Dear President Obama,

November 6, 2012

Dear President Obama,

I just got home from voting. You will be happy to know I voted for you, although honestly I can’t imagine why anyone would want that job. But several of you do and by process of elimination I have decided you are the best candidate.

I voted for you four years ago too although then I was quite surprised when you won by the margin you did. I wasn’t as much of a die-hard supporter then as so much of the country seemed to be. I worried that you did not have the experience or the political savvy it would take to get us out of the depths with which our fellow countrymen had plunged our country in the name of greed.

I thought you were an excellent speaker and that was your strong point. I was encouraged when you spoke of taking on health care as that was my main reason for supporting The Clinton’s in 1992, and I was happy to see someone talking about it again. I also liked how you talked of encouraging bipartisan politics in America, an issue that, I believe is tearing our country apart.

I was pleased with your humanitarian views on stem cell research as I have several friends and family members I believe could benefit from discoveries yet to be made.

I was excited when you spoke of alternative energy because I believe this is or could be one of our countries strongest future industries. And just as coal did for so many poor people in states like West Virginia, alternative energy and the manufacturing process could do that across the country for young men and women not looking to go to college but looking for a solid career in which to raise a family. In addition the prospects for the college grads would be plentiful as well.

You told us then that it was going to be a struggle to overcome the situation we were in. When you took office in January of 2009 we were at a record of 2.6 million jobs lost for the year 2008. I knew it looked ominous. You had your work cut out for you.

Four years later I have to admit that although I think we have come a long way and I realize there is still a lot more work to do I have to be honest and admit I am a little disappointed in your presidency thus far. I feel that I may have been right about your naiveté.
During this campaign there was no talk of bipartisan politics. I find that incredibly disturbing when I think how much a part of your 2008 campaign it was. I don’t know why. I don’t know if you got frustrated or just gave up. But I have seen this election and these last four years create an even greater divide than there was before and I find that scary, disturbing, and sad. I’m not blaming you, exactly, I am sure there were mitigating circumstances that lay people like me know nothing about but I know it was important to you at one time so I hope to see more of an effort put back into it during the next four years.

I also must say that I was less than impressed by the stimulus package also. I honestly thought there was going to be more jobs created with the money by hiring people to improve our infrastructure. I am no economist and perhaps the money was spent in the most intelligent way to stimulate the economy but I had romantic illusions that it would mirror FDR’s New Deal. I’ve read that your stimulus package actually did more for the economy than FDR’s but I am not convinced.

Where is the alternative energy industry I dreamed of?
Or something as awe inspiring as The Skyline Drive or Hoover Dam?

I don’t really see how anyone in my family benefited in the long run by the stimulus package. I do realize that it is bigger than me and my little world but I just wanted you to know what this middle aged woman sees here in this small town in Virginia, because when it comes down to it no matter how much we talk about what’s best for the country, most of us at the end of the day are really concerned with what is best for us and our families.

I believe you are a good man. I believe you want what is best for the country. I believe you try to keep your ego in check and make sound responsible decisions. I believe you will surround yourself with the smartest most compassionate people you can find and spend the next four years setting an example for the rest of us.

I want to see the affordable health care act be successful but I want providers to be more responsible and a universal languages set forth so that all Americans can understand it and make informed decisions without worrying about being hoodwinked or swindled by the insurance companies; that has gone on long enough.

I want compassion to be the norm for those of us with mental or physical disabilities. I am not talking about handouts or pity; simply a more unified understanding by all Americans and opportunities for these people to be contributing and useful members of society.
I want to see more acceptances of all religions and sexual preferences. And as much as I want government regulation to monitor would be greedy self-centered individuals, companies, and industries, I want government out of my bedroom and out of my body.
I want education and especially advanced education available to all Americans. The only way to bring a family out of poverty is education. It is the answer to everything from abortion to crime, to strong family units.

There is more on my list of wants, I didn’t even get into foreign policy, gun control, taxes, or climate change. I think my list is pretty comprehensive and will keep you busy for a good while. I trust that you will do the best job you can and will lead with intelligence and compassion but if you ever need any more ideas, advice, encouragement, or constructive criticism, I am here for you.

Good Luck and God Bless,

~ Dawn M. Miller
Strasburg, Virginia