Dear President Obama:
Enough!
I heard you say that word once as if you meant it. At the time, I cheered you and noted how much you reminded me of my father. He was an easy-going, diplomatic, altruistic, kind, and fair man. He didn’t raise his voice, didn’t cuss, and seldom criticized. But we knew when we had crossed a line and when he was serious, by the tone in a single word. Even then, we did not fear him; we respected him.
Those of us who elected you – remember us? The majority? The people who believed in you enough to hand you a mandate and ask you to lead with it? The hopeful people? – we need you to use that voice and the power we gave you, at the right time, with the right people.
We don’t have any cheeks left to turn, President Obama. We’ve been sitting here in this corner for ten years, taking blow after blow after blow. We’ve been insulted, neglected, mistreated, and laughed at for wanting what is right. We’ve been lied to and robbed. We’ve been called traitors and un-American for wanting to save our country. We’ve had enough already.
My strong faith in your character and deep admiration for your fairness were two of the biggest reasons I campaigned for you and voted for you. I believed in your experience and intelligence, but I also believed a few of your challengers in the primary were as experienced and intelligent as you. Your character is what carried you to the top of that race for me. Sadly, I must admit that my confidence in you has waned over recent months and the incident with Shirley Sherrod today has almost destroyed what is left of it.
If this didn’t remind me so much of Anne Northup, I might have seen it as a huge mistake and not a pattern. Anne Northup pulled the same ugly scam of editing a video and using it out of context against Eleanor Jordan. Later, she admitted what she had done in an interview and laughed, saying all is fair in politics and war. We finally replaced her in Congress, did not elect her as Governor, and you brought her back to Washington and put her in a regulator position after she had proven that she could not regulate her own character and was nothing but a rubber stamp for the Bush Administration while in Congress. Unfortunately, it is a pattern. You consistently allow - and even reward - unacceptable behavior from the obstructionist party, their pretend media, and their celebrity leaders at the expense of the people who have been on your side and are at least trying to do the right things for this country.
This is not acceptable, President Obama. We deserve better than to be sitting in this corner wondering if you will ever call off the dogs and let us out to do what you’ve asked us to do – help get this country back on track. You ask us to meet, make phone calls, contact our representatives, talk to our neighbors, spread the truth about the issues. And then, after we beat our heads against the wall, endure ridicule for caring about facts and politics, finally talk a few people into waking up – you allow the other side to water-down, filibuster without standing on the floor, control from a minority, laugh at us while they do all they can to make you fail, and pull stunts like they did with Shirley Sherrod and ACORN. It’s tiring and frustrating. And so very disappointing.
In case you haven’t figured it out yet, it is not possible for you to be Mr. Nice Guy to both sides. Since you have to choose one, shouldn’t it be those who will appreciate it?
I’ve spoken in pleural, because I have heard the same regrets from a number of people. I am not Mitch McConnell, however, so I cannot pretend to speak for THE American People. In closing, I speak only for myself.
Being hurt by strangers doesn’t hurt nearly as badly as being hurt by the person to whom I have given my time, energy, trust, and hope. As painful and fearful as the eight years under the Bush Administration were for me, I wasn’t saddened by them. I was simply angry and fearful. Tonight, I am sad, and feeling rather hopeless again. I think the disappointment might be greater on this side. Maybe because I have to accept part of the blame for believing so strongly in you.
Please, use the power we gave you. You earned it. We need and deserve it.
Sincerely,
Sandy