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I am a self proclaimed coffee addict and Executive Director of a non profit missions agency working primarily in the Mexican cities of Oaxaca, Guadalajara, and Ensenada. I've been married for over 30 years to Chelle, and we have one grown son, Joseph, a graduate of Auburn University in Alabama.

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Tuesday, February 03, 2009

A Letter To President Obama

Dear President Obama,

Well now that you have had a few days, how does it feel? People waiting on you everyday, keeping the place clean, taking care of your dry cleaning and stuff like that. I'll caution you on one thing as it relates to this kind of stuff though.

Don't you forget about Michelle. You see, if you get all big headed and think she needs to wait on you hand and foot too, I am sure you'll be in for a rude awakening.

But enough of the pleasantries... let's move on to some of the heavier stuff.

Enough is enough and I'm concerned. I'm concerned because I am starting see a pattern and I find it troubling.

Now lest you think this a missive from some right wing nut job, all you have to do is check my little bog over on Google. While you are at it, check your campaign office records in Henderson, Nevada where my family and I volunteered for and donated to your campaign.

It looks as though you are missing a few beats on the political side of things.

Let me explain.

You promised us a culture of openness and ethics. You told us it would not be business as usual in Washington

Have you forgotten those pledges? You told us that you were different. That you were about change. Well what has happened to that?

Your Treasury Secretary did not pay his taxes. Something like $45,000.00. Beyond the absurdity of this, if a guy can't figure out how much he owes in taxes, do we really want him running our treasury?

Your HHS nominee did not pay his taxes. I've heard that amount is over $125,000.00 and that he has known about it since June. Did he tell you then, or just recently drop this bombshell?

Either way, this is bad. If he hid it from you, can you really expect honesty and respect from him moving forward? And if he told you about his problems early on, what were you thinking nominating him?

I remember when the I.R.S. said I owed an additional $2000.00 in back taxes. You know what their response was after sending me my five hundred harassing, threatening letters and phone calls? Pay us now and work it out later. Or we start taking your assets.

And in this era of background checks to flip burgers, an I.R.S. issue on your record can immediately disqualify you for a job.

Now I know these guys have said that they made mistakes. Yeah, so what? Besides, I don't buy it. And in the culture of ethics you promised us, are there not consequences for mistakes?

We, the American people, gave you a mulligan on Geithner. You get one pass. But you need to drop Daschle. Or risk losing your credibility

What is suggested by your strong initial, and in some case ongoing support of these men is an inability to grasp the potential political downsides of all of this. And that for me draws into question your judgment.

I am not saying these men would not be great servants of the American people. What I am saying is that the political downsides of these guys might outweigh the positives.

It looks like politics as usual. This is not the change we need. President Bush was blinded by loyality at times. The American people demanded, and voted for something different in you.

I know you can get guys like this approved, the question I have is do you really want to?

President Obama, we voted for a more ethical and open administration. If you are serious about bringing chamge to Washington, this is not how you go about it.

Sincerely,


Dave

Quick Update... Former Senator Tom Daschle has withdrawn his name for consideration as HHS Secretary over his tax issues.

Nancy Killefer, named by President Obama as his chief performance expert at the Office of Management and Budget, has withdrawn her nomination on account of -- among other things -- tax problems!

Comments on "A Letter To President Obama"

 

Anonymous Anonymous said ... (10:31 AM) : 

David,

Thank you!!!!!!!!

I did not expect perfection. I know the guy is a politician, but this is pathetic! Listen up Obama! Wake up! Buy a vowel! Get a clue!

Transparency? Integrity? Ethics?

The Republicans can just sit back and watch this mess. No comment necessary.

You just hit 2 weeks and the double standards and hypocrisy of Washington are already kicking you in the butt!

 

Blogger Mike's America said ... (11:18 AM) : 

Daschole owed up to $140,000 with more being found every day. No wonder he withdrew. Goodness knows what more dirt there was out there?

As for Obama and "Don't you forget about Michelle. You see, if you get all big headed and think she needs to wait on you hand and foot too, I am sure you'll be in for a rude awakening."

It might be Michelle that gets big headed first and there is nothing worse than a shrew in the White House (remember Hillary and the lamp throwing?)

 

Blogger The Liberal Lie The Conservative Truth said ... (12:10 PM) : 

Dave, I caught your comment at Mike's place and dropped in to read your letter.

Well written. Do I sense a feeling of betrayal and disillusion about Obama ?

We tried to warn people about what to expect and thus far Obama has fully lived up to what I expected from him. Except that I thought it would take a little longer before we saw his failure begin.

I did not expect it to start for at least two months. But he started failing on DAY ONE.

 

Blogger Dave Miller said ... (1:40 PM) : 

Mike and Lib, no buyers remorse here. I am just teed off at the political people.

It was the same for Bush with Katrina and Palin with the supposed Pres. of France. The political people did not do their job and embarrassed their boss.

It is still my hope that we can get past the ideologues in both parties and come up with some realistic solutions to our nation's problems.

I know it is left leaning site, but check out Chris Hedges article at truthdig.com.

If he is right, and I suspect he is, this may well be a long hard slog.

By the way, thanks for stopping by.

 

Blogger Pastor David Curtis said ... (3:51 PM) : 

Hard to believe there isn't a little buyer's remorse there Dave. The guy promised big change but found himself mired in political trouble.

The apologies are a good first step. Plus he did follow through on his promise to have a bipartisan cabinet. The most bipartisan cabinet since FDR I heard. I think that is progress towards ending the pointless arguments between parties and actually working together.

Perfection isn't really to be expected in Washington, but hopefully there are enough honest people left to actually fill a cabinet.

Maybe they should have tried for Barry Bonds as Health and Human Services Director. That would have gone over real well.

 

Blogger Dave Miller said ... (4:10 PM) : 

I am assuming you are talking about Bonds ability to get his point across.

 

Blogger Rivka said ... (7:32 AM) : 

Dave,
Good job doing this honest post. It is rare to see such honesty from the left regarding their candidates when they mess up. Usually they stick up for them and justify stuff like this, but apparently you don't.

As you know there are plenty of conservatives that put our people to the fire when they do things we think aren't right, i.e. McCain, Bush, many of the rino's in congress etc.. so good job Dave, you just proved there are some sane liberals out there.

 

Blogger Pastor David Curtis said ... (9:14 AM) : 

The only point that I have heard Bonds say in this whole mess is that everyone lies.

Maybe Daschle and others could have just said, "No one really pays their taxes."

Any idea how much the federal government is spending to prosecute Bonds for perjury? I don't, I was just curious.

If they would let his trainer sell that stuff Bonds used legally it would probably "juice" up the economy.

 

Blogger Dave Miller said ... (10:31 AM) : 

Dave, re: Bonds. I am not sure the Feds need to get into this. Sure it was illegal, but they are using evidence that was supposed to protected by an agreement between the players and MLB.

Isn't their use of this info like forcing someone to incriminate themselves?

Maybe Gordon has a thought on this.

Suffice to say, I think Bonds will be relegated to the Mark McGwire wing of the hall of shame, oops, fame.

 

Blogger Dave Miller said ... (10:32 AM) : 

Rivka, see, if you hang around long enough, you'll learn we're not all as crazy as it sometimes seems.

 

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