Dear President Obama: Im Sorry

[FarLeftFist]

From Daily Kos writer...

Dear Mr. President,

I owe you an apology, and I sincerely hope that after reading this letter (if it somehow makes its way to you), you will find it in your heart to forgive me.

During the 2008 election, you inspired me to a level of unprecedented political engagement in American politics. I canvassed door-to-door and on college campuses – as well as in online political and not-so-political chat rooms (oh, the adventures) – registering voters with one goal in mind: to secure your place in the White House.

I believed in you, despite my natural-born cynicism and grounded understanding of our political system's current dysfunction. I believed in you not because of your campaign rhetoric, but because of the deep sincerity I intuited in that rhetoric.

That sincerity is rare.

And then something changed after you assumed the presidency. Over time, I became somewhat disillusioned, reverting to my former, cynical self. Over the last three years, I have done little to praise you.

The truth is, I have mainly critiqued you.

I critiqued your administration's reticence to pursue legal action against the Bush administration. I critiqued your signing an Affordable Care Act that didn't contain a public option. I critiqued your administration's bailing out of the financial sector, and then critiqued your administration's reticence to investigate and prosecute those in the financial sector who brought our country to its knees.

I've critiqued your penchant for compromise with those Republicans in our country who do nothing but carry water for the richest among us, and your willingness to work with those in the GOP who would – if given the chance – deny basic civil and human rights to the least among us.

I've critiqued your Israel policy and your dealings with the Palestinians. I critiqued your signing of NDAA, and your administration's killing of Americans abroad in the "war on terror."

I have done so much critiquing, Mr. President.

And while I still stand by some of my critiques, after looking at the socially-prehistoric and dishonest candidates being offered by the GOP, and after looking more closely and honestly at your own presidency, I have come to realize the following:


Not only must I praise you, but I must praise you for being the greatest President of my lifetime.
More than praise you, what I really must say is thank you.

+ Thank you for preventing drug companies from blocking access to generic drugs so that my mother can have access to life-preserving medication.

+ Thank you for requiring that health plans cover those with preexisting conditions so my brother can receive cancer treatment if he once again needs it.

+ Thank you for repealing "Don't Ask, Don't Tell."

+ Thank you for pushing the Matthew Shepard Act, which expanded sexual orientation into hate crime legislation.

+Thank you for beginning the removal of our our troops from Iraq.

+ Thank you for expanding Pell Grants for low-income students and for adding protections for student borrowers.

+ Thank you for pushing for funding of The Violence Against Women Act.

+ Thank you for expanding both Early Head Start and Head Start.

+ Thank you for working to expand coverage via the State Children’s Health Insurance Fund (SCHIP).

+ Thank you for creative a 'Green Vet Initiative' that seeks to promote environmental jobs for our veterans.

+ Thank you for extending unemployment insurance benefits and child tax credits.

Thank you, President Obama, for all those things listed and those things I've failed to list that you have done.

I'm sorry I have not given you the proper credit you deserve, and I pledge, from now on, to not just focus on my critiques of you in my writing, but also on those things for which you deserve praise.

Please forgive me.

Sincerely,

David Harris-Gershon (@David_EHG)


Link: http://www.dailykos.com/story/2012/03/08/1072513/-Dear-President-Obama-I-m-Sorry-

[babylonsister]

1. Whoa, nice! nt

[Ziggystrange]

2. That's a good start

http://obamaachievements.org/list

Details at link

Arts and Culture
Banking and Financial Reform
Civil Rights
Commerce, Trade and technology
Conservation
Economy
Education: College
Education: Health of Children
Employment: Jobs
Energy: Green
Energy: Old
Energy: Oil
Foreign Affairs and International Relations
Government Efficiency
Health and Wellness
Health Care Reform (See also Taxes)
Housing
Humanitarianism
Immigration
Infrastructure
Labor
Law and Justice
Medicaid/Medicare/Social Security
Military and National Security
Military Veterans and Families
National Disasters and Emergencies
National Service
Scientific and Medical Research
Space Exploration and Space Station
Taxes
Transparency and Accountability
Recovery, Progress and Change
Miscellaneous

[MannyGoldstein]

3. Sincerely yours, the 1%

Richest 1 Percent Account For Nearly All Of U.S. Recovery's Gains: Report

[obxhead]

5. There's a reason the current pubs are running this year.

The 1% are quite happy with Obama.

[DevonRex]

12. Do you know you're in the Obama Group?

[great white snark]

15. The point is read the group policy before you post.

I know it means curtailing the urge to dump on the President for a few more seconds but rules are rules.

Thanks.

[DevonRex]

16. My point is in your inbox.

[Wait Wut]

17. ...

This comment saved me from posting my first possible hidden post.

[DevonRex]

18. ...

Heh. Happy to have helped. more!

[SidDithers]

19. ...

Sid

[Number23]

26. Ah the old "worship" canard

It would be one thing if "discussion" did not mean agreeing with someone whose post makes not even the first whit of sense just because it is a gratuitous, pointless slam on this president.

If you want "discussion," start with at least hitching your wagon to something that is moderately accurate or makes the tiniest bit of sense and we'll probably go from there.

Edit: Whoops. Just checked my DUMail and it says you're blocked from this forum now. So since you can't respond to this post, you should probably just ignore it.

[Number23]

6. Yes, because that is EXACTLY what the 1% have been doing for the last three years

Criticizing President Obama for:

I critiqued your administration's reticence to pursue legal action against the Bush administration. I critiqued your signing an Affordable Care Act that didn't contain a public option. I critiqued your administration's bailing out of the financial sector, and then critiqued your administration's reticence to investigate and prosecute those in the financial sector who brought our country to its knees.

As usual, you've got your finger on the pulse of the issue. Or on... something.

[babylonsister]

7. You're blaming that on this President? Seriously?? Oye. So who will you be voting for,

Manny? And why are you even here if you have such disdain? I've asked this of you numerous times, but you never seem to answer me.

[SidDithers]

20. Remember who you're dealing with...

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=439x761367

The question was "If you could reverse ONE Presidential election since Watergate, which one would it be?"

Manny's answer was 2008. Not Reagan over Carter in 1980, or Bush over Gore in 2000. Manny said that the ONE election in the past 40 years that they would most liked to have reversed was Obama vs McCain in 2008.

Sid

[Wait Wut]

21. Good lord.

I'm actually stunned. While I'll accept criticism of our President, that's just bizarre. Maybe if Bush had nuked Iraq instead of just invading?

[treestar]

22. Whoah

That is just lamentable!

[DevonRex]

24. Luckily for us,

Frenchie dealt with this issue quickly and decisively. It will have come to nobody's surprise, I think.

[Thinkingabout]

4. Thank you for going the extra mile for auto companies

Thanks for going forth with bin Laden mission. Thank you for being a family man and showing your family values.

I will support you in the coming election, may God bless our nation.

[progressoid]

8. Umm...four paragraphs?

Or are we allowed to re-post entire posts from DK?

[babylonsister]

9. Why is this a problem for you? Maybe someone's opinion is okay. nt

[progressoid]

11. We post a lot of other people's opinions here.

But per DU TOS, I was under the impression that it should be limited to four paragraphs.

DMCA Copyright Policy

Do not copy-and-paste entire articles onto this discussion forum. When referencing copyrighted work, post a short excerpt with a link back to the original.

To simplify compliance and enforcement of copyrights here on Democratic Underground, we ask that excerpts from other sources posted on Democratic Underground be limited to a maximum of four paragraphs, and we ask that the source of the content be clearly identified. Those who make a good-faith effort to respect the rights of copyright holders are unlikely to have any problems. But individuals who willfully and habitually infringe on others' copyrights risk being in violation of our Terms of Service.

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http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=copyright

[Tx4obama]

10. A LINK to a A compilation LIST of links regarding President Obama, below

Here: http://www.democraticunderground.com/10022255

[Kahuna]

13. Our president is a great man. I pity those who can't see it.

Flame suit on. Flame away!

[treestar]

23. They are finally seeing that Republicans do exist

And need to be defeated by Democrats, and even a moderate or centrist Democrat is way, way better than any Republican any day.

[politicasista]

25. Kick

:kick: