Letter #152... Dear Mr. President... Show the Bums the Door!

Dear Mr. President,

First let me wish you a very happy Father’s Day… one only needs to watch you with Sasha and Malia to know that you are an excellent father, because you can see it in their faces when they are with you… so Happy Father’s Day, Mr. President.

Next I would like to respond to the incident when The Daily Caller’s reporter, Neil Munro, interrupted your formal announcement on immigration, and I have a suggestion that I think should be implemented for future Presidential statements, and that includes when you address a joint session of Congress. 

To say that Munro was rude is a gross understatement… he should have been escorted by a Secret Service agent, out of the Rose Garden immediately. The fact that the site’s editor in chief, Tucker Carlson, said he was proud of Munro goes beyond the pale of civility and proper decorum for reporters, and I don’t care which party they are affiliated with.

New Policy...Have Secret Service eject him immediately!

And then for The Daily Caller to tweet, “We are very proud of, @NeilMunroDC for doing his job,” is appalling. His ‘job’ was to listen, and gather information, and if… and only if… it was appropriate, could he hope to be recognized by the President and then ask his question. The excuse we heard that it was a misunderstanding is both pathetic and lame… he knew exactly what he was doing. If he was doing his job he would have had his recorder out, or a notepad to take some notes, not standing there with his hands in his pockets like he was waiting to take his turn at golf. There was no excuse, and there was no reason for his blatant disrespect and rude behavior. If it truly was a mistake, he would have apologized on the spot.  

As much as I detested G.W. Bush with every fiber of my soul, I could not condone someone from another country throwing shoes at him. I understand why the guy was so upset, but there is no excuse to show that level of blatant disrespect for any President or Head of State from any country.

So my suggestion is this: Send out a memo to ALL news media, that when the President is addressing Congress, conducting a press conference, or making a formal statement, interruptions will not be tolerated, and the person, or persons, will be immediately escorted from the event. And further, the agency or media organization they represent will not be invited back, unless and until, the White House receives a formal apology, and the apology is printed and broadcast for the public.

The incivility and blatant disrespect we are witnessing these days has got to stop. You, and the office of the President, deserve better… and by the way, you did the right thing in protecting the innocent children of illegal immigrants.

Most Respectfully,

Marcia Reimers, Your Gadfly Granny

Letter #151... Dear Mr. President... You Dropped the Ball in Wisconsin

Dear Mr. President:

We may not be elephants but many of us have long memories… yours truly included.

We remember back to 2000 when all eyes were on Florida’s recount, before the Un-Supreme Court selected Bush over Gore.

We remember back to 2004 when all eyes were on Ohio when the sudden shift in votes for Bush gave him an unexpected, and still unexplained, victory. This was confirmed in a deposition given by the late Michael Connell, the IT guru for Bush and Rove, and the creator of the controversial system that transferred Ohio’s vote count on election night to a partisan Republican server site owned by SmarTech, a firm that had the capability of easily changing the outcome of the election. In fact the entire system was set up and designed for voter fraud. After giving that deposition, Connell died in a suspicious plane crash just a month and a half later.

You dropped the ball and missed the point

We remember in 2008 when McConnell, Boehner, and Cantor vowed to make sure you were a one term President, and in 2010 the Democrats took their eye off the ball and we got the radical right TeaPublicans that have managed to put a strangle hold on your ability to move this country forward.

Now in 2012 when all eyes were on Wisconsin and the stakes were enormous, you, and the DNC dropped the ball by not going all out for Barrett. To say that this fight was for the people of Wisconsin to win without interference was just plain absurd. Clearly the “outside” money that poured into the Walker coffers came from outside of Wisconsin… how is that not interference?

The naiveté of even imagining that the Koch Bros, Carl Rove, et al, would not pull out all stops to make sure Walker remained as Governor is astounding. The last minute cash the DNC gave was pathetic, as was the short video put out telling the people of Wisconsin that you supported them. You may have supported them, but you most certainly didn’t have their back. You failed in your leadership of the Democratic Party, when you failed to respond to the desperate need of the WI Democrats.

The problem with the Democrats is they get upset with people like me for speaking up and saying what’s on the minds of most of us, but failing miserably to hold you and the DNC at least partially responsible for the loss in Wisconsin.

I have been a strong and outspoken supporter of yours since you were elected, I have donated countless small donations to your campaign and written countless letters… and why, so you can turn your back on the Democrats in Wisconsin?

Just remember Mr. President, if you lose in November it could be because you dropped the ball, and because what was at stake there was not just about Wisconsin politics… it was about big money buying elections, and you should have done more to stop it from happening…. That’s what a leader does.

Most Respectfully, 

Marcia Reimers, 

Your Gadfly Granny

Letter #150... Dear Mr. President... Please Don't Forget about Kelly.

Dear Mr. President:

We cannot save our way to prosperity, and we cannot to cut programs and services and create jobs at the same time. We need to create instead of cut, and grow instead of shrink. 

Where are the Republican "Job Creators"

The conversation you need to have with the American people is about jobs, jobs, and more jobs… when people have jobs the economy will change. But, as long as the Republicans can force you into talking about ridiculous things like gay marriage, abortion, women’s reproductive choices, or whether or not you intend to take away their gun rights, the more likely they are to win in November.

For President Clinton, it was “the economy stupid” and for you Mr. President, it is  “jobs, jobs, and more jobs.” The economy will rebound when people have jobs that pay a living wage. Those 15 million people without jobs are not sitting around waiting to be saved by their government… they want to work. Many of those people are college graduates that have been out of work for several years and have long since exhausted all benefits, and are faced with employers that advertise the “unemployed need not apply.” What are these people to do?

Kelly

In a recent online discussion with a woman named Kelly, who’s been out of work for 3 years, and was saying how difficult it is to find the silver lining when bad news on the jobs front just keep getting worse. The weak jobs report not only had an adverse effect on the market, but also people like Kelly. She wrote that she is scared to death that she will NEVER be able to find a job again – nothing more than a temporary, part time and low wage job. Kelly agrees that we MUST throw the GOP bums out of Congress, but she can’t pretend like everything is fine because it’s getting increasingly worse… her ability to look for work, to buy food, shampoo, toothpaste, and prescriptions… and she lays the blame right on the back of House Republicans – and the corporate CEO’s who keep outsourcing our jobs.

Kelly is not without hope, she has goals and dreams that she is actively pursuing, thanks in part to the fellowship training program through the Center for Progressive Leadership – about starting a non-profit to help people like her. Kelly says, “if I can’t find a job – and corporate America has made it clear they aren’t going to give me a job, then maybe I have to try to find a way to make my own job. A job that will use the experiences of the last 3 years to make a difference in the lives of people who have been forgotten by so many others…”

Please don’t forget about Kelly, and the15 million others that need your help.

Most Respectfully,

Marcia Reimers

Your Gadfly Granny

Letter #149... Dear Mr. President... Don't let this become a 'My Pet Goat' moment.

Dear Mr. President:

Enlisting the help of President Clinton in Wisconsin, is a wonderful gesture and I know he will be welcomed with open arms for all the support and goodwill he brings to Democrats and all Wisconsinites in their fight to recall Scott Walker.

President Clinton's visit will be appreciated

The stakes in Wisconsin are enormous and it’s not just about labor unions or state workers or the teachers… it’s about the message it sends to all those states that have Republican Governors. It’s about the strong-arm tactics Republicans are using to destroy unions, suppress voter rights, deny equal rights to the LGTB Community, and use unlimited amounts of PAC money to do it.

The ramifications of a Walker win will be staggering… it will embolden all the other Republican Governors to follow suit and strip workers of all collective bargaining rights and destroy unions all around the country. It will open the floodgates and allow Walker to follow in the footsteps of Rick Scott in Florida to purge people from voter rolls and continue to perpetrate the myth of rampant voter fraud.

That is just part of why it’s important for YOU to go to Wisconsin and lend your support to the PEOPLE… not just the Democrats, but all the people of Wisconsin, because no one can lend more credibility to a cause than the sitting President of the United States… and the cause is equality, and civil rights.

We can't afford another Bush

Please do not let this become your ‘My Pet Goat’ moment. If you sit this out or wait too long to act, and Barrett loses by a slim margin, you may end up regretting the decision to remain bi-partisan. You took a great risk going after Bin Laden, and another great risk by endorsing the right of Gays to marry… both could have been the undoing of your presidency, but you took that risk because both of those things were the right things to do. So is going to Wisconsin. You can’t sit this one out.

The long-term effects could be disastrous. If Republicans take back the White House they will pack the Federal courts with ultra-conservative Judges that will make rulings that allow voter suppression to continue, making it impossible for the Democratic Party to ever win back the White House. The Supreme Court would be packed with enough conservatives to set back civil rights, women’s rights and gay rights by 50 to 100 years.

You can’t sit this one out Mr. President. Bill Clinton will do an amazing job, but he is not you… You are the man in the White House now… You are the one Wisconsinites want to see, they want to know that YOU have their back. Yes, there is a risk of appearing to be engaging in partisan politics, but this is a risk you must take, because the stakes are incredibly high, and you can’t afford a ‘My Pet Goat’ moment.

Most Respectfully,

Marcia Reimers,

Your Gadfly Granny

Letter #148... Dear Mr. President... Become the Tax and Save President

Dear Mr. President:

It’s been a while since I last wrote to you, but I’ve got some ideas about things for you to remind people about along the campaign trail over the next six months.

For too long now Democrats have been labeled the ‘tax and spend’ party, and the Republicans have done a pretty darn good job of making that sound wasteful and bad for America… well I’ve had enough of that nonsense, and it’s got to stop.

Become the Tax and Save President… Tax and Save our Schools, Tax and Save our Parks, Tax and Save Social Security, Tax and Save Medicare… and so on and so forth.  Make paying taxes a good thing, because taxes are a good thing. Taxes are what built this country and the lack of those taxes is what’s bringing this country to its knees.

It’s time to expose the Republican Party for what they are, the Cut and Close Party. Cut and Close Schools, Cut and Close Parks, Cut and Close Libraries,  Cut and Close Medical Clinics that serve the poor, Cut and Close Planned Parenthood Clinics, Cut and Close critical nutrition programs, and Cut and Close every safety net put in place to protect the most vulnerable citizens… children, seniors, veterans, the disabled, etc… etc… because cutting taxes has worked so well for so many people… oh wait, well not so many people, only about 1% of the population… the super rich.

That’s the message you need to be telling people. The Democratic Party stands for tax fairness for everyone, everyone paying so we all prosper, and returning this country to the great nation it once was. And yes, that means making the rich pay higher taxes, it means closing the loopholes that allow the rich to have offshore accounts and pay nothing, it means making corporations that send manufacturing jobs overseas pay a large tariff to return those products to the U.S., and it means making sure EVERYONE pays a fair share… no wiggle room, no loopholes.

Look who's the real "NO" Taxes, but "BIG" spending Party

What has happened since the Cut and Close Party convinced the American public that somehow all taxes are evil? The idea that cutting taxes is good for our economy has spread like a plague across this country wreaking havoc in every state at every level. Yes, the Republicans have done a wonderful job of convincing the public that cutting taxes is always good, when the exact opposite is true, and that has got to be stopped and it has got to be stopped now.

So Mr. President, it’s time to start a new mantra for Democrats… We are the Tax and Save Party, we will save Social Security and Medicare and we will do it by raising taxes on the super rich, and by instituting a plan that makes sure EVERYONE pays their fair share… no if’s, ands, or buts about it.

As Ed Shultz would say, “Now lets get to work.”

Most Respectfully,

Marcia Reimers, 

Your Gadfly Granny

Unite Against the War on Women Speech... Sacramento Capitol

We are at a pivotal point in the history of women – right here, right now.

I believe that each person here has a family member with stories similar to those you will be hearing today… Stories from your mothers, grandmothers and great grandmothers… deeply personal stories that need to be heard.

While many may reveal painful secrets that most families would like to keep private, they need to be told. They need to be told so they are not repeated, because if we do not stop this insidious War on Women… our rights will be pushed back more than 40 years .

My Grand Mother was adopted on April 7, 1890… she was left on the doorstep of the Browns in Marin County, wrapped in a blanket and placed in a laundry basket.  The Browns had no other children and were fairly well off, so they adopted this baby girl and named her Ethel Minerva Brown. It was obvious that this infant was left by some woman, or some young girl that was either unmarried, or unable to care for her, or already had too many children.  

But my story begins back in 1944, after my older brother was born… because I was born in December of 1945 after my father had had a vasectomy.

It was a time when mainly men were in charge of birth control, through the use of prophylactics and vasectomies, although vasectomies were not prevalent until the late 50’s and early 60’s. Think about it, men practicing birth control, what a novel idea that is today, and nobody questioned them about it… no government interference, just make the appointment and spend the next 3 days with an icepack, and if they’re smart they do it during football season so they can lay on the couch, drink beer and eat chips.

Now it’s 1960 and my mom is pregnant with #6 … she’s now 44 years old and completely devastated by the news. She asked her OB GYN about an abortion because at her age the chance of this baby being born with one or more birth defects was much greater. She was told that abortion was illegal and that her life was not at risk, so in desperation my mom took all of prescription medications she could find in the house and stumbled off of the hill behind our house. She wasn’t hurt, but she had a bad case of poison oak and was out cold for 3 days, but I guess her mental well-being wasn’t a consideration. My youngest brother was born in May of 1961, and yes, my father had another vasectomy.

Then in 1963 I got pregnant in the back seat of a 58 Ford, on Prom Night, in my senior year of H.S… it was the first time I’d ever had intercourse… Did I mention my last name was Fields… they called us the fertile Fields.

Back in 1963 you had two choices… get married or go back East to a home for unwed mothers and give your baby up for adoption… being a SINGLE MOM was not acceptable… so, given the CHOICE, I got married. Dennis was born in January of 1964 and because my husband was Catholic we practiced the RHYTHM METHOD, and Jeff was born in January of 1965. Then came the PILL and Colt was born in 1971. I switched to an intrauterine device called the DALCON SHIELD, but in 1976 found out I was pregnant again… right in the middle of running for city council… BUT, THIS TIME WAS DIFFERENT… My Doctor asked me what I wanted to do with the pregnancy… MY GOD… A CHOICE… I looked him square in the eye and said…”This must be my Girl, because God wouldn’t be that cruel.” I CHOSE to have a forth child, and her name is Eden… Eden is 35 now, with 3 children of her own.

Me, at the Capitol in Sacramento before the Rally

While the right wing pundits like to refer to us as pro-abortion... we are all in fact anti-abortion... I don’t know of a single woman that’s anxious and excited about having to undergo any medical procedure, let alone an abortion. What we are is PRO-CHOICE which is where the problem lies... Some people in Government, and certain Religious groups and yes, mostly men... think they know what is best for women and women’s reproductive rights. They are passing legislation many states to restrict a woman’s right to her own reproductive HEALTH choices, AND WE CAN’T LET THAT HAPPEN!

When Darrell Issa, (I’m ashamed to say he’s from CA) denied Sandra Fluke the right to speak at his congressional hearing, but had no problem picking 5 men to discuss a woman’s use of contraception… he unwittingly ignited a firestorm of protest culminating in this event, an event which is being duplicated in every capitol all across America.

In 50 states in 2011 there were over 1,100 bills introduced affecting women’s health provisions and reproductive rights – 135 have been signed into law.

38 states so far in 2012 are pushing for 450 new pieces of legislation – ALL aimed at restricting access or denying existing benefits of reproductive coverage and rights.

Wisconsin, Tennessee, Virginia, Indiana, North Carolina, Mississippi, Missouri, Kansas, Texas, Iowa, Arizona, and New Hampshire have all voted to either defund Planned Parenthood, ban abortions after 18 weeks, establish personhood laws, ban coverage for contraception, redefine rape, or require unnecessary and sometimes invasive ultrasounds.

AND…  for the first time we are hearing about opposition to the

        Re-authorization of VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN ACT. 

Make no mistake about it... THERE IS A WAR ON WOMEN, and it is being waged mostly by MEN in the REPUBLICAN party because they want more control over women, and they have been systematically, passing laws that take away rights we have had for over 40 years, and they are doing it one state at a time.

A few years ago, right out there on the sidewalk a man was picketing with one of those horrendous signs of an aborted fetus, and he asked me for my support… BIG MISTAKE… After taking him to task for protesting something that is none damn business, I asked him this:

HOW MANY CHILDREN HAVE YOU ADOPTED from mothers that have chosen life, but are putting their babies up for adoption?

HOW MANY FOSTER CHILDREN ARE YOU RAISING from children taken away from parents that are unable to care for them or have abused them?

That’s right… these people PRETEND to be pro-life, when in fact they are PRO-CONTROL… they don’t give a damn about children AFTER they’re born… What the HELL… they don’t even want to see us breastfeed our babies in public… they only care about CONTROL, and CONTROLLING A WOMAN’S CHOICE.

And this issue doesn’t just affect us women… it affects men and families as well. When a woman makes just 77cents for every dollar a man makes, and has to pay up to 30% more for health care services, it affects that families ability to provide decent housing, food, education, etc…

This WAR ON WOMEN screws you men too… think about it…

1.  BIRTH CONTROL helps men have MORE SEX… with less anxiety.

2.  With birth control spacing out pregnancies, you have a healthier

      spouse and healthier kids.

3.  The ECONOMIC BENEFIT… approx. $300,000 to raise a child to

      18, that doesn’t include the cost of college.

NOW THAT’S A LOT OF BIG SCREEN TV’S, ROUNDS OF GOLF, AND FAMILY VACATIONS IN HAWAII.

BUT…

THIS IS NOT JUST ABOUT THE PAST STRUGGLES OF WOMEN …

THIS IS NOT JUST ABOUT THE SYSTEMATIC EFFORTS TO DISMANTLE ROE V WADE

THIS IS NOT ABOUT RUSH LIMBAUGH OR DARRELL ISSA, OR THE GOP

THIS IS ABOUT US… THIS IS ABOUT WOMEN

THIS IS ABOUT THE FUTURE OF WOMEN

AND MAKE NO MISTAKE ABOUT IT… the GOP has a TARGET… a PRIZE that they seek… they are after FULL and COMPLETE CONTROL over the SUPREME COURT, and that is why they are so DESPARATE to regain the White House... if they are allowed to appoint more ultra conservative Judges then they will be able to CONTROL WOMEN for decades to come.

WE ABSOLUTELY CANNOT LET THAT HAPPEN...

WE MUST SHOW THEM THAT….

WE are sick and tired of the status quo. 

WE are NOT PAWNS to be manipulated by men.     

WE will NOT go quietly.

WE will NOT roll over.

WE will NOT comply.

WE will NOT sit down.

WE will NOT shut up.

WE will NOT submit.

WE CANNOT AFFORD TO GO BACKWARDS IN TIME...

WE CANNOT AFFORD TO HAVE OUR DAUGHTERS AND GRANDDAUGHTERS SUFFER THE INJUSTICES SO MANY OF US HAVE FOUGHT SO HARD AGAINST.

WE CANNOT GO BACK... NOT NOW…   NOT EVER…

WE MUST STAND UP FOR OURSELVES,

WE MUST STAND UP FOR ALL WOMEN,

WE MUST SET AN EXAMPLE FOR OPPRESSED WOMEN EVERYWHERE, BECAUSE IF WE DON’T ... THEN WHO WILL?

YES, We are at a pivotal point in the history of women – right here, right now.

And on November 6^th WE have a MISSION… a MISSION to VOTE.

A MISSION TO VOTE FOR CANDIDATES THAT SUPPORT A WOMAN'S RIGHT TO MAKE HER OWN REPRODUCTIVE CHOICES

A MISSION IS TO PROTECT OUR RIGHTS UNDER THE LAW.

                       

A MISSION  to restore the RIGHTS of ALL Women, ALL ACROSS AMERICA.

       

WE are CITIZENS of THESE United States …

We are EQUAL and we WILL PREVAIL !

Letter #147... Dear Mr. President... The Loss of a Child... and Mothers

Dear Mr. President:

It’s appropriate that this is my 147^th letter, because this is about my son Jeff, who passed away on 4/7 at the age of 47 from pancreatic/liver cancer. I told you about Jeff in letter #138 written on Saturday, February 4, 2012.

This is also about mothers, working mothers, single mothers, and yes, mothers like Ann Romney. You were quite right to say that all mothers are incredibly hard working, and there is no more important, nor difficult job than being a mother. With that said I think that you’ll agree there are vast differences between working class mothers like yours and mine, and mothers like Ann Romney. That’s not to say that she doesn’t love her children just as much, nor does it mean that she wouldn’t sacrifice just as much as any other mother… what it does mean is that she doesn’t have to work as hard, or worry about the same things as single moms or working moms. It means like everything else in life… not all things are equal, nor will they ever be… not even moms.

When Jeff was born in 1965, I was just 19 years old and had another son Dennis, who was barely a year old. Every day was a struggle for all of us… a struggle to make enough money to put food on the table, keep cloths on our backs, and keep a roof over our heads, and yes, I was a stay at home mom. Did I work hard? You bet I did, and when the kids were just 2 and 3 I was divorced, and I became a single working mom. I had to lie about Jeff being potty trained to get him and his brother into a state run child care facility that charged on a sliding scale according to what you made. They charged me a dime for every pair of pants he wet during the day, questioning if he was really potty trained.

Do you think Ann Romney had to worry about those things while she was ‘raising’ her five boys? I think not. Do you think she waited all year for the ‘sidewalk sale days’ to come, just so she could buy enough cheap cloths for the next year?  I think not. Do you think she spent her Saturdays at the Laundromat washing cloths for the next week, or using iron on patches to extend the life of a pair of jeans for one more month? I think not. Those are just a few of the differences between Ann and me.

After an uneventful childhood, both of Jeff’s kidneys failed and at the age of 19 he needed a kidney transplant. Luckily I was an excellent match, so on August 14, 1984 we shared an operating room and a special bond that all donors and recipients have forever. In little more than two years Jeff needed lens implants for cataracts caused by the immunosuppressant drugs he took, and he needed  bi-lateral hip replacements because his hipbones were disintegrating, and he could no longer walk without pain.

Would Ann Romney have donated a kidney to save the life of her child? No doubt in my mind, she would have.  Would she have had to take time off of a job, arrange for someone to take her place at work, and find a sitter for her other children while she was hospitalized and recuperating… I think not. Would she have had to worry about how much insurance was going to pay vs. what she would owe the hospital and doctors... I think not.

Do you see where I’m going with this Mr. President… not all moms have the same struggles, not all moms have the luxury of knowing that they can have the absolute best health care money can buy, not all moms have the same resources at their disposal as the Ann Romney’s of the world, and not all moms have horses to ride as a means of handling the stresses of everyday life… some moms can only afford to take a walk around the block to relieve their stress.

Jeff catches the first of three fish that day

In January when Jeff came to live with us after being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, we didn’t know how much time we’d have, or what he’d be able to do in the time he did have… so we took one day at a time. If Jeff was feeling good we’d take a walk around the lake, or do every day things like shopping or just sitting and talking. In the three months he had with us, he celebrated his 47^th birthday with family, he went to Lake Tahoe to see the snow, he dropped a few coins in the slots, and had calamari in the bar at the Hyatt overlooking the lake. His sister took him to see his first 3D movie, even though he admitted to sleeping through most of it. He got to see his brothers home in Redwood City, and got to ride in his dads restored 48 Ford. He got to ride in the GTO he owned as a teenager before selling it to is brother, and treated everyone to lunch at a downtown restaurant. He bought a fishing pole and caught three fish just a few days before he died… he was the happiest man on earth that day. And together we planned for an Easter dinner celebration and egg hunt for his nieces and nephews. And although he died the day before Easter, we still had our celebration in his honor… he would have had a great time.

Jeff at right, getting ready for a ride in his brothers GTO

We lived each day as if there would always be a tomorrow… we made plans like we had all the time in the world, and we never treated him like he was going to die, but that he was living. We planned a trip to Vegas and the Grand Canyon, but like Easter, it was not to be… his sudden decline and death came just three months to the day after his arrival. Even as we mourn his passing, we remember his strength and courage, we remember his sense of humor, and his genuine love for all of us, his friends, his music, his animals, and all living things… but we also remember that those who live in our hearts… will never die.

We were lucky to have the past three months together, Mr. President… yes, he struggled to find things he could eat and keep down, even as he lost more and more weight, but he never gave up or gave in to self-pity. Yes, there were times we cried together at the random unfairness of his eminent demise, but not because he would have wished it on another person, but because he knew he’d never be around to see his nieces and nephews marry and have children of their own. He knew he’d never celebrate another 4^th of July, Thanksgiving, or Christmas… he knew he’d miss the next election and the opportunity to vote for you Mr. President.

I know there are many other mothers who have endured much worse than me, have struggled harder and longer than me, who have lost children like me, wept like me, and will go on like me… because that is what mothers do, we go on and we endure through the heartache, the pain, and the loss, because we must, but there will always be a hole in my heart, that small missing piece that was Jeff.

Jeff's Uncle Shannon, Brother Colt (w/toy gun) Sister Eden, Jeff and his Brother Dennis

Those are the things that all mothers have in common… we make sacrifices for our children because we love them. When we bring them into the world, we hope that the world will be their oyster, that we can keep them safe, comfort them when they are hurt or sad, teach them to be contributing members of society, and to treat others as they would like to be treated. We suffer when the cruel realities of life affect them in ways we cannot change… realizing that we cannot protect them from everything, and knowing that life is at times hard and unforgiving. I’m quite sure your mother and your grandmother felt the same way while raising you… and my mother about raising me, and my five siblings… it’s what we mothers do.

But to say all mothers are hard working in the same sense as your mother and my mother is not accurate. Ann Romney has never had to worry about whether she could afford to send her children to college, or if she could afford piano lessons, or dance classes. She never had to shop for bargains, or see how far she could stretch the beans and rice, or how many meals she could get out of a single chicken. She has in fact not had the same worries as ordinary working mothers.

So the faux anger the Republicans are claiming over the inarticulate comment made by Hilary Rosen saying Mrs. Romney has never worked a day in her life, rings very hollow with me and other ‘working’ moms. Let’s be honest, Ann Romney doesn’t work as hard as other moms, what she works hard at is organizing the hired help to do the work that other moms do by themselves… cooking, laundry, vacuuming, dusting, mopping, shopping, etc… etc…

So to say that all moms work equally hard is like saying that all the passengers on the Titanic had equal access to a lifeboat… it’s just not true. Of the 536 third class passengers that died, most were women and children, almost double that of first and second-class passengers put together.

And so it is the world over… life is random, death is random, health is random, being born into wealth is random, and living in poverty is random, and having to work hard, or not, is random. It’s not about fairness, or being more or less deserving than anyone else… it is, in fact… just random.  

Hold your daughters tight Mr. President, love them unconditionally, and hope and pray that you never have to hold their hand and watch them die, as I did with my dear sweet boy... Jeff.

Most Respectfully,

Marcia Reimers,

Your Gadfly Granny