What is Washboard Express?

Washboard Express is a way for me to express my own opinions, to be a provocative gadfly, by writing a "letter a day" to the President. I may miss a day here and there, because sometimes my family with be my first priority, but my goal is to write a total of 365 letters, representing one full year. To say I have opinions about most things would be to understate the obvious. Those of you that know me, know this is true, those who don't know me, will learn that it's true. The Washboard is a reference to going back to basics and "keeping it clean," so if you would like me to post your comments or opinions on this blog, I only ask that you be respectful. So go ahead, express yourself, and I look forward to an exchange of ideas and opinions.

Wednesday, July 13, 2011

Day 67...Dear Mr. President... Remembering a real Democrat, and what you have in common.


   Day 67
Dear Mr. President,

I was reminded today by a quote from the late Paul Wellstone, and how relevant his ideas would be today… in fact, a lot of what you talk about and what you would like to see for America, reminds me of what Wellstone fought for before his death in 2002.

I know you’re familiar with Paul Wellstone, and you probably have several of his quotes written on sticky notes and stuck to your bathroom mirror.

“Politics is not about big money or power games; it’s about the improvement of people’s lives” and “Never separate the life you lead from the words you speak.”
~ Paul Wellstone

I find it particularly ironic that he was the Senator from Minnesota, and now the Government in Minnesota has been shut down because the politics has become about big money and power games, instead of the improvement of peoples lives.

Wellstone ran an aggressive campaign advocating for, of all things, Universal Health Care, Economic Security, Environmental Protection, and Campaign Finance Reform. Wellstone also wrote and passed reform legislation to ‘ban gifts from lobbyists to Senators,’ and ‘limit the influence of special interests.’ In addition, Wellstone had important victories regarding children’s issues, veterans, and mental health issues. Imagine that.

Does all this sound familiar Mr. President? Isn’t this what you’ve been advocating, and isn’t this what the American people have been wanting and expecting from you and this Congress?

I wonder what our country would look like if Paul Wellstone had lived? It was well known that he supported the causes of farmers, laborers, the rural poor, and the environment. Who is standing up for those groups now? Republicans are desperately trying to destroy unions and laborers, they have nothing but contempt for the poor and are systematically attempting to dismantle all progress made thus far to protect the environment. Meanwhile, the Democrats are ineffective in protecting these vulnerable groups, even though they support them in theory, they seem unable to come together for the ‘good of the people.’

It was no secret that Karl Rove, Dick Chaney, G.W. Bush, and special-interest lobbies wanted to get rid of Paul Wellstone… in fact, at the time, a senior Republican aide confided, “There are people in the White House who wake up in the morning thinking about how they will defeat Paul Wellstone, this one is political and person for them.”

Sadly, that sounds all too familiar as well. Those that want you to fail are unabashedly outspoken in their contempt of all things ‘Obama’… and yes, they would rather see this country fail than to see you succeed. Prove them wrong Mr. President… make Paul Wellstone’s time in the Senate mean something… make yourself proud and this country proud that you care more about the improvement of peoples lives than you do about money or power games. I have faith that you can do it.

Most Respectfully,

Marcia Reimers
Your Gadfly Granny

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