meet you, my name is American Citizen.
You were hired to do a job that is probably the toughest job in the world. But I don't care about the politics. I care about us. You spent 2 years raising money to fund an election campaign. Impressive. But I don't want you tell me what you think I want to hear so I can dig deeper in my pocket. My pockets are empty. I'd even try to pawn the lint if I thought I could.
Now you need to raise money to fund a country, among other things. Little bit tougher task, I'd say, but doable. I have faith in your abilities, or you wouldn't have been hired.
We have been beaten down for so long it's tough to not be numb. But the feeling is returning. We are all so cautious. Trust is a big thing. Hope even bigger. And you asked us to hope. Don't sugar-coat what you say to me. I'm in the dirt. If you mix dirt and sugar…still tastes like dirt. Still leaves a bad taste in my mouth. Get a shovel.
I will work hard to get us back to where we need to be. I do that every day of my life, because I have to. You have been given an assignment, a commission, a job. Something I may not even have.
You speak for me: the person who isn't being heard; the person who doesn't agree with how you are doing your job, but will trust the outcome will be better; the person who thinks every word that you speak is yours; the person who knows sometimes they aren't; the person who dug deep to find $100 to send to your campaign; the person who didn't vote for you; the person who thanks God each night they have a roof over their head; the person who just spent $100,000 on a car; I am your boss. When you speak, you speak for me. When you do anything, it is on my behalf.
Do not have the attitude that you can't please all the people. That is your job. If you are as good as you say, or even close, we will all change OUR attitudes. And this business of country will profit.
I'm sure there will be other things we need to discuss in the future. But if we are square on where we start out together, then honesty and forthrightness will be the rule and keep us going in the correct direction. For us all.
Thanks for your time. You can return to your work, now.
-American Citizen
a.k.a. Wendy Hopkins
0.
As Emerson said: "Words are alive. Cut them and they bleed."
Fill your head with words till they are bursting back out from your fingers covered in ferocious life and love and energy. You give them their power. Wield them.
There is hope you know. Remember hearing about it? We heard that word HOPE being thrown around for over 2 years as a campaign promise and a plea to seat someone upon the power of our problems. Someone willing to be patient and diligent and true. To guide. To lead. To inspire. It was a constant push for us to care again. To do our part. To BELIEVE in CHANGE. To "Get out and vote." We did. So what now? Sit back and hope everyone does a good job?
No! We sat around and hoped for the best for too long. There IS hope ya know. But it's not coming from crossed fingers and heavy hearts. It's in our words that we are sharing and putting up for stares. WE are the hope. What we say. How WE lead. The window is wide open right now for all of us to do our share of word spreading and turn this ship around. What am I talking about? I'm talking about applying unbelievable amounts of pressure for follow thru and some acknowledgment that we are all being heard. All of us. If this President is truly a peoples President than he will surely want to hear the people.
What got me thinking about all of this has been seeing these meme things flying around the many social networking sites we frequent... and I started wondering. What if we were writing something a little more important? What if we were writing and painting a true picture of where we are, how we are doing. How we are living. What we are thinking. And what if we did this all at the same time.
How many times are we spoken for in speeches? We hear all the time the phrsae: "what the American People want." I don't remember anybody asking me anything. Our National News conducts a phone poll and throws up some numbers and can claim shaky ground for a Stimulus or soaring popularity for the President. But I have never been asked. And I don't think I know a single person that I have personally met that has been polled about anything. We are a network, a community of bloggers that all have stories.
I started this blog. It's sitting here on the internet waiting for us. For ALL OF US to write a "Post to the President". We all have twitter. We all know how to hot link and pass along information. We are the best at word spreading. Think of the power we are sitting in front of. The power we have to be loud. I'm talking about a show of force. Some might think this is cheesy or silly or pointless. But try to imagine the thousands of people that sat and wrote out the "25 Things About You" meme and it keeps passing around. Just think if the same amount of people took the time to write a post to the President, and they were all collected in one place to be seen, to be read. How awesome would that be. A TRUE account of what the American people think. Good. Bad. All of it.
I am asking that we ALL, and I mean ALL OF US please take part in this exercise and leave a "Post To The President"
All the Love in the Universe ~ Me
I thought it might help if there were some basic guidelines to follow for the shy, or the bloggers with so much to say they feel overwhelmed and are not sure where to start. So here is a list of basic things you can follow. Or by all means write whatever you want. even if it is just to say something very brief.
1. Where are you from
2. How many of you are there? Give a basic breakdown of your family
3. Employed/ Unemployed/ Looking/ Struggling/ What's your situation?
4. What are you most worried about?
5. Any gripes or complaints so far?
6. How do you feel about the Economic Recovery Plan?
7. Do you have any suggestions on something you would focus on first?
8. Do you have confidence in your President?
Again these are just suggestions. Just to help people that might need a nudge.
Fill your head with words till they are bursting back out from your fingers covered in ferocious life and love and energy. You give them their power. Wield them.
There is hope you know. Remember hearing about it? We heard that word HOPE being thrown around for over 2 years as a campaign promise and a plea to seat someone upon the power of our problems. Someone willing to be patient and diligent and true. To guide. To lead. To inspire. It was a constant push for us to care again. To do our part. To BELIEVE in CHANGE. To "Get out and vote." We did. So what now? Sit back and hope everyone does a good job?
No! We sat around and hoped for the best for too long. There IS hope ya know. But it's not coming from crossed fingers and heavy hearts. It's in our words that we are sharing and putting up for stares. WE are the hope. What we say. How WE lead. The window is wide open right now for all of us to do our share of word spreading and turn this ship around. What am I talking about? I'm talking about applying unbelievable amounts of pressure for follow thru and some acknowledgment that we are all being heard. All of us. If this President is truly a peoples President than he will surely want to hear the people.
What got me thinking about all of this has been seeing these meme things flying around the many social networking sites we frequent... and I started wondering. What if we were writing something a little more important? What if we were writing and painting a true picture of where we are, how we are doing. How we are living. What we are thinking. And what if we did this all at the same time.
How many times are we spoken for in speeches? We hear all the time the phrsae: "what the American People want." I don't remember anybody asking me anything. Our National News conducts a phone poll and throws up some numbers and can claim shaky ground for a Stimulus or soaring popularity for the President. But I have never been asked. And I don't think I know a single person that I have personally met that has been polled about anything. We are a network, a community of bloggers that all have stories.
I started this blog. It's sitting here on the internet waiting for us. For ALL OF US to write a "Post to the President". We all have twitter. We all know how to hot link and pass along information. We are the best at word spreading. Think of the power we are sitting in front of. The power we have to be loud. I'm talking about a show of force. Some might think this is cheesy or silly or pointless. But try to imagine the thousands of people that sat and wrote out the "25 Things About You" meme and it keeps passing around. Just think if the same amount of people took the time to write a post to the President, and they were all collected in one place to be seen, to be read. How awesome would that be. A TRUE account of what the American people think. Good. Bad. All of it.
I am asking that we ALL, and I mean ALL OF US please take part in this exercise and leave a "Post To The President"
All the Love in the Universe ~ Me
I thought it might help if there were some basic guidelines to follow for the shy, or the bloggers with so much to say they feel overwhelmed and are not sure where to start. So here is a list of basic things you can follow. Or by all means write whatever you want. even if it is just to say something very brief.
1. Where are you from
2. How many of you are there? Give a basic breakdown of your family
3. Employed/ Unemployed/ Looking/ Struggling/ What's your situation?
4. What are you most worried about?
5. Any gripes or complaints so far?
6. How do you feel about the Economic Recovery Plan?
7. Do you have any suggestions on something you would focus on first?
8. Do you have confidence in your President?
Again these are just suggestions. Just to help people that might need a nudge.
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