Dear Mr. President (althought this kind of goes out to Esteemed Democratic Members of Congress and the Senate of the United States, too):
Got your note. Thanks. I understand how you'd like our help holding Republicans' feet to the fire on tax rates, Medicare, Social Security and the like. I know you want to keep the safety net, and a minimum fairness. I get all that.
That's why I voted for you.
That's why we all voted for you.
We trust you to have a care of at least some of the needs of most of the people.
Maybe not universal health care, but a universal chance to buy some kind of insurance at an imaginably achievable price. Maybe not real demilitarization, but just a war or two fewer per decade. Maybe not a return to Glass-Steagall but a minimum of Thou Shalt Nots upon the bankers.
We trust you to occasionally offer something to the average citizen, and to fight against those who would close us out of the few opportunities we still enjoy.
Like voting. But I digress. . .
Anyway, when I get the emails from you and your organizations, exhorting me to pressure the Republicans on issues of taxation and opportunity and fairness, I, like a lot of my countrymen, naturally ask, "Isn't that why I voted for you?"
You see, unlike folks at this and similar sites, most citizens out here are really, really preoccupied with the details of surviving. Like most humans throughout history, we just want a little peace and a few good seasons to fatten the livestock and fill the corncrib. We pray for a little bit of breathing room
And we don't have a lot of time to think about running the country and getting the blowhard billionaire-toady nutcases in line.
That's why we voted for you. Because we've always been able to count on Democrats to run things reasonably rationally, cut off a few ends for the little guys and stifle the McCarthys.
So, yeah, I'll help as I can. A letter here, a call-in comment there. But mostly I want to get back to my job(s), okay? Keeping things going and wrangling the nuts is yours.
I feel ya.