To Gov. Romney and Pres. Obama:
Be advised that I’m not listening to you. The millions of dollars you, your campaigns, and your super PACs are spending to woo my vote are wasted. Worse than wasted. Counterproductive.
I am not listening because I do not believe you. Either of you. Every word you utter, everything you do, is carefully calculated to pander to one group of voters or another. President Obama, your executive order regarding illegal immigrants is a prime example. If you really intended to do anything about immigration, you’d have done it years ago. Your presidency ceased to exist when the campaign began; you’ve become just another candidate. Gov. Romney, you’ve already said enough to convince me I don’t want any part of you. “Corporations are people, my friend.” Seriously? And by the way, I’m not your friend. I don’t even know you. Besides, if you were my friend, you’d know to keep your hands off Planned Parenthood and a woman’s right to choose.
Both of you (and your rich friends) are spending money like it’s going out of style — of course, it already has for most Americans. You think you’re going to impress us by spending millions — or billions — on advertising when so many of us are without jobs, or homes, or secure retirements? It’s not even honest, informative advertising. It’s misrepresentation, innuendo, quotes and clips without context, hyperbole, etc. We already know you think the other guy is a lowdown dirty rat; why not try to convince us you’re not?
We voters have been sentenced to listen to and watch your tiresome bashing of each other until November 6. Rest assured an endless barrage of garbage between now and then is not going to make us swoon with admiration. Nor will outspending the opposition assure your victory.
You aren’t fooling me. You are, in fact, confirming what I’ve suspected all along — that politics is for the wealthy, that the campaign is a game for the wealthy, and that elected office in Washington is just a trophy for the wealthy. It’s not about America anymore, if it ever was. It’s not about the average Tom, Dick, and Harriet. It’s all about you, you, you.
Go ahead and spend your millions. Throw your big summer bashes in Charlotte and Tampa and reward your faithful, fawning delegates. But remember this: All you’re buying is my enmity. My vote is not for sale.
Susan Richards
Registered independent voter
Denver, CO
Did you write this?
Yes I did. Otherwise I’d have cited a source.
(I just added my signature.)
That is true. You would have.
One item you mention which, if you don’t mind, I have a different opinion about. And that is “President Obama, your executive order regarding illegal immigrants is a prime example. If you really intended to do anything about immigration, you’d have done it years ago.”
Yes, he should have done so years ago. But by implementing it now does that necessarily mean he is purposely doing this now in order to capture those votes? We all know that Congress has been in a deadlock pretty much most of the time. Could he not have planned to do so via Congress for years, but the opportunity never arose because of other items of more importance that wouldn’t go anywhere? He finally became fed up and used his executive powers now. Yes, the timing is very convenient. But his support for the undocumented youth is nothing new.
Also…. Obama is rather between a rock and a hard spot right now. Damned if he does and damned if he doesn’t. No matter what he does, the RNP will claim he is only doing so for votes. But if he holds off in order to avoid that worthless spotlight, then the RNP will call him a lame duck.
No matter what, this is going to be a very sucky year for Obama because of this election. From here until Nov. 6th, he will be damned if he does and damned if he doesn’t.
No, of course I don’t mind. I know we have different views on this. I’ve never made a secret of my views on illegal immigration.
Call me cynical, but I think Obama’s announcement reeks of politicking and pandering. I thought that the moment it was announced and was disappointed that the president had suddenly become just another candidate trying to get elected. At least that’s how it sounded.
Yes, he’s in a tough situation this year, and I blame our totally screwed up system. Any first-term incumbent would be similarly hampered in an election year, and it ill serves the nation. It doesn’t help that I’ve cooled a bit on Obama since 2008, and I’ll probably be skeptical of everything he does between now and Election Day. He may be president, but he’s also a candidate.
Yes, that he is a candidate, too. I’m not as gung-ho as I was in 2008 either. But my enthusiasm has picked back up as the animosity from the RNP becomes more apparent every day. Also revealing that Obama had a more difficult time in getting things done. There are some things he has done that I do not like, but there will never be a POTUS that I will see eye-to-eye with.
I’m sorry, but doing good? As politics? Unheard of!
Was what he did regarding immigration doing good? Of course it was! Is anyone saying that it wasn’t? No… they’re just saying that it was politically motivated, if they’re saying anything at all.
We know where the right stands on the issue… but they won’t come out and say it… because tey will lose votes. They’re in a helluva situation. Did Obama put them there? No, they got there by themselves..
Everything that I can see points towards the ever-increasing division of the parties and the American people… and everything that I see points to the fact (to me) that almost everyone who is vehemently anti-Obama is racially motivated… either because that’s the way they are, or that’s the way their constituency is.
There has been no other president, ever, that has had the stock market double under his administration. There has been no president every who was handed two really stupid wars *and* a fiscal crisis. And the republicans, who got us into this mess, say he’s a “bad president”.
As their state legislators all over the country dismantle unions (your voices!) and voter’s rights (your voices).
Just for the record, unions are not my voice and never have been. I don’t need or want anyone else speaking for me. As for my right to vote, I’ve not seen anyone attacking it; I’m not entirely up to speed on what’s going on in Florida, but I suspect it’s neither as evil as the Democrats claim, nor as aboveboard as the Republicans claim.
Actually, Unions HAVE been your voice in the past. They kept corporate power over workers down to a dull roar, at the very least. They brought health care, the 40-hour work week, overtime, vacations, minimum age requirements and social security to you, even if you didn’t want those things. You know that the corporations did, and do, want to get rid of those things, so they are trying to crush the unions.
You could not have spoken for yourself and achieved any of those things… it took unions to do that. And they’re needed now more than ever.
Skeptic that I am, I doubt unions are as noble and heroic as they claim, or as evil as corporate leaders claim. Personally, I can only speak from my limited experience with them years ago, when my job and personal property were threatened because I was not a union member, and news reports of their tactics, which I’ve never liked.
Unions are human constructs and can never be perfect… but look at what the corporations have done without them! And when the unions come to India, they’ll move to where there are no unions.Unions are the only bulwark against the corporate thieves taking this country over.
I’m afraid we’ll just have to agree to disagree. But thanks for your input. You’re welcome to come disagree with me anytime.
I’ll take Obama over anything the Republicans can vomit up. Yes, he is a politician. Yes, all politicians cater to their special interests and that means “from where the money flows.” But I appreciate his efforts at credit card reform, his support of gay marriage, his support of women’s autonomy over their own bodies, and his support of science–none of which we’d ever have gotten, or would get, from the GOP. I also think that although health care reform is flawed, it sets the stage for getting rid of insurance companies entirely further down the line, as the insurance companies MUST put the vast majority of their revenue into providing benefits, which essentially ruins their business model of denying people for the sake of profit. It will just take a while to happen. In my heart, I am a Green, but I am also a realist, and the reality is that our choices are Obama and Romney. Obama. Definitely.
I could have accepted Jon Huntsman as the Republican candidate. Too bad they weren’t smart enough to support him. Romney’s the used car salesman of the GOP; no way he gets my vote.
Great way of getting it off your chest. I have a similar sort of letter I’d like to our Mr Cameron. I’ve just been simmering away with fury.
sorry, like to write to….
Do write. It’s a great catharsis! I suspect the effect won’t last for long, though.
I’m with you, Pied… Neither Obama nor Romney will hesitate to increase the debt and deficit and kill more of our children in illegal foreign invasions. Neither of them have any intention of restricting themselves to their constitutional authorities. Both of them will create preemptive and post failure bailouts using my grandchildrens heritage. It’s impossible for me to successfully hide my contempt for the Republicans and Democrats who exhibit absolutely no fundamental ethical or moral values.
As usual, I’ll vote for the only candidate who promises me nothing… except freedom… Gary Johnson.