Open Letter to President Obama

[BlueDemKev]

Dear President Obama,

It's becoming very difficult to defend you.

For the last two years I've been behind you every step of the way from your stimulus plan, to your health insurance reform law, to your fighting for extending unemployment benefits for the victims of this horrid economic downturn as well as the irresponsible amount of outsourcing by the so-called "job creators" in our country. Overall, you have done a decent job (not a great job, but a decent job).
I cannot thank you enough particularly for the health reform law. While your communication with the public during the process was less than satisfactory, reforming the insurance industry was common sense and DECADES overdue.

However, your capitulating to the Republicans on the issue of extending all of Bush's tax cuts (including to those earning over $250,000/yr, is irresponsible and foolish. It's not only bad policy, it's bad politics. Bad policy because this so-called "deal" you've worked out with Mitch McConnell & Co. includes extending the tax cuts (decreasing revenue) AND extending unemployment benefits (increasing spending).

Less Revenue + More Spending = DEFICITS

That's right, the nation will only go deeper into the red, and you know who's going to get blamed for it--YOU WILL. Sure, the Republicans are going along with this deal, but rest assured the public will blame you for the higher deficits. This is why it's bad politics. Also, extending these tax cuts for the top 2% of income-earners thru either 2011 or 2012 will mean that YOU AND THE DEMOCRATS WILL HAVE TO DEAL WITH THIS ISSUE AGAIN WHILE THE 2012 ELECTION CAMPAIGN IS IN FULL SWING!!! Honestly, if you want to extend these tax cuts, you should probably extend them thru 2013 and "kick the can" past the next election cycle.

Seriously though, you should NOT give into the Republicans on this one. It will only cost you as well as the nation. Stop trying to work with the right-wing in good faith, they have NO interest in working with you, they are just trying to undermine you so they can get back into power so they can repeal your signature achievement, health care reform, pack the Supreme Court with more Scalias, Thomases, and Alito's, cut taxes even more on the wealthiest Americans so they can starve Social Security & Medicare causing them to go under, and trash our environment.

I know you have a very tough job, Mr. President, and I don't envy you at all. However, you've been in office long enough to realize that the Republicans/Tea-Baggers have NO interest in cooperating with you. Their exclusive goal, as Mitch McConnell has said, is to see to it that you are a one-term president.

Are you going to let them succeed, Mr. President?

[MineralMan]

1. Did you send your "open" letter to the White House?

If not, President Obama isn't going to read it. That I can guarantee. He might not read it if you send it directly to him, either, but he might. It's always better to direct your letter to the person you hope will read it. President Obama doesn't read DU. He's busy.

[BlueDemKev]

2. Yep

[MineralMan]

6. Very good!

[jaxx]

3. I didn't notice you telling him thanks for sticking up for the unemployed.

Compromise is a two-way street and both sides are having to do so.

[somone]

4. There are newspapers, computers and televisions in the White House

He knows exactly what's going on, and he's doing exactly what he's always wanted to do all along.

[BlueDemKev]

5. No, he's caving on this because....

...he's shaken up by the midterm elections. He has to realize that those election results were mainly due to the economy.