REFLECTIONS ON THE PRESIDENT'S FIRST TERM
Dear Mr. President:
Next month we are as a nation are going to decide who should lead us for the next four years. In November of 2008 I voted for you because you embodied a lot of hope. We needed it after the last eight years of taking steps backward. You got us excited. You got us to dream of the incredible possibilities despite the fact that we were in the midst of one of the worst economic crisis of my lifetime. You promised us change. You promised us boldness. You promised us a new era where despite the hard times you would work towards changing our current political climate and have hope again.
Well sir it has been almost four years and now we are about to decide whether to let you lead us the next four years or give your opponent a chance to lead us. Two weeks ago I watched you debate your opponent in the first presidential debate. I had mixed feelings about how you did. The more I thought about it deeply the more I realized how your performance at that debate was an appropriate reflection of your first term: reluctant to take a chance... too careful... and seemingly unwilling to vigorously defend what you have achieved. Perhaps you should be timid. You have acheived victories for us- the stimulus bill, health care reform, and extension of unemployment benefits are a few worthy of mention.
But these victories simply illustrate accomplishments that came out of your reluctance to fight for what was really best for us: a grander and more extensive stimulus bill, health care reform with a public option, and an extension of employment benefits that allowed the Bush tax cuts for the super rich to expire while keeping the tax cuts for everyone else. That's not what we got. Your administration was quick to point out that your opponents were the biggest reason why these achievements felt muted at best. But your opponents have continued to disregard these victories and have even used them to discredit you. And during that first debate you halfheartedly defended them.
We wanted the boldness sir. We would have been energized if we saw you fight viciously these past four years... yes sir, viciously... for that new era that you promised in 2008. The way you dealt with your record during the first debate as your opponent aggressively discredited you seems to complete the cycle of your calculated reluctance and deliberate restraint in fighting for that vision of hope you sold us four years ago. Now you are deadlocked in a head to head election not because our lives didn't get any better than four years ago. We are better. But not better enough. Your fighting spirit would have made the difference. You would have been in a better place in this campaign season if we perceived you as a vicious combatant for what you believed was best for us. Just as your fighting spirit would have made a difference in that first debate.
Be a fighter Mr. President! Fight for us in the next presidential debates. And should you win this election fight for us!
