Does anyone remember the story about Obama sending personal checks to people in need?

[Bleacher Creature]

Here's a reminder if you don't, which is probably due to the fact that he never publicized it and, at least to my knowledge, he never even acknowledged.

http://m.huffpost.com/us/entry/1019501

It's a pretty remarkable story, including for the fact that he made it a point to read 10 letters a day from everyday Americans.

Obviously I'm bringing this up to show just how far we've fallen since 1/20/17. There's almost no chance the current occupant of the Oval Office would ever consider such a thing and, even if he did, it's virtually guaranteed that he'd do it as part of one of those goofy photo-ops with him sitting at his desk surrounded by a team of pasty white sycophants.

It's also relevant today in light of the fact that Trump has spent the last few days reaching out to evangelical groups, who seem to largely adore him. Not that any of us needed additional evidence, but the disparate treatment of these two men should make clear (yet again) that the "Christian Right" is most definitely "neither."

[mopinko]

1. i do remember both the letters, which were publicized, and the checks

which werent.
sigh. yes, we have certainly fallen.
no one steals an election to do good.

[KPN]

10. THIS ... "no one steals an election to do good."

[lostnfound]

2. Unlike donations to charity, these are not even tax deductible. Others use loopholes to deduct

Others use loopholes to deduct things like giant self portraits in their lobby, or donations to their son's "educational software" companies.

[oberliner]

3. Do you remember when Bush sent everyone a check?

Bush: Tax rebate checks are on the way

President Bush says the economy is weakening but he hopes tax rebates that start going out Monday will help shore things up.

Bush says the rebates will help people cope with higher gasoline and food prices.

The rebates range from $300 to $1,200 and are the centerpiece of the government's $168 billion economic stimulus package, enacted in February. Roughly 130 million households are expected to get them. The Bush administration is hoping people will spend the money, bolstering the economy.

http://abcnews.go.com/Business/story?id=4732346

[SCantiGOP]

7. Most in my office were arguing with me

I said it was a stupid, inconsequential political stunt. They kept saying that if I didn't want my check they would take it.

I really enjoyed bringing in my $500 check and showing them the back side where my wife and I had endorsed it over to the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee.

[oberliner]

8. Very cool

Well done!

[DBoon]

12. My wife and I signed it over to Planned Parenthood

all $600 of it

[Grins]

11. So we could go shopping!!! Yea!!! (N/M)

[Boomerproud]

4. No. Never saw or heard this story and not the least surprised I didn't.

You know Fox and Friends would have either not said a word or would have said something snarky or negative about it.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

5. I remember an article of pre-Pres Obama paying airfare for a traveler in line who suddenly needed it

On edit: Botany found it for us! https://www.democraticunderground.com/10029289471#post9 downthread.

[SCantiGOP]

6. "Christian right is neither"

Just as the Moral Majority 40+ years ago was neither.

[Botany]

9. Or this one? Amazing: Obama Helped Stranded Stranger 20 Years Ago

https://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/10/5/621029/-

It was 1988, and Mary Andersen was at the Miami airport checking in for a long flight to Norway to be with her husband when the airline representative informed her that she wouldn't be able to check her luggage without paying a 100 surcharge:

When it was finally Mary’s turn, she got the message that would crush her bubbling feeling of happiness.
-You’ll have to pay a 103 dollar surcharge if you want to bring both those suitcases to Norway, the man behind the counter said.
Mary had no money. Her new husband had travelled ahead of her to Norway, and she had no one else to call.
-I was completely desperate and tried to think which of my things I could manage without. But I had already made such a careful selection of my most prized possessions, says Mary.



As tears streamed down her face, she heard a "gentle and friendly voice" behind her saying, "That's okay, I'll pay for her."

[Bleacher Creature]

13. That's a great one. Thanks for sharing.

I'm not sure what's more of the anomaly. The fact that we elected and re-elected as President a person who is truly decent and kind-hearted, or the fact that we replaced him with someone who represent everything wrong with America.