Why, why, why does Obama continue to think if he cuts vital programs which are popular throughout the country that the Republicans will play nice? Why does he make concessions before negotiations even begin? I'm exhausted from having to goad a Democratic president and Democratic legislators to do what progressives elected them to do.Dear Mr President:
After reading your budget plan, I'm wondering why I supported you. For one thing there is no link, nor should there be in the talking points about Social Security and Medicare. The fix for Social Security is simple: lift the cap.
True, Medicare will eventually need to be addressed, but let's keep the two separate. They are two different programs and are funded differently.
Do you really think Republicans will suddenly become serious because you offer them cuts in two of the most popular programs of the federal government? They will not, and they will find a way to use the offers against you.
Please stop worrying about possible future Republican presidents and concentrate on governing now. You are the president now, and you need to do the right thing by the people who supported you.
Thank you for your attention.
My next effort was to call Mary Landrieu's office to appeal to her to vote for background checks for those who purchase firearms. When I asked what was her position, I was told she had not made up her mind on whether to vote for the bill or not. I left the message with the staff member that I couldn't understand her hesitation. The background checks are not even comprehensive, as the law will not apply to private sales. Why is her support of the measure even in question? Yes, I know the senator will be up for reelection in 2014, and she may have a tough fight ahead, but sometimes getting reelected should not be the top priority. Sometimes you just do the right thing.Come on, Democrats, throw me a bone. Show me that I don't waste my efforts in supporting and voting for Democratic candidates.
UPDATE: Post edited to remove the inaccurate report from "The Raw Story" that Mary Landrieu voted against ending the filibuster. The two Democratic senators who voted against are Sen. Mark Begich (D-Alaska) and Sen. Mark Pryor (D-Ark.). I am pleased to make the correction.
Just keep them on your speed dial (you always work wonders and get us where we need to go)! Thanks, Len/Leonardo
ReplyDeleteLen, thank you. It's exhausting.
DeleteYes, Mimi, it is exhausting. After sending letters to both of my senators and to my representative urging them to support gun legislation that included enhanced background checks and limits on high power, high capacity equipment, I received non-committal responses from the senators citing all the old talking points about why these things might not work--talking points, mind you, that I already had acknowledged and countered in my letter. My representative couldn't even be bothered to respond. I get the feeling that they are not listening and that they are, in fact, more worried about their next elections. It is easy to lose faith in the system.
DeleteI, too, am disappointed in President Obama. For me, it is reasonable to expect that budget negotiations should be an exercise in give and take--but not when all the giving comes from one side and all the taking from the other. Update us if you get any sort of meaningful answer to your letter.
To have to continue to goad those whom I hoped were more or less like-minded is wearying. I confess I didn't bother to contact David Vitter, because I've never received a reply from him that addressed the subject of my communication.
DeleteMimi, this is so good. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteThank you for your kind words, Sharon.
DeleteThank you for this post. Sometimes I think President Obama went to bed one night and woke up the next morning as a Republican.
ReplyDeleteIt might be time for him to tell the Corporate Welfare folks that it's time for them to start paying taxes on all the pork they have been receiving. Agreed that he really shouldn't be making any concessions. There is nothing in his position that speaks to taking the high road. A road I thought he was on when we elected him.
Bonnie, it's likely that Obama was never the man I thought him to be. It seems I projected onto him the qualities of the president I wanted, but he was always a centrist, leaning somewhat to the right. Better than the opposition, surely, but we must hold his feet to the fire.
DeleteI am also pleased to discover that one of our Senators, Roger Wicker, voted to end the filibuster....
ReplyDeleteDavid, the votes were encouraging, but the next test is the vote on the actual bill, and, as of now, Landrieu has not made up her mind whether she will vote in favor or not. Sometimes she waits until near the end of the debate to see whether her vote is needed for passage.
DeleteMaybe the President could pay some attention to a former president as regards cutting Social Security to reduce government deficits.
ReplyDeleteThanks for this information, Paul. And thank you, Mimi, for expressing my sentiments exactly!
DeleteThank you, Paul (A.). I shared the video on Facebook, and I posted it on my blog. Ronald Reagan may not have been the brightest bulb in the chandelier, but he knew how to use the presidency as a bully pulpit, and he knew how to state what he wanted to say in words that people would understand. Of course, someone else probably write the script, but still...
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