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Well Pups, I just couldn’t take it anymore, and below is the message I sent to our leader this evening through the White House website.
Dear President Obama:
I voted for you because you promised to bring change to our political system and improve the lives of the middle class.
Sadly, your recent gutting of single payer, public option, drug reimportation and so many OTHER cost saving reforms for healthcare is costing you my vote.
I looked the other way when you caved on FISA, I looked away when you gave away trillions to failed, crooked bankers and financial investment houses, I looked the other way when you backed down on investigating the previous administration for war crimes/terrorism, I looked the other way when you failed to end Iraq and now Af/Pak.
Your so called ‘centrist’ healthcare reform effort is nothing but a giveaway to private insurance, PhARMA and Big Med.
For american citizens to be FORCED to purchase a product from private business and then be faced with federal punishment from the IRS if they don’t is likely unconstitutional.
So, there it is, you’ve lost my vote, and you’ve cost Senators Feinstein and Boxer to lose my vote and Rep. Matsui to lose my vote.
I will work vigorously to primary you and my present elected officials in 2010 and in 2012.
As of tomorrow morning, I will change my voter status from Democrat (since 1971) to Independent.
I’m sorry you lied to the American People, about Change. It cost you my vote and support.
**********
That’s it, end of story.
59 Comments
Good letter. I can’t think of a single argument to make against what you say.
Well said and good move, Larue.
Thanks hoss . . .
Thanks Jim, it was a bit rough, I could have phrased things better but I was pissed and wanted to DO something fast. It’s all I got to fight with, my vote, so, the dem’s have lost it, along with my party affiliation.
Now I gotta figger out what the hayall I’m gonna DO come November!!!!
lol
Too bad the son-of-a-bitch doesn’t read [or care about] any of this stuff.
I humbly suggest that you remain involved enough to figure out if there are any down-ticket [local] candidates deserving of your support and vote. It’s clear that the “top” of the ticket [Senators & US Reps] are worthless, but if there are down-ticket folks who need our help, I hope we’ll be there.
Of course there’s a problem in that these folks will probably feel compelled [or pressured, or blackmailed, whatever] to “support the President” and all that crap, but perhaps SOMEWHERE there will be SOMEONE who hasn’t drunk the Kool-Aid. I’d just encourage staying involved long enough to figure if that’s so. With so many Democrats staying home in November, it’s gonna be hard for good “down ticket” candidates. I’d like to have some beachhead against the Republican tsunami.
I’ve got to learn what CA’s regs are WRT being an Independent.
Who I can and can’t vote for in primary’s, and general elections.
And yes, down ticket folks always get a good look from me.
Thanks for your thought’s Maui . . . always good one’s!!!
This country needs nothing short of a revolution.
Good read Larue. I think many of us have and will leave the Democratic Party over the performance of BO and the Democrats in congress in the last year. But, far and away, the most disheartening occurence for me was the graduated cave of the progressive caucus in the house and the obstructionist ploys of senators generally viewed as progressive to destroy a coherent effort to construct effective Health Care reform. The Democrats represent the greatest obstacle to change in this country because they marginalize the dialectic of the left, undercutting it constantly and predictably to maintain the status quo and to rake in their share of the lobbyist compensation. They must not only be abandoned, the party must also have a stake driven through its heart if a leftist paradigm is ever to take hold in this country. So, good start, I advise you to fine tune your rage in ways that will interject chaos into this corrupt system. That’s what I plan to do.
Agreed, the House was my/our best hope. So many firedogs worked hard for it.
A crying shame.
Judgement day /letter street music.
Great post. But you guys know we will fighting like hell to make sure he wins in 2012. (smile) Every dog has his day and trust me Obama’s day is coming. He does not need the left now but he will and then we can reject him. I cant wait to hear his concession speech in 2012.
I won’t be among them. He will lose because the progressive base as well as the young people will stay at home. He will lose because he trounced on the heart of the Democratic party.
I am already dreading the campaign slogans and speeches for this year as they will tout how this health care bill will save little Maggie TossAwaySobStory will get coverage, regardless of the fact that the health care industry might push her premiums over the edge.
No no, now I’m being negative. This is just a “jumping off point”, health care will be improved in the months and years to come. If you believe that, I have a bridge to sell you.
Pres. Obama promised change…. AND HE DID!!! And I had such HOPE.
Obama’s campaign of Hope, change we can believe in, Unity, etc., was just a lot of hype, which I didn’t buy into from the start.
Interesting trio there, ES!!
Thanks Rob . . . .
Bravo, Larue!! Way to go!!
If it’s any consolation to you, I saw all this coming when Obama voted for the FISA Bill and for continued funding for our war on Iraq even after having gone on record as having opposed those two things, his promise to escalate our war on Afghanistan, which he’s certainly kept, and his dealings with shady characters like Tony Rezko. My suspicions were confirmed when, during the pre-Election Foreign Policy debate between Obama and McCain, they both took the same positions on foreign policy, talking about going in and killing Al Qaeda, and affectively “going in and kicking some butt”. At that point, I turned the TV station to something else.
When Obama voted for the FISA Bill despite going on record as opposing it, as well as funding for our war on Iraq, I decided that anybody who’d throw any part of our Constitution under the bus doesn’t deserve to be elected dog-catcher, much less the President of the United States. So, after much thought, I did a write in ticket at the POTUS election polls of Bernie Sanders and Dennis Kucinich, both of who I’m also disgusted with for caving in and voting for this awful healthcare ‘reform” bill.
I’d like to register as an Independent, also, LaRue. I think I probably will in the near future, despite coming from a family of Democrats.
Thanks! Can’t wait for November . . . . ;-)
Yes we can.
A mile starts with the first step.
This POTUS has abused the votes of so many of us who worked to give him the WH.
Well expressed Larue.
Thank you, had to do it.
Now come November . . . . *G*
Excellent letter, Larue!
I have been saying (usually EPU’d) that BHO and Michelle are already putting aside the letters from the Fortune 10 companies who want them to be on their corporate BODs after 2012 (because this guy is a one-hit wonder), as well as the nice Ivy League schools for their girls, and the seven-figure salaries (see: Chelsea Clinton) for their jobs at Booz-Allen Hamilton or McKenzie or some other group like that.
Obama is truly a historical figure who broke the color barrier for the highest office in the land. Unfortunately he has turned out to be a more garrulous, expansive and prolix version of Clarence Thomas, and nothing more.
One of the best Republican Presidents ever.
Maybe they’ll want to put him on the $50 bill instead of St Ronnie. Nah, he’s got no birth certificate according to the rightards…
*G*
I love it. And they’re not letting up. And who’s to say they’re not right. I’m not jumping on their bandwagon, but you have to admit, anything is possible with the liar-in-chief. Their charge of elitism was 100% accurate — and I remember the outcry over that during the campaign.
You are a racist and you don’t know it. So Obama is a “Clarence Thomas” – why did you say that? If you answer that question honestly it could bring you an “aha” moment. The willingness of many on this site to trash Obama for his “proformance”. Obama is the Jackie Robinson of politics for a more appropriate analogy. When Jackie walked on the field people spit on him. He kept his cool – so has Obama – even with you all spitting on him. You should be ashamed of yourselves – maybe one day you will wake up to what you are doing. I think you don’t realize it – you think “I love black people, I support efforts to improve their lives, I’m not a racist.”
Obama has had to “perform” at a much higher level than any president we have had. He has dealt with the most severe issues in more than half a century – but so quickly he has become a “traitor”.
Yep, this is going to be the pitch that we’ll hear come 2012. Not that Obama actaully DID anything for you, but rather that Obama is the “Jackie Robinson of politics.”
Yea, how could a black man do anything of significance – he’s so disappointing!
How could ANYONE who believes in the doctrines of neoliberalism do anything for me as President?
I VOTED for Obama, mind you. Go accuse someone else of racism. And try listing accomplishments rather than playing the race card out of some obvious sense of desperation.
You’re missing the distinguishing difference between them…
Jackie Robinson performed well as a baseball player.
Obama’s performance has been pretty dismal.
At the time the racists thought he was terrible – they couldn’t understand why they were “betrayed” by their fellow white owners.
That is not the point here.
The point is about performance. Something that can be measured objectively. With numbers.
I know is that my impatience and dislike of Obama has much to do with Bush and my dislike of him. When I look at Obama I see Bush now. So, yes, I am more impatient with Obama — and it has nothing, absolutely nothing with color. I just wish Obama could be as honest as Bush about who his constituents are.
Long before health care I was very upset about the drone attacks and I was counting the days until Obama got into office so the drone attacks would end and the lives of countless innocents spared. Yet it goes on and on, fueling the growth of terrorism on the way.
I was terrified of Romney specifically because of Romneycare. Well, we got Romneycare anyway, except it’s now called Obamacare, and the result will be the same. Romney’s bashing of Obamacare has been hysterical to watch — and what’s even funnier is the comments on these articles that play into this ridiculous display of political grand theater — Romney evil/Obama good.
I did not vote for Obama because of his race and the most upsetting thing about the campaign was when inevitable race card was finally played. There are many, many white people in this country who don’t consider race. There are many, many black people who voted for Obama based strictly on race, and continue to support him based on that. You can still be called a racist on many sites if you disagree with any Obama policy.
My plan for the FORCED insurance is not to buy it and when the IRS comes to collect, I will pay them with my receipts for paying for my own health care. If they don’t like it, I guess I go off to jail, that is I don’t get really sick and die before than.
Larue –
If you wish to be a factor in Dem primaries you’ll have to remain a registered Dem.
I’m in CA (in Jane Harman’s district, for Christsakes!) and I know how you feel.
Thanks for that info. I’ll know more tomorrow when I start to research the Ind. info.
Harmon? I’m SO sorry . . . ;-)
Hey Larue,
Congressman McNerney just wrote and asked my opinion on the bill. (Hahahaha)
Since you are inspiring folks to write (and more) tonight… thought I would put my first draft here.
Sweet! *G*
Don’t change a thing! You strike just the right note.
Good letter! I’m changing to Indie as well. I’ve had enough not just because of Obama but because of the whole shitty party. 40 yrs. for what? What having these lying sacks of shit done for America in 40 yrs.? I went to the street against LBJ and I should have quit then. Since then it’s been one failed President after another. This is a party that has no real values or honor. It’s lost it’s way. It doesn’t even value it’s own people, what kind of party is that?
Thanks SG . . . best of luck to ya, I still have to research some voting procedural issues . . . . I’d hate to lose the primary election vote ability cuz I went Indie . . . I’ll see.
The way I understand it, and I’m in CA, is that you can’t vote in the primary if you’re undeclared. I actually am registered Republican because where I live, there aren’t going to be any Dems elected. Whoever wins the R primary will be my representative for whatever office state or national is open. So it has been more important to me to try to influence moderation in R candidates than to vote D. There’s an initiative on the ballot that is supposed to open up primaries in some way, but I haven’t looked closely at what the final version does, so I don’t know if it will help or hurt.
There are a lot of important races and issues coming up in November for CA. I have decided that I will not vote for Boxer (already wrote to tell her that when she was all over the TV talking about how great the Senate bill was after being the stooge that helped kill the right to choose) and I will vote for Jerry Brown because if Meg Whitman wins, we are screwed. I really think we have to build on the student awakening and try to do something about CA because the fed level is too fucked up to make a difference right now. I’ll stay involved, but not put my emotional well-being there. I was thinking as I drove my kids to school this morning that CA needs to stop looking for a savior. We have the initiative that gets used against us. We need to start using it for us. Publicize the McCourt news about their not paying any taxes and the fact that whatever people think of St. Ronnie, tax cuts for the rich and the corps in this day and age don’t go to grow our economy, they go to build factories and jobs in China. People get that intuitively even when they have been conditioned to believe in tax cuts and trickle down. It’s not about whether taxes are too high or too low, it’s that they are too high for some and too low for others because some can buy politicians and others can’t. We need to start controlling our own messaging.
It’s so depressing, but I have to believe there’s some way to make some difference because I have two kids who are going to be stuck here for a long time.
Thanks PaulaT, I’m still working on it all and haven’t finalized my actions WRT a party affiliation change.
I’m in Sacto, so the D/R thing is still a bit essential down ticket for me.
Yes, by all means, given we’ll have Whitman or Brown, I’ll hold my nose and go with Brown again.
He’s become fiscally conservative, so I fear his cuts, but I fear Whitman’s MUCH more so!!!
On we hope, eh, one day at a time . . .
People who are advocating not voting are a bunch of cowards, IMO. I’m as disappointed in the performance of the Democratic Party as the next Democrat. I’m pissed, but I’m also a realist. If you want, vote 3rd party, but for heaven’s sake, don’t not vote. Get everyone you know out to vote, and get everyone as informed as you can about politics. These are important times. Get informed. And vote.
Send the Green Party a check. Get involved with the Greens at your local level. Help Green candidates get on the ballot. If Greens are not on the ballot, write them in.
Don’t just sit on the couch – become a card-carrying Green, and vote! It could save your sanity. I know it’s done wonders for my outlook.
Kryolux has described some less than satisfying experiences with the Greens but maybe if we all land on them at once we can take ‘em over.
This is my first comment on FDL and i am also very disappointed with Obama and the corporate dems. I knew Obama was a centrist but i didn’t think he would throw us under the bus so easily.
I have been an progressive-radical since the 1960′s. After the days of rage at the ’68 dem convention i could not register as a democrat and have been an Independent who held his nose and voted for dems and hoped for the best, NO more.
The only way we can take this country back from the corporate masters is with a third party and if that isn’t possible we are doomed to live in a plutocracy.
The other option is to vote for the rethugs and help them usher in the banana republic and hope people will finally wake up and realise who the enemy is.
The first option is unlikely and the second is repugnant but what other options are there?
welcome to fdl wayoutwest — if ya have any questions, just ask :)
I don’t give a damn! I’m registering as an Independent, starting tomorrow!
Hi Larue, I had recently decided to write and let him know that I, too, will be changing party affiliation to Indy. The only thing I know to do is work for total, I mean total, tax-funded elections. Jail time if you take a penny from any other hand. Someone had a crazy sounding idea that I thought would really make a difference – make the congs and sens stay at home in their own states and telecommute. Shut down the whole damn power establishment and bubble.
Welcome to the Independants Larue.
I think you’ll find they try harder for your vote when you don’t give it away in advance.
Unless you’re unfortunate like me to live in a state like NY where no matter what it’s going blue.
Great letter, Larue!
I’ll never forget discussing HCR with a paid political operative for the Democrats a few months ago. At one point he said sarcastically “well we would all love to be living in the People’s Republic of California.” As though the things I was arguing for were just laughably pie-in-the- sky.
I said “dude I’m just trying to SOLVE the problem. I see no virtue or use in tying ourselves in knots trying to preserve the profits of the healthcartel.”
Saw him at the same coffee shop a few weeks later and he studiously avoided me for a while and then, proclaimed loudly “and then of course I’ve got to put up with a bunch of shit from (GDC) over here.” I thought he must be joking but when I glanced over at him the expression he wore was not one of mirth.
Democrats routinely say things nowadays that sound like Republicans of 15 years ago. The Overton window has been shoved so far to the right all you can see ut of it is a smiling Karl Rove.
Time to strengthen the progressive movement so that it can operate independently from the Democratic Party. We need a movement that can, if necessary, scare elected leaders into voting our way. I want the progressive movement to have the kind of power Rush Limbaugh has over the GOP. You don’t cross Rush if you’re a Republican. Donna Edwards “carrots not sticks” hit on Jane Hamsher is evidence that playing nice doesn’t cut it. “More and Better Democrats” doesn’t cut it. That’s proven to be a dead end.
Obama was the lesser of two evils, like all of the Democratic Party Presidential nominees since Dukakis in 1988. He was the lesser of two evils when he ran against Hillary Clinton as well. There is a degree of validity to the “lesser of two evils” strategy. If you fear the catastrophe of the “greater of two evils” more than that of the “lesser of two evils,” it makes sense to vote for the lesser catastrophe.
This having been said, Obama’s greatest selling point in ’08 was McCain, just as Kerry’s and Gore’s was Bush Junior, Clinton’s was Bush Senior and Dole, and Dukakis’ was Bush Senior. You vote for these people because you don’t want the other candidate in office.
Left out of this equation, of course, is the whole idea of getting anything from the Federal government in return for your tax monies.
Exactly true.
And until we get passed the “lesser of two evils” we will be a joke in this world.
Just gotta say how overwhelmed I am with all the thoughtful and heartfelt comments, replies and general thoughts you folks shared with me.
My only goal in posting that letter was to vent, as the letter itself was major venting!!!
I had NO idea so many would pick up on the theme and get engaged with my post.
So, thanks to all, KarenM I still have not said thanks direct so here it is, I think I got most of the rest.
I guess that’s the key for me, FDL, Pups . . . staying engaged somehow, sharing, etc. Even disagreeing!
*G*
You folks helped me learn a little something about myself, and yourselves . . . that’s pretty kewl, IMHO.
Be good to each other now, and don’t feel you have to hold back on the trolls on MY account, they cave and *poof* quickly once outnumbered . .. ;-)
My only comment to this is stop voting for the lesser of two evils.
As long as we keep playing that game we lose.
LaRue- I’m in!! When and where do we get the Primary fight started!? And who?
I’m changing my vote to Republican. If I’m going to live in a corporatist state, I want to be on the winning side.