Obama Has Written Personal Checks To Struggling Americans

[Sam Hain]

WASHINGTON -- Got problems? Tell Barack Obama. He can help. He might even give you money.

On more than one occasion, the president has cut personal checks to struggling Americans who've written to the White House, according to an excerpt from a new book by Washington Post reporter Eli Saslow about the ten letters the president reads every day. "It's not something I should advertise, but it has happened," the president told Saslow.

How many times has President Obama intervened on someone's behalf, and with what kind of problems does he help? Mortgage payments? Medical bills? And when he wants to help someone out with a personal check, how does it work? Does he send a check signed "Barack Obama" directly to the individual in need, or does he send the money to a bank or company on the person's behalf? Do people even know when Obama has helped them out, or does the help arrive anonymously through a lawyer?

The White House declined to answer any questions about the practice.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/10/21/obama-personal-checks_n_1019501.html

It's a CONSPIRACY, I TELLS YA! The checks are covered with Commie Pinko dust, and once ya touches 'em, you'll start hating guns and stop hating other Americans! NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!

[leftstreet]

1. Where do we send our requests?

[monmouth]

2. Says so much about the man and his actions. Thank you Mr. President,

a family may have had a couple of meals, or gas filled a tank...

[Brickbat]

3. I find that odd.

[TwilightGardener]

5. Not much different or odd than donating to charity. He probably hears many

sad stories from desperate people.

[Brickbat]

7. Well, it's different in that he's giving to specific people.

The idea that a president is making judgments about people's situations and giving to some and not others leaves a bad taste for me.

[snooper2]

8. So you've never made a judgement on a beggar on the street corner?

Or do you always just walk by real fast with your head down?

[TwilightGardener]

9. I've written checks for some people/causes and not others. Can't give all my money away.

He's just a man, he's not Jesus.

[emulatorloo]

16. Seems like you may have an agenda.

[seabeyond]

17. since i cannot take care of everyone i have made choices (judgment). guess i could give to NO one

what other option is there.

[nadinbrzezinski]

21. Alas this is not unprecedented in American history

Jaysus there are days.

[roguevalley]

46. I would admire it more if he would kill the problem at the source

ending the need for the letters. But he surrounds himself with wall street freaks and tries to barter protections and programs to get 'support' from wall street and pugs who will NEVER support him. Do a macro, Obama and the micro won't need to be done. Sheesh.

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

45. Why? Because it debunks the ODSer claim that he's a shill for Wall Street?!?

[dameocrat67]

50. wallstreet gives a lot to charity

there whole argument is that charity can replace the safetynet, and this news does nothing to prove otherwise.

[ellisonz]

53. It's not. You should read the article...

"...there are times when I'm reading the letters and I feel pained that I can't do more, faster, to make a difference in their lives."

Ever given a higher tip to a waitress, or a worker a Christmas bonus, or a family member or friend in distress, or a buck to the guy on the sidewalk on a cold night...

[Lint Head]

4. The chicks aren't valid if he doesn't show his Birf Certificate!

[Sam Hain]

43. Oh, man, I just ate!

:puke:

[deacon]

6. k/r

[Fumesucker]

10. Like Wile Coyote with his little umbrella waiting for the boulder to fall..

The White House Secretaries brace for the onslaught.

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_olmokblAOOM/SPb8w3iw7hI/AAAAAAAAAL4/RQl9Wlh9k84/s400/wile+e+coyote.jpg

[Poll_Blind]

11. Oh, and he wrote checks to the struggling Koreans, Colombians and Panamanians, too.

In the form of the three free trade bills which he just signed into law, today. You'll be cashing those checks, not him.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=385x624440">DeFazio on the job killing free trade agreements
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=385x624441">DeFazio on the South Korean Free Trade Agreement
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=385x624243">Sen. Bernie Sanders: A Good Deal for Kim Jong Il

AFL-CIO: http://blog.aflcio.org/2011/10/12/act-now-tell-congress-no-on-korea-colombia-panama-trade-deals/">Act Now: Tell Congress ‘No’ on Korea, Colombia, Panama Trade Deals

Oh, and today the first Mexican trucks are scheduled to http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5gurLltuFudvg1JWQu7GfR5NcB-0Q?docId=58e5d748872f46378fed90c642ff8ace">enter the US today. And that's from the original NAFTA. If you've watched and read all the material I linked to- if that doesn't make an impression- it's going to be hard to miss the fact that there should be an American behind that truck if you see one on the road.

PB

[ThomWV]

12. If he'd do his job as President he wouldn't have to pay out of his own pocket

Its a nice but meaningless gesture on a national scale. Why doesn't he push for programs that will help people help themselves rather than give them temporary relief out of his own limited wallet?

[FrenchieCat]

14. He's doing his job as President.......but not one as dictator.

Sorry to disappoint!

[Ship of Fools]

35. Yep. Thank you.

[Ignis]

41. Oh, well, that settles it then.

:eyes:

Does this mean you think FDR's WPA program made him a dictator? :shrug:

[ellisonz]

55. False equivilancy. FDR had a cooperative Congress - Obama has not in the past and does not now.

In a 50-50 vote, senators blocked a component of President Barack Obama's jobs bill -- $35 billion for states and localities to hire more teachers and first responders while preventing current ones from being laid off.

"For the second time in two weeks, every single Republican in the United States Senate has chosen to obstruct a bill that would create jobs and get our economy going again," President Barack Obama said in a statement.

http://articles.cnn.com/2011-10-20/politics/politics_jobs-bill_1_jobs-bill-jobs-plan-republicans?_s=PM:POLITICS

[dameocrat67]

51. fdr was a dictator

n/t

[Brickbat]

15. You articulate what I was feeling.

Well said.

[emulatorloo]

24. No, it is a half-truth.

Republicans do not deserve the free pass you and your friend are giving them.

[leftstreet]

18. +1

[seabeyond]

19. i think he is out there pushing for exactly that. and i think the repugs are pushing back

how would you like him to make it happen.

realistically.

he is now going to the people so they can help make the repugs do right.

[emulatorloo]

20. Until you incorporate Republicans into your worldview, your posts are meaningless.

Republicans are sabotaging everything. Yet you give them a free pass and act as if they don't exist.

[JuniperLea]

26. +1

[leftstreet]

27. Voters tossed Republicans out of the worldview in 2006 & 2008. Obama brought them back n/t

[uponit7771]

39. such open amateurish hate, so much of it....it comes off the webpage

[roguevalley]

47. I'm curious about your remarks. Is it for the poster before you?

or is this more if you don't stand by obama no matter what you are a hater even if your concerns are principled. Thanks.

[grasswire]

13. I don't think it's proper for him to talk about writing checks to individuals.

Thousands of people used to write to the Roosevelts begging for a worn-out winter coat or blankets for the new baby or some food. Times were even more desperate then. Roosevelt responded by creating jobs for Americans and social safety nets that have helped millions of Americans for generations.

[nadinbrzezinski]

22. And he also helped a few individuals early on

:-)

[seabeyond]

23. i thought we were suppose to have absolute transparency, no exceptions? nt

[quinnox]

25. So he doesn't advertise it but tells a guy writing a book about him

all about it. Ok...

This sounds like a typical "what a great guy he is!" public relations stunt.

[Marr]

28. I Feel Your Pain.©

More of the same old bullshit from the DLC/Third Way wing of the party.

If he didn't consistently put corporate profits ahead of the general population, maybe he wouldn't be getting so many letters from desperate people. Also, charity that's bragged about is not charity at all-- it's PR. Especially in a campaign season.

[TwilightGardener]

31. Maybe he was asked a question, and answered honestly. If someone asked him if he donated

to charity, and he said "yes", is that bragging?

[Marr]

34. Yeah-- it is.

Maybe that wouldn't be the case for the average man on the street-- maybe. But for a politician in a campaign season, speaking to a reporter, in the middle of a bad economy? Yeah, that's PR.

[TwilightGardener]

36. I don't think it is. I think it's an honest answer, and something that could be

found out anyway. It actually creates more hassles for him and his staff to answer the way he did, IMO--he will not benefit from it at all, and he knows that. I think he just didn't want to play coy with the issue.

[Name removed]

29. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[TwilightGardener]

30. What? What "certain group"?

[FLyellowdog]

32. He's a good man. nt

[Raschel]

33. I agree!

[happyslug]

37. Reminds me of the Story of Ronald Reagan, another President known for his genorosity

The old joke was Ronald Reagan, if asked by someone in need, would take the shirt off his own back, his pants off of his legs and give them to the person in need, then walk in his underwear to his desk and sign a law cutting that same person's welfare/Food Stamps/Social Security.

The joke was an effort to show that Reagan did not connect that the reason people were doing badly and need help was he had cut the aid such people had been getting from the Government. Reagan could not see that what he was doing to the Domestic Side of the Federal Budget was hurting the very people, as a person, he would gladly give support to.

[HipChick]

38. I'm going to have to write to Obama

I hope he really isn't writing personal checks...a lot of fraud occurs people are able to obtain routing information from personal checks

[AsahinaKimi]

40. But wait...

Can you imagine getting a check signed by "Barrack Obama" ? Do you think the banks would really cash it? I mean, I am sure they can verify it, but some where along the line, someone is going to call the local news.. or people just won't believe it.

A person walking into a bank with a check from the President, just might be arrested for trying to pass off a fraudulent check.. I even wonder if the bank would even bother to verify it.. ??

[dawg]

42. I'm not surprised. The President seems to be a good man with a kind heart.

I'm often critical of him. I believe he has listened to, and trusted, the wrong people. I believe he is unwilling to face the reality that the Republicans will not deal in good faith. And I disagree with him on numerous issues.

But I like him, respect him, and think he is a good person.

[in_cog_ni_to]

44. That is very kind of him! I hope he gives anonymously. That's the greatest gift one can give.

Kudos to President Obama! :thumbsup:

[Safetykitten]

48. The way things are going, he better have a rubber stamp signature.

[AmirDal]

49. The Obama disadvantage is that he is probably are good person. His enemies are not.

[nc4bo]

52. That is actually a very nice thing for him to do, politics and policies aside.

Very nice of him indeed.

[ipaint]

54. Cheap PR.

Did he include a note explaining his creation of the catfood commission leading to the super congress bullshit.

[emulatorloo]

56. Cheap assholish comment on a message board.