First, I received a disturbing phone call on Inauguration Day.
Dear Mr. President,
As my friends so eloquently pointed out, I did not vote for you. And unfortunately, many of those who did not were made out to be Obama haters, rednecks, well...republicans. I hope to set the record straight with you.
First off, let me just say how proud I was of you today, the same pride I feel when any man from any party takes on this service to his country. I'm sure you would agree that the presidency is bigger than any one man, but that being said, you again conducted yourself with the air of a leader, and focused on bringing people together, and that behavior commands the respect of all.
Now, the facts.
I did not vote for you. I voted for another man who I admire and believe in. I didn't vote AGAINST you, I merely voted FOR someone else.
I am not a republican.
I am not a democrat.
I am not conservative.
I am not liberal.
And more than all that, I am not a racist. It's alarming to me that I have to make this statement, but after seeing some footage of dyed-in-the-wool haters using the "N" word to describe you, I again feel the need to distance myself from some of those who would oppose you.
I do not dislike you, or hate you. In fact, I like you a great deal. You ran a groundbreaking grassroots campaign, and made people care about our electoral process who never had before. You write and speak like few others, and that brings people together. That being said, you have made a LOT of promises. Promises of programs that you made it sound like would be a no-brainer to create and execute once in office. I hope you make good on your word on many of those promises, many of us are watching to see if you will be able to get them approved by Congress...no easy challenge. Hopefully your dynamic oratorical skills can sell the American people on your ideas and make it easier to push by those in Congress who would hold out their own hand to try to collect for themselves first, or their party.
I don't believe in everything you do, but then I didn't believe in everything my candidate believed in either. You have big dreams for our country, and huge challenges ahead of you, and now that you are my president, I will support you wholeheartedly. I know you want the best for us, and you want to initiate many new programs to help us all...I only ask you to remember one thing.
As you pointed out in your inauguration speech, much of our future lay on our shoulders, and Americans who want the best for our families need to work hard and create their own success. I am a capable man, with a family to support. I am willing to work, and save, and spend, and pay taxes. So please consider those of us who try with all our might to create our own success before you try to hand us all programs we don't ALL need, and charge us ALL for them. Please just try to give us the FRAMEWORK to allow for personal achievement, and we will work hard to do just that...achieve.
So today, your first full day on the job, I wish you all the best of luck. I admire your energy and determination, and I am excited to see what you can come up with in the years ahead. And I, with many, will be working with you, and not against you.
I absolutely HOPE...for you.
Jay @ halftimeLessons
PS - And good luck with Congress. You have my permission to slap 'em silly.
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54 comments:
So - just in an effort to be the first commenter. I have to say... I don't think he'll be doing much work tomorrow after attending a ridiculous amount of balls tonight! lol
That recording was awesome! And I loved your post. Amen on the congress-slapping.
Seriously - what Young Momma said. 10 balls? Please. I really enjoyed reading this post. I haven't ventured into politics on my blog, and I'm not sure when/if that day will come. But, I just wanted to say that I really, really appreciate what you said. I, too, did not vote for Obama, and I have a lot of the same concerns that you mentioned in your post. He's our president, and so of course we'll support him, but right now we're just kind of sitting back and watching to see what actually happens with everything that he promised. Only time will tell, I guess. Very well-written, and very decent. I'm impressed.
I will not attack President Obama while he holds office. I did not (and despise those who did) attack President Bush over the past eight years or President Clinton the eight years before that. You should salute the rank, not the person. This should be applied to the Chief Executive of our nation.
I hope that 2012 will see a secure nation, a prosperous nation and a nation that has done more to guarantee our children’s futures. I hope that, in 2012, more of the world will know and enjoy the fruits of liberty.
I do not hope for President Obama to fail. I am an American. Americans want their leaders to succeed. They want their nations to succeed. I learned this from my father: That Honor Matters. That includes being respectful to the leader of the greatest nation on the globe, even in you disagree with him. You deal with it. Honor demands no less.
God Bless America!!
This is a wondrous post! Like you, I voted for "the other guy" because his political approach more coincides with my own (and I happen to respect the he** out of him), but I absolutely wish ALL the very best to our new president, and am VERY happy with the hope and promise his administration is carrying in tow. :)
Well, shaking off the "pissed off" sweat from my brow...just know...I've got your back..LOL!!
Well stated. Hope is a good word to describe this historical day and our future! My vote did not gain the candidate of choice..but maybe our hope will.
Fargo??giggle...
Okay, I am rolling and wiping tears of gratitude from my eyes. That recording was the funniest thing and your post was brilliant. Wake up everyday on the side of the bed you woke up on this morning. I think I may be getting a cyber crush on your lame ass.
That damn Jill is beating me to every blog tonight!
Loved, loved, loved the recording!
This is a GREAT letter!! I voted for the other guy too. I have to say that your letter says everything that I was unable to put into words on my WW blog.
God Bless The United States of America and Obama "good luck"!!!
LOL
After the first two ladies who read it thought that the phone call was real and thought I had some real trickster on my hands, I figured I'd better come clean underneath it...
If the best stalker I can illicit is Margie, I'm in trouble.
;-)
Beautifully written as always. Whatever you're doing for a career...I hope it involves writing because you certainly have a gift.
This really is a brilliant post. You have eloquently stated the case for being united under the President. Lovely, lovely letter.
i take it you had the day off yesterday.
Well said! (And that comes from someone who did vote for Obama.)
Totally with you on the slappin' of Congress.
Very well said! You know I echo the sentiment.
I watched the whole thing yesterday. It was amzaing. The Pomp and Circumstance.
I cried when George and Laura waved from the helicopter. From one Class A family passed onto another.
Godspeed President Obama.
P.S. LOVE Margie, but did she land in Fargo by way of Dublin? Awesome!
LMAO! That phone "message" is great. Love the North Dakota accent.
I myself was a Hillary supporter, but like you, I have found a way to admire and support our new president. He is inspirational and has moved a nation to challenge old ways of thinking.
Great letter. I couldn't have said it better myself :-)
Fargo, I heard a little Jersey, just me? That's too funny! I never judged your lame ass (that's a quote from Jill) just since you voted for 'the other guy'- you know I was a big Obama Mama myself, but part of that was letting people embrace who they are and not judging them for t!
As for the 'dirty mouth'- keep it up- it's endearing- no kids read this shit!(At least that's the way I look at it!)
Thing is...the sad thing is...that we voted those congressmen into office.
I'm an Obama backer...and still, I don't see 'color'...I see a man who may be able to turn this country around and have the respect of the world again.
Hopefully.
LOVE your letter. [I got a LETTER from Obama...in my Tuesday post on my blog]
Come on over...today I'm taking y'all on a tour of the Texas State Aquarium via photos!!!! See ya later alligator...Oops, I let the 'cat out of the bag'...Yep, there are alligators. One photo anyway.
Happy Wednesday.
lol you crack me up jay! great post!! ;)
Great blog. Thx for WW comments. :)
Well said!
I did vote for Obama & hope the best for our country under his watch!
Great post!! You stated things very well!!
Great letter! I felt a lot of the same things.
Great letter! I felt a lot of the same things.
Very nice letter to the President, Jay. and I am right there with you. I didnt vote for him and I am a little leary about what is to come, but I am behind him now. He is our new president.
Good post. I like "the facts" part— good that you are honest.
I may not be a Democrat (or at least hold democratic views)— but I do like his enthusiastic spirit. So long as he doesn't run across a lot of resistance he should be successful.
First of all, very nicely said. I wish I had that kind of eloquence about me. I feel the same way...I am neither democrat nor republican.
Anyways, I liked it! Thanks for that!
Man, you crack me up!
Great letter.....I just hope that their are more people who will feel being American is far more important than their political party label.
very well said.
My vote for Barr was every bit as much a vote against the major parties as a vote for Barr & I admit that. But my guy lost and I am, as I always am, fully prepared to support the one who won. Though I reserve the right to complain if I am not happy with his choices. :)
How very eloquent!!!
I HOPE he doesn't immediately take a vacation like Bush did after the last election:)
Tootles!
Oh I like this post, well said.
I didn't vote for him either, but I wish him success. Just not in a hand-out sort of way. That does worry me. And Congress does need a little slapping, both sides.
Your header is awesome!
Great post, Jay!
Thanks for stopping by my blog! I'm glad to have found yours! Well said, about your letter to the president. You certaintly said it much better (and more optimistically) than I could have!
Fantastic post!! thank you!
Good letter. I think we ALL need to band together at this time in our history when so much is going on here and globally. It's gonna be an interesting four years. That's for sure!
Here, here Jay!! Here, here!
Love that call!
Amen! I agree whole-heartedly!
Great post. Let's hope you are flying under the FBI radar and none of them are reading your blog and flagging you as someone they need to watch. We have your back if they do though.
The video was hysterical and the letter, not bad, not bad at all. It will be interesting to see what these next 4 years bring.
You are so funny. I love that you are Jay the "Obama Mama." hehe.
cool letter. it takes all kinds of people to make the world go round and we are not all going to agree, and that's OK. Let's hope he does us ALL proud.
Very well written Jay! I usually skim overnon-supporters posts. It seems that the bloggy circle I run in tends to be a bit more conservative...however, i read this one start to finish and say "bravo," I feel proud as well. Proud and happy as hell that there is going to be some change for our country!
You're a bigger person than me. I voted for the other guy, but I'm still bitter. Holding my breath til 2012.
I hope for him, too. I hope when the hype dies down...there is some good to come of it!
I love how articulate your post is. I have all kinds of thoughts but find trouble capturing them and making them linear.
You keep mentioning this other guy.
There was another guy???
But seriously, It's good that you're supporting our new president. He's called for us all to help make this country what we want it to be. It's a new day. :))
Very well said Sir. I only hope his awesome ability to deliver a profound speech to the people translates into tangible results for everyday people like me of this country. I must say, I was a bit offended that Washington was spending silly amount of money and partying like they won the lottery, while so many people of this country could barely scrape together enough food to feed their kids or make their mortgage. In the words of Dennis Miller (comedian & my Sun Valley pal) "Just my opinion, I could be wrong."
Funny stuff, first time here , Ill be back for more !!
Beautifully written!
Great post Jay! I'm right there with ya! (well, not literally...hehe)
I can't stop laughing at the "phone call." Well done!
Thanks for this post.
I couldn't vote, obviously. But if I could I would've voted for McCain.
I've been called many of those things because of that.
This was great! He has the toughest job in the world and is our leader. I agree with your thoughts completely and about the congress-slapping; a few of them need one :)
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