There's been a lot of heartbreak, anger, frustration and soul searching over the few short days since the 2010 mid-term elections. Following is a poignant letter to the president written by Darlene at Darlene's Hodgepodge. I have a world of affection and admiration for this amazingly bright lady. I'm sure you will understand why when you read her words.
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Dear Mr. President:
This loyal constituent is depressed and fearful. I knew that there would be a train wreck and I tried to be sanguine about the shellacking you took. The pendulum swings back and forth in politics and the Democrats' loss was predicted.
The depression kicked in when I heard your conciliatory speech inviting the Republican leadership to the White House and when you went so far as to offer to wine and dine them I wanted to weep. The nasty thought came to me that you should put a few drops of hemlock in the Republicans' brandy. (Just kidding)
I am so afraid that you just don't get it. The Republican leadership proudly boast that their goal in the next two years is to destroy the good you have done and limit you to a one term president. They have made it crystal clear that the bipartisanship you seek is never going to happen.
The Republicans shamefully do not give a damn about we, the people. If they are allowed to further destroy the country during the next two years they can blame you and you will not serve another term. That is the only goal they have. It has been their goal from the beginning of your term in office.
Their answers to the country's problems are laughable. They have no real plausible solutions to the economy or job creation. All they can do is stop you.
It's time to play their game and the name of the game is hardball. Take a page from their play book and learn how dirty politics wins. Every time they lie you must use your bully pulpit to refute their deceit. Don't let a single smear go unchallenged.
The Republicans have the money and big corporations on their side. They have the despicable Faux Fox Network as their corrupt mouthpieces. The best TV media for political truth is MSNBC and you should use your Public Relations people to promote it. Yes, the commentators on MSNBC lean left, but they do not lie. The commentators on that channel can prove what they say, contrary to the entertainers on Fox who cry, spread fear and hatred with unprovable smears.
You have two arrows in your quiver. Your eloquence and your ability to inspire hope. And the bully pulpit to make use of that ability. Use them often.
Your desire to be seen an a moderate and polite leader is perceived as weakness. It is time to be bold. Or as Sarah Palin so earthly put it, "Man up." The people want a strong leader who isn't afraid to demand that Congress fulfill it's duties and stop maligning and dithering. We want a leader who sounds convinced of his actions and strongly explains them. Bold captures the day.
You must instruct your people to use every avenue available to you to explain how the Health Care Reform will impact on the lives of the people you govern. You must not wait to do so. They have been fed a bunch of crap lies and have been convinced that it's a very bad thing; You know this. Are you going to let it go unchallenged? This is a time for every Democrat to stand up tall and refute the lies with the truth.
The same principle goes for the other good legislation passed during your presidency. The people do not know about it and the timidity of the Democrats is discouraging. A 'one or two time explanation' just won't cut it. It must be repeatedly drummed into the heads of the naive. Learn how that works from the tactics of Karl Rove.
You know that the Republicans do not have a clue as to how to get jobs back and that is why they have switched the subject to 'that terrible health care plan'. If asked what they would do about the economy they avoid answering. When pressed they say they will retain the tax cuts for the wealthiest corporations and individuals. How well did that work under George Bush?
It helped create the defecit that they claim to despise.
You know all of this Mr. President. By now you should have learned how the game is played. It isn't a college debate; it's down and dirty gutter fighting. You are going to have to remain above the fray, but use your intellect to subtly fight fire with fire.
I remain your loyal admirer and hope that you will not let too much time lapse before you change your methods. Once a lie takes hold it's very hard to refute. I want to call you Mr. President for four more years.
I remain Respectfully Yours,
Darlene
Nice compassionate letter! Sadly, even with a majority the government is controlled and manipulated by a minority...
ReplyDeleteDemocrats go to Washington believing they can make a difference and Republicans go to Washington believing they can make out...
That is why the Republicans are smarter than we are...they know the game is rigged and the concept of democracy is just a charade...
TAO: I feel like I have post natal blues. I still want to hope and I still will do what I can - like bombard the White House with emails similar to Darlene's letter. I'm too damn old to give up now.
ReplyDeleteI agree with TAO.
ReplyDeleteHas it ever come to any ones mind that the Big O knew coming in that he would be a one term president.
The economy was/is much worst than the people were/are told.
The repubs wanted no part of it.
That is why they ran Mc Cain.
Palin was the nail in the coffin for them. It was their own nail, from their own tool box.
"It's the economy stupid".
He should have gone after the Banksters.
Instead some of the same crew [Geithner, Summers]that got us into this mess came to D.C. again.
He should have gone for Medi-Care for all. Instead he sat down with the rethugs, Ins. Corps. and pharma.
He lost all of his political capitol on a watered down HC.
Now the rethugs will not fund it.
Jobs, jobs,jobs, that is what this election was all about.
He did not keep ANY of his big promises.
Not to the Latinos, not to the gays, not to Gitmo. He just threw a bone every once in a while and the dems forgave him instead of holding his puppet strings to the fire.
They will fund endless wars with out borders, they will fund ear marks, but they will not fund social programs. Austerity is coming to America.We are entering the lost decade or two.
RZ: That's a pretty distressing and very depressing list. I'm awfully discouraged and bitterly disappointed at this point. Right after the election, when he talked about extending the tax cuts and Reid indicated he probably wouldn't pursue changing the filibuster rules, all the wind went out of my sails. But, until he's gone - and I'm beginning to believe that he will be a one termer - I still have to keep shouting, if only in protest. Right now I feel like we've been sold out.
ReplyDeleteTnLib,
ReplyDeleteAt some point, like when it is the darkest, we will wake up and realize the truth...then we will witness the dawn of a new beginning.
In 2008 Wall Street and all the special interest money supported Obama or stayed out of the race. Now, all that money has come out in 2010 against him.
The US Chamber of Commerce lobbied FOR TARP and the Stimulus and now they have thrown all their money against those who supported TARP and the Stimulus.
Eventually we will have to realize that we the people need to quit fighting each other and go after the true evils of our society.
Until then its all a game that benefits a very few.....and destroys the rest of us.
Leslie, I do thank you for your kind words, although I question the 'brilliant' part ;-). Thank you for posting my letter.
ReplyDeleteIf Obama is a one-termer, it better because another Democrat steps up to challenge him.
ReplyDeleteHillary?
If republicans gain the Senate and the Presidency in 2012, we all will become corporate slaves.
During Feingold's good bye speech he said "see you in 2012"
ReplyDeleteHmmm.
Bloomberg might make a run for it as an independent.
That is if the Big O does not replace him for Geithner.
Hmmmm.
Shillary would really put the pedal to the metal for the race to the bottom. She is Corporate America.
That's our girl, Darlene! Nailed it, as usual.
ReplyDelete