Day 53...Dear Mr. President...Where is the "Shared Sacrifice?"

Day 53

Dear Mr. President,

On Day 7 of my LTTP’s I wrote about ‘shared sacrifice’ and what that really means to the ‘average’ person. I heard you say you wanted to hear what the American people are thinking and feeling, and how this ‘recession’ is affecting them so you can understand how best to help those that have been struggling so hard and for so long.

Sometimes I wonder if you really are listening, because if you are, we’re not getting that impression. The message that we are getting, through your actions, or should I say your inaction… is this. “Business as usual” and a continuation of most, if not all, Bush era policies, and now a staggering 16% unemployment rate, and the medium income has declined by $2,500 per year. When you extended the Bush tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans, we were sold the same old ‘snake oil’ from the GOP that it would create more jobs… Where are those jobs and why aren’t you holding the GOP accountable for this transparent lie? I repeat, where are those jobs?

The Republicans walk out of budget talks with Vice President Biden because they won’t even discuss taxing the wealthiest Americans and corporations. That is unacceptable, disrespectful, and childish behavior, and yet I don’t hear you telling the people about it… you let them get away with it and then you have to enter the ‘negotiations’. I told you before the GOP is a bunch of spoiled thugs and until you start treating them as such, they are going to continue to run roughshod over this administration.  Any you will have allowed it.

You can no longer ignore that the top 1% are doing incredibly well… 400 people at the top verses 150 million at the bottom. Is this how you ‘listen’ to the American people. The middle class is rapid disappearing, and many will never recover what they have already lost. The gap between the richest and poorest Americans is wider than before the Great Depression.

You say your campaign was financed by small contributions from ordinary citizens, and yet those same citizens have lost their jobs, their savings, their homes, their healthcare, and they have used their children’s education funds. Are these same people going to contribute to your re-election, or are you going to be financed by ‘big business’ like the GOP?

I receive repeated requests for donations to your campaign, but I have to tell you that I cannot in good conscience contribute another cent until, and unless, you not only listen to the people, but actually “hear” what they are telling you. So please “hear” this… the average American has sacrificed enough… and now we are ready, and willing, to share that sacrifice with the 400 un-Americans at the top, and the largest corporations that continue to dodge their fair share of taxes.

Most Respectfully,

Your Gadfly Granny

Marcia Reimers