An Open Letter to President Obama
*********************************************************************
Thanks for pointing out your alleged Republican Wars on Humanity but may we talk about jobs?
*********************************************************************
Dear President Obama-
I know you are preparing for the Democratic convention next week and a fierce rebuttal to the Republican convention that just occurred so I will make this “fairly” quick.
First, thank you for your public service. While I may not agree with many of your policies (more later), there’s no question that you wish to serve this country and do what you believe is best for it. Given the grief that you have to endure from opposing politicians, the media and even your own party, you are to be commended for showing up in the Oval Office each day with the sunny demeanor you have. I don’t think I could do it.
Above: I.M. Windee writes a letter to the President
Still, as stated prior, I take exception with many of your policies, and not just because I am a Conservative and Republican.
Let’s start with health-care. It’s great that you want to see everyone have coverage but as you found out when you cut over $100 billion from Medicare to pay for such, your aspiration has a price. If it didn’t, Republicans would be all for universal coverage quicker than you could say “Hillary-Care.” I guess that’s one of the big differences between you and your Liberal colleagues versus Mr. Romney and Conservatives: recognizing that if you wish to give to Paul, you must take from (tax) Peter. That’s just the way it is. The government coffers are not some magical horn of plenty that wealth is magically belched out from. Government relies on the people it governs (read: the taxpayer). Nothing inherently wrong with that, but it must be recognized so that there is no surprise when some parts of the citizenry get cramped feelings over what government does with the resources it has.
Which gets us to the unfortunate phenomenon this world (and perhaps the universe) is gripped in: limited resources. When you say with too much ease that “the rich” should pay more in taxes (I believe “fair share” is your justifying term), some think you are a bit too blithe in such thinking and don’t realize that the people you are targeting, while perhaps wildly wealthy, only have a finite amount of resources. And when you take away a portion of their wealth, they have that much less to use in such things as investment that creates jobs. Perhaps it’s an eccentricity that the wealthy need to be cured of, but that’s how they operate at this point in evolution. So maybe more care and thought should be given before using higher taxes willy-nilly to balance your budget deficits. Just a thought.
And while we’re on the subject of “the rich,” we unemployed (and perhaps much of the citizenry) don’t care what Mitt Romney and his ilk pay in taxes, whether he is waging some “war on [fill in the blank],” or any other superfluous demagoguery that may serve you politicians in a campaign but does nothing for us. All we care about is whether the “1%” plan to hire any of us, and if so, when?
I realize you probably cringed when I mentioned the unmentionable: jobs. I’m sorry and do not mean to create discomfort. We’ll quickly change the subject to Mitt Romney’s taxes and the fabled gastro-intestinal distress he had from a bad bean burrito late one night while in college but a few words on this thorny subject of (un)employment are a must. If it makes you feel better, such term makes me feel queasy as I am a member of your “Hope and Change Brigade” (the unemployed). While I can only speak for myself and not my jobless brethren, it just seems that getting gainful employment is likely near the top of all our concerns and is what we most want you and Mr. Romney to speak about. Yes, yes, I fully agree with your campaign and MSNBC allies that the many Republican wars on you name it should be foremost in the campaign discussion. Yet the bill collectors that call me each day don’t seem to care about such; they just want money from me which I can only get from a job, which I don’t have. So here’s what I think is some good advice (if I’ve yet to offer any): at least feign some concern about us jobless. You don’t even need to take any responsibility for the lackluster recovery. Just blame George Bush (either one, your pick) or Richard Nixon or even Herbert Hoover (2 always-reliable scapegoats for Democrats); most of us are so punch-drunk that we won’t give it much thought so long as you speak somewhat within our zone of concern.
And speaking of jobs, there are those of us who think you might have put the cart before the horse. To wit, you did a lot of Liberal social policy engineering before you allowed the sputtering economy to recover and pay for your agenda. Again, I don’t wish to cause any heartburn for you but I’m just giving you a heads-up as to what’s happening outside the gates of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. Perhaps if you win a second term, you can focus on the economy and letting it grow. Maybe not.
One final word on…..jobs (last one, I promise). When you can have upwards of 20,000 jobs created and increase oil supplies which will lower energy and consumer prices, take the opportunity (and run). Yes, I’m talking about the XL pipeline. If you don’t believe me on this, ask the unions who would’ve filled such jobs. I know they have your ear. Realize that as Ronald Reagan timelessly put it: recession is when your neighbor loses his job; depression is when you lose yours. There are a lot of us in a Depression.
Finally, please do something with Vice-President Biden. All of my concerns above are magnified whenever I hear him speak. He seems like a decent fellow but he does not give me the comfort zone of someone who can get an adequate handle on officiating the White House Easter Egg Roll, let alone major policy matters. Add him to the list above of reasons why you should be commended for not holing up at Camp David and taking multi-month vacations each year.
I hope some of this helps and if you could, please extend the unemployment benefits for several more years. I understand better now that just like much of ObamaCare is interdependent upon each other, so too are your fiscal, tax and regulatory policies intertwined with your plan for prolonged unemployment benefits. It all makes sense now, and I’m sorry for ever questioning such wisdom.
An aspiring taxpayer,
-I.M. Windee
