# An Open Letter To President Obama



## Jill (Jun 17, 2009)

[SIZE=12pt](My head was nodding all through reading this letter!)[/SIZE]

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[SIZE=24pt]*AN OPEN LETTER TO PRESIDENT OBAMA*[/SIZE]

[SIZE=12pt]_By Lou Pritchett_[/SIZE]

[SIZE=14pt][/SIZE]

Dear President Obama:
 
You are the thirteenth President under whom I have lived and unlike any of the others, you truly scare me.
 
You scare me because after months of exposure, I know nothing about you.
 
You scare me because I do not know how you paid for your expensive Ivy League education and your upscale lifestyle and housing with no visible signs of support.
 
You scare me because you did not spend the formative years of youth growing up in America and culturally you are not an American.
 
You scare me because you have never run a company or met a payroll.
 
You scare me because you have never had military experience, thus don't understand it at its core.
 
You scare me because you lack humility and 'class', always blaming others.
 
You scare me because for over half your life you have aligned yourself with radical extremists who hate America and you refuse to publicly denounce these radicals who wish to see America fail.
 
You scare me because you are a cheerleader for the 'blame America' crowd and deliver this message abroad.
 
You scare me because you want to change America to a European style country where the government sector dominates instead of the private sector.
 
You scare me because you want to replace our health care system with a government controlled one.
 
You scare me because you prefer 'wind mills' to responsibly capitalizing on our own vast oil, coal and shale reserves.
 
You scare me because you want to kill the American capitalist goose that lays the golden egg which provides the highest standard of living in the world.
 
You scare me because you have begun to use 'extortion' tactics against certain banks and corporations.
 
You scare me because your own political party shrinks from challenging you on your wild and irresponsible spending proposals.
 
You scare me because you will not openly listen to or even consider opposing points of view from intelligent people.
 
You scare me because you falsely believe that you are both omnipotent and omniscient.
 
You scare me because the media gives you a free pass on everything you do.
 
You scare me because you demonize and want to silence the Limbaughs, Hannitys, O'Relllys and Becks who offer opposing, conservative points of view.
 
You scare me because you prefer controlling over governing.
 
Finally, you scare me because if you serve a second term I will probably not feel safe in writing a similar letter in 8 years.
 
Lou Pritchett
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_Note: Lou Pritchett is a former vice president of Procter & Gamble whose career at that company spanned 36 years before his retirement in 1989, and he is the author of the 1995 business book, Stop Paddling & Start Rocking the Boat. Mr. Pritchett confirmed that he was indeed the author of the much-circulated "open letter."_

This checks out on Snopes.com -- http://www.snopes.com/politics/soapbox/youscareme.asp


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## Charley (Jun 17, 2009)

Thanks for posting that...because he is scary!

It is mind boggling to see the debt he has had our country take on in a few months time. I am afraid...he is worse than scary...


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## Jill (Jun 17, 2009)

Charley said:


> Thanks for posting that...because he is scary!
> It is mind boggling to see the debt he has had our country take on in a few months time. I am afraid...he is worse than scary...


I'm afraid someone will tell him what comes after a trillion


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## Bassett (Jun 17, 2009)

Thanks Jill. I wholeheartedly agree with everything in this letter. He scares the c**p out of a lot of people and I predict it will only get worse. I think ''SOME'' of us predicted this would happen all along. But there are a lot of blind people who disagreed with us.









Good work. Thanks for posting.


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## Connie P (Jun 17, 2009)




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## AppyLover2 (Jun 17, 2009)

But....but....he can swat a fly out of the air with his bare hand.





I couldn't believe they showed that on national news.


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## minimule (Jun 17, 2009)

He did an excellent job with this. I've seen a lot of intersting things like this that point out facts that some still choose to completely ignore.



I truly fear for our country.


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## Gini (Jun 17, 2009)

AppyLover2 said:


> But....but....he can swat a fly out of the air with his bare hand.


I got 2 flys this morning and it didn't make national news!!


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## loveminis (Jun 17, 2009)

This country has run amouk ! Those are the reasons I LIKE him






I'm running away in my flame suit ......


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## Pepipony (Jun 17, 2009)

Oh I agree. Bush ran this country brilliantly. He was the picture of perfection. We were so well off all of his years. No terror attacks at all. No wars. The economy was brilliant. Fuel prices were low. Not to mention we know everything about his past. His service records werent sealed. All of his C.O.s spoke so highly of him. He made sure that there were no , no-bid contracts so that his friends wouldnt make bookoo bucks. He never did any drugs, including cocaine. He never drank to excess, including whisky. Ohhhh to have the ol shrub back.





Hey ya know what? For years we were told that if you didnt support the President, you didnt support the troops. Does that still stand true? Are we all anti-troop now? Or was it , do as I say, not as I NOW do?


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## hobbyhorse23 (Jun 17, 2009)

Scared of a lot of things, isn't he?



I seem to recall a story about another man who tilted at wind mills....

Leia


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## Jill (Jun 17, 2009)

I knew a lot of you, and a lot of Americans across the board, share a similar point of view and would appreciate this letter the way I did. And, unfortunately, those of us who already get it (and got it before November) know many others will start to see things as clearly as we already do.


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## crponies (Jun 17, 2009)

I am not in agreement with Obama on many things but there is something in that letter I don't understand. What's so scary about windmills?


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## Jill (Jun 17, 2009)

crponies said:


> I am not in agreement with Obama on many things but there is something in that letter I don't understand. What's so scary about windmills?


From the letter, I gather that Lou Pritchett thinks we need to take action to responsibly utilize "our own vast oil, coal and shale reserves" and not look at "windmills" as the answer. I agree with him on this and actually every other point of concern addressed in the letter.


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## crponies (Jun 17, 2009)

Oh, definitely, I agree we need to look at every option when it comes to producing and using energy, to make the use of all our resources.


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## Cathy_H (Jun 17, 2009)

Scares me because if those that can do something to stop this train wreck do NOT apply brakes to Obama's runaway train soon, it WILL BE TOO LATE.............. Media control is coming also!! I'm not saying people should believe everything Glenn Beck, OReilly & Limbaugh say but cross reference what they are telling you to other news sources............ For the record I watch All of the television stations to get everyones spin................Also this health care bit reminds me of the movie Soylent Green....... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soylent_Green

Seems we older people are consuming too much in health care & spending more of our share of available $$$'s. Heard someone say on tv the other day that health care $$$'s are going to HAVE to be spent more wisely based on quality of life etc. Get the picture???? ......................... Curious here, does anyone know the status of that woman that was crying on tv because "with Obama in office" she will now have someone to pay her bills & take care of her? Wonder if she is like that poor man who is getting some stimulus money & is now worse off because he can't get the food stamps he was getting for food before his gift from Obama. ( one reason to read something before you sign it).


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## LowriseMinis (Jun 17, 2009)

1. Obama's the fifth President I've lived under and he doesn't scare me a bit. Mind you, I wasn't old enough to remember the Reagan years, but they sound a little scary to me.

2. Shows a lack of research. We live in the future, Mr. Pritchett. Five minutes of Googling will turn up a wealth of information. If you choose to believe that the internet is a left-wing media conspiracy and that multiple cross-referenced articles about one person aren't giving you the truth, there's not much else we can do.

3. Scholarships?

4. I'm calling bull on this. Whatever happened to America being the Great Melting Pot? What defines American culture? Who judges what is or isn't American? You? Feels a little too "McCarthy" to me.

5. And we all know every president who's been a businessman has done an excellent job of not running this country's finances into the ground. Oh, wait.

6. There has never been a good president who lacked military experience. Just look at this shameful list of other presidents with no military experience:

* John Adams

* Thomas Jefferson

* John Quincy Adams

* Martin Van Buren

* Grover Cleveland

* William Taft

* Woodrow Wilson

* Warren Harding

* Calvin Coolidge

* Herbert Hoover

* Franklin Roosevelt

* Bill Clinton

7. The last guy was a

, wasn't he? 8. I'm not even going to bother with this one. If you honestly believe a person who would give so much up for his country truly wants to see it fall, there's nothing I can say to change your mind.

9. America's done a few things that we need to apologize for over the last eight years. Let's go back to being a class act. A gentleman doesn't show up at say "Well we're right and you're wrong so deal with it." A gentleman shows up and says "In the past we have made some clear mistakes, and we need to amend those so that we can move forward." Which is what Obama has done.

10. I like how you imply socialism without saying it, Mr. Pritchett. Obama is not a socialist, and I'm sure a lot of those European countries you have in mind don't think of themselves as socialist, either. Interestingly, though, a lot of those same European countries have a higher standard of living than we do.

11. In continuation of the above, almost every other developed first world nation offers it's citizens some form of health care. The system isn't always perfect, but it's almost unfathomable in many of those countries for someone to die due to lack of medical care, or go bankrupt due to medical bills. In addition, no one would be forcing you to use national health care. You can still enjoy the benefits of your private insurance. But those who want to use the national system would have the FREEDOM to make that choice.

12. With the data I've seen, I don't know if it's possible to 'responsibly' capitalize on coal reserves. Shale and oil also carry heavy environmental concerns, whereas wind and solar power are considered much cleaner. But you're right, shame on you Mr. Obama for focusing on cleaner alternatives, which also stand to create thousands of new jobs in the next decade.

13. As mentioned above, our standard of living is considered to lag behind several countries. What we're reeling from now are not Obama's policies, but the result of 8 years of Bush's ideals. Are you going to claim he was a socialist, too?

14. If regulation=extortion, you got me there.

15. ...the reaction of Obama's party is his fault how, exactly?

16. Obama has been praised, repeatedly, for being open to ideas outside of his own and considering opposing viewpoints.

17. This one doesn't even warrant a response, sir.

18. You know, I watch MSNBC for commentary. I don't know how much more liberal you want to get than, say, Rachel Maddow, but she's had plenty of criticism for Obama.

19. How, exactly? What has Obama done to try and silence any of these people?

20. Until Obama declares himself Supreme Emperor of America, I'm just going to shake my head and chuckle at this one.

"Finally, you scare me because if you serve a second term I will probably not feel safe in writing a similar letter in 8 years."

Mr. Pritchett, come off it. You're painting a picture of a dystopian, apocalyptic future in which a President duly elected by popular vote rules with an iron fist, quashing all dissenting opinion like come kind of comic book inspired metallic overlord. Here's the truth: there's a man in office you disagree with. You may not like him or his policies. It's happened before. Ask half the country how they felt about the last eight years. The truth of the matter is, Obama's just a man. Maybe a powerful one, but not all powerful. Not all seeing, or all knowing, even if you think HE thinks he is. He's obviously not on the side of politics you agree with. This doesn't make him evil. It makes him a political opponent.

But here's the neat thing: You don't like it? Vote in 2010. Vote in 2012. Maybe next time someone will get elected that scares the other side.

And in conclusion, if you really fear one man that much, you have bigger problems than politics.


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## LowriseMinis (Jun 17, 2009)

hobbyhorse23 said:


> Scared of a lot of things, isn't he?
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Hey, at least Don Quixote DID something about his irrational fears!

Personally I've decided to try and live my life as fear-free as possible, and it feels GREAT. Maybe I should give him some pointers?


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## Pepipony (Jun 17, 2009)

What is scary to me is how the first several posters really do not support the troops. I mean, like wow man. After all, 'they' spent years telling us that if we didnt support Bush ( ie The President) then we didnt support the troops. Or just maybe, maybe, its do as I say, not as I do.


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## Bassett (Jun 17, 2009)

> I knew a lot of you, and a lot of Americans across the board, share a similar point of view and would appreciate this letter the way I did. And, unfortunately, those of us who already get it (and got it before November) know many others will start to see things as clearly as we already do.



I know a couple of people on here who are so blind they will NEVER get it.














Obama:






. He sure makes me nervous



with the things he's been doing.


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## Cathy_H (Jun 17, 2009)

> But....but....he can swat a fly out of the air with his bare hand.
> I couldn't believe they showed that on national news


........................ Heard the saying "I'd like to be a fly on the wall"? Well THAT was the fly on the wall & Obama was demonstrating how he deals with things that bother him!


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## CyndiM (Jun 18, 2009)

He and his belief's scared me before he was even elected. Now




.

OH by the way don't anyone tell me I don't support the troops. I have grand children in the military and I would encourage ANY young person to serve our country. You know the funny thing about the troops being supported? The troops are just as scared of him and a HUGE number of them say they won't re-enlist because of him!


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## Danielle_E. (Jun 18, 2009)

Well I was shaking my head when I read this letter



but it's not surprising really, with the mud slinging that went on during the election. Did you really think that those that were so "scared" before the election would change their tactics. They will try to discret this man no matter what, just more of the same old same old.



IMHO this letter is borderline racism and fanatical garbage. "The sky is falling, the sky is falling..." Too late for that, it fell during the last President's term and this President inherited a mess to clean-up, big time. Not just in the financial realm but in the international political scene. It must have been very scary to some when he got a standing ovation during his speech in Cairo recently.






. "Be wary wary scared" as Elmer Fudd says on the cartoons.


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## Jill (Jun 18, 2009)

AppyLover2 said:


> But....but....he can swat a fly out of the air with his bare hand.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I meant to say, of course that was all over the mainstream news. FINALLY, concrete documentation that he's good at something useful





As I have heard many others say, once you pay attention, you see that Obama is proving to actually BE as inept as the media would have you THINK Bush was







Cathy_H said:


> Heard the saying "I'd like to be a fly on the wall"? Well THAT was the fly on the wall & Obama was demonstrating how he deals with things that bother him!


Isn't that the truth? He is clearly a man with a thin skin and a personally vindictive nature (and no, I am not speaking of the fly's perspective). For example, declining a dinner invitation from Nicolas Sarkozy, President of the French Republic, after he remarked that Obama was inexperienced...

Interesting too that the few pro-Obama posts here, to my eyes, just sum up to "nah-uh".


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## Pepipony (Jun 18, 2009)

Ya know what I WILL tell everyone that they dont support the troops. IF, they are in fact one of the people who stated during Bushs administration that those of us who didnt support Bush, that WE didnt support the troops. So ya, if you said that then, and now you dont support Obama then YES, YOU DO NOT SUPPORT THE TROOPS. I am so bloody tired of 'do as I say, not as I do' politics.


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## AppyLover2 (Jun 18, 2009)

I gotta say Pepi you're WAYYYYY out of line with comments about who does and doesn't support our troops. The fact that some of us may not be enamored of the President has ABSOLUTELY nothing to do with it.

If you saw last night's news you heard that President Obama's approval rating is falling. "People are rating him on his actions rather than his promises." - quote from last nights NBC news anchor. I couldn't help but think it must have been really hard for NBC to report something like that after they worked so hard to get him elected.

I wasn't going to post this but what the heck....this is turning into another of those "heated discussions" anyway.



> April 17, 2009The White House
> 
> 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
> 
> ...


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## Minihorses101 (Jun 18, 2009)

This letter is fake. The real "Ms Kathleen Lyday" denies writing it.

http://www.truthorfiction.com/rumors/l/kathleen-lyday.htm

http://www.snopes.com/politics/soapbox/ihavehadit.asp



AppyLover2 said:


> > April 17, 2009The White House
> >
> > 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
> >
> > ...


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## Pepipony (Jun 18, 2009)

Appylover, if you will read what I wrote and not read into what I wrote, then you will understand what I was saying. Its not difficult to understand. IF you are one of the people that over the last several years has told those that didnt support Bush, that we then didnt support our troops, and you now dont support Obama, then yes I will state, I will scream, I will holler , that you in turn now do not support the troops. If you never stated that if we didnt support Bush we then didnt support the troops, then , that comment isnt for you. I am not stating , for my own purpose, who does and does not support troops. I am stating that its a complete hypocrisy for people to state one thing , for years, then have the shoe on the other foot, and disregard what they stated then and now change things. That is Do as I say, not as I do. Is that clear enough? I dont want anyone to not understand what I wrote, I want to make it perfectly clear.

I do find it funny though that the people that were preaching that sentiment the last few years, havent a comment on why its so much different now. Maybe because supporting the President, or not, actually doesnt have in any way, any bearing on how we feel about our troops?


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## Jill (Jun 18, 2009)

Pepipony said:


> and now you dont support Obama then YES, YOU DO NOT SUPPORT THE TROOPS.


That's so completely *WRONG* to the point of being ridiculous. I do not support Obama as anything other than head fly catcher. I do support our troops. It's completely possible for both these feelings to be valid in the same reasonable person.


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## LowriseMinis (Jun 18, 2009)

I guess the "Support the President right or wrong love it or get out" mentality doesn't work when the shoe's on the other foot.


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## Pepipony (Jun 18, 2009)

Now Lowrise, you should know better LOL Do as I say, not as I do.

They dont get it, or moreover, they choose not to as it may show that they werent right GASP!!! For years they told us, if you dont support Bush, you dont support the troops. Period. No ifs ands or buts. Shoes on the other foot and now they are having hissies because we are showing, actually proving, that , that statement makes hypocrits of them.

Its easy to call some one or a statement rediculous, when its someone else saying it. Why wasnt it rediculous when YOU were saying it? Love how your explanation is nearly a mirror image of what we were saying a few years back and YOU took complete umbrage to. If you dont remember, do a search.


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## Jill (Jun 18, 2009)

Pepi, maybe I should be flattered? Though I do not recall saying what you would like to now attribute to me -- for the life of me, I recall nothing of what you might have said years ago


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## HGFarm (Jun 18, 2009)

No President or person, is without their own flaws, however I agree with this wholeheartedly and am indeed, scared about the future!! Where are all the jobs he was going to create? How come the sending of jobs overseas has not been stopped or slowed down as he promised?

Last I heard, extortion was a crime, and the government has had their hands in enough of the corporate world, they need to get out of it and not be making decision on who should work where.

I see nothing in that letter that addresses racism at all.... did I miss something there? It has nothing to do with that. It has everything to do with ANOTHER person in the Big Seat that does NOT deliver what they said they would, and this particular ones is sticking to his OWN agenda, not what is good for the country... and I dont care if he's short or tall, fat or thin, green, orange or purple. It's about keeping your word and trying to dig out of this MESS that really started back when Carter was in office.... or there abouts!!


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## kaykay (Jun 18, 2009)

I had to ask my son who is away on an Army mission what his army buddies think of Obama and he said they had nothing negative to say at all and weather they re enlist had nothing to do with Obama. Most of them feel he is doing a much better job in Iraq and Afghanistan. I cant wait for him to come home as I miss him so much





I would like to think everyone who is an American supports our troops no matter what. Many of us forum members have family in the service making sure you can all express your opinions. President Obama is our commander and chief of our Armed forces. Like it or not that is a fact.

It amazes me that people think our President could turn around 8 years of ruin in just 6 months. He said (and everyone said) that it was going to take time to turn this around no matter who became President.


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## tagalong (Jun 18, 2009)

What I despise is self-important people like Lou Pritchard deliberately feeding into people's fears.... and playing to them just to get PR. It sickens me, to be honest. But hey - congrats to him - it works! He knows what some will embrace and plays to it - all while trying to come off as a wise, insightful sage.



> I've seen a lot of intersting things like this that point out facts that some still choose to completely ignore.


Ummm... a lot of his points have no facts behind them. None. Not that he cares. It is all about the rhetoric and not the facts. Even I know more about Obama than any President in the past. Anyone with the ability to google can know all there is to know - except Mr. Pritchard who deliberately chooses to play dumb. He knows better - but it gets you far more attention and kudos to hint at endless conspiracies. The minute I read the "no military experience" line I laughed out loud. Even I knew that was simply not true. Me - the supposed know-nothing. Pritchard counts on people buying into the rhetoric and not bothering to check things out. He could care less about that. BTW - Bush's National Guard experiences - or lack of them - hardly qualifies as the hard core military experience that Mr. Pritchard would deem worthy. Only he choses to overlook that. How convenient.

IMO that letter is simply an overblown opinion piece designed to incite and stir up the usual conspiracies - even if they were disproved long ago. Is Obama perfect? Not a chance. Do I agree with everythng he has done so far. Nope. Not at all. I have real issues with a number of policies. But sowing the seeds of fear like this is just as ridiculous as PETA going after Obama for swatting that fly.

Pritchard's letter was designed to do exactly what it did... have some nod and rush to agree without caring about any facts. And play up the fear factor while banging his own drum - loudly. And yet such fear-mongering tactics are embraced by many...

I would rather see a analytical, factual, well written critique that illustrates the writers' concerns and makes suggestions as opposed to this deliberately dramatic prose engineered to inflame and dismiss facts...

Everyone is entitled to criticize ANY President (even though any comments criticizing Bush were met with outrage on this board at times) - but the way in which you do it shows if you are simply out to throw gasoline on the fire and play on people's emotions and fears... or if you have actual concerns that you wish to address and discuss.

In this case, I smell gasoline.

ETA:



> It amazes me that people think our President could turn around 8 years of ruin in just 6 months. He said (and everyone said) that it was going to take time to turn this around no matter who became President.


Agreed, *kaykay*. It took more than eights years to get into some of the mess we are in... and yet Obama is expected to fix everything instantly. Even the conniving politicos like Pritchard know it will take years to undo this mess... but actually saying that is not playing to the fears and uncertainties that you can toy with...


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## MinisOutWest (Jun 18, 2009)

Look what happened to Gerald Walpin- fired Inspector General: we are in for it. The 3 big news channels do not report on this. I am very scared too


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## minimule (Jun 18, 2009)

" I like how you imply socialism without saying it, Mr. Pritchett. Obama is not a socialist, and I'm sure a lot of those European countries you have in mind don't think of themselves as socialist, either. Interestingly, though, a lot of those same European countries have a higher standard of living than we do."

Obviously you've never read the Communist Manafesto. Zero's "redistrubution of wealth" is exactly that.....SOCIALISM!!!!! No one (well, except maybe HIM) can have more than anyone else. Government getting into bed (taking charge) of our Major Corporations is the end of Free Enterprise. Giving more to the Union members and taking away money from the Bond Holders.......it's ALL SOCIALISM!!!!!!!!!!!! You people need to wake up and get over the fact that Zero can read a teleprompter. What this thing is doing to our Country is ridiculous.

OK...health care....if the other countries health care systems are so great.. WHY DO THEY COME HERE FOR TREATMENT!!!!!!!!!!!!

Yes, I see Logan's Run coming true. You can't live to be over 30 because you put too much of a strain on the Health Care.

And Yes, I support my troops to the fullest but I do not support Zero.

You few that only seem to show up when there is a political discussion really make it hard to come back to these forums.


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## LowriseMinis (Jun 18, 2009)

minimule said:


> Zero's "redistrubution of wealth" is exactly that.....SOCIALISM!!!!!


So taxes are socialist?

And if the health care _here_ is so fantastic, why do we have people dying because they can't afford treatment? Why do we have people going to other countries to have operations done?

And if it bugs you that some of us get involved in these discussions, you're always welcome to not read this forum. Or not open the thread.


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## Jill (Jun 18, 2009)

LowriseMinis said:


> Why do we have people going to other countries to have operations done?


Like elective cosmetic surgery? Sex changes? That's what Americans go to other countries to receive.

People who need good medical care and can afford to seek it here in the USA *DO* vs. waiting time on end for their "turn" in their own countries' medical systems.


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## Cathy_H (Jun 18, 2009)

> had to ask my son who is away on an Army mission what his army buddies think of Obama and he said they had nothing negative to say at all and weather they re enlist had nothing to do with Obama. Most of them feel he is doing a much better job in Iraq and Afghanistan. I cant wait for him to come home as I miss him so much


........................ Being a retired military family I know how you feellll I hope your son returns safely home.............. I have heard the opposite of what your son has told you though... Seems some soldiers are apprehensive about what & where Obama could possibly get them into thus are not reenlisting.... In part their fears are based on his lack of experience, his questionable past, acquaintances & beliefs and some of the things that he has done since being in the white house.


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## LowriseMinis (Jun 18, 2009)

So I'll ask again, since it wasn't addressed: *Why do we have people in this country dying because they can't afford health care?*

This is *not* the mark of a great nation.


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## tagalong (Jun 18, 2009)

> You few that only seem to show up when there is a political discussion really make it hard to come back to these forums.


Hmmm... how completely dismissive of the opinions of others.

I post in other threads and always have - for many years - even before this incarnation of the forum- as have many others whose opinions you seem to feel should not be heard or considered. _So you may only take part if you have the "right" opinion?_ It takes a a variety of opinions to make a discussion - not just a long series of people that agree with each other. How dull - _and frightening_ - that would be...



> People who need good medical care and can afford to seek it here in the USA DO vs. waiting time on end for their "turn" in their own countries' medical systems.


And equally, many Americans go elsewhere to seek medical care - as a friend of mine recently did to use a brilliant surgeon in Vancouver. That's B.C. (Canada), not Washington. Go figure. I know that does not fit with the long-established storyline... but there you go. And no - it was not elective surgery or a sex change.

I have lived under two different Health Care systems - or lack thereof. I have seen what works and what doesn't. I have LIVED it. I am in debt for the skin cancer treatments I have had to undergo here... because I could not pay the extravagant health insurance premiums required (and high deductibles) that would have covered it. If you can afford it, you are fine. Not all of us can. I pay what I can afford - and it covers virtually nothing when it comes to those treatments. So telling me that everything here is fine and dandy and one should not criticize health care in any way.. is not going to go over well. The nest egg I had - is gone. My security - is gone. And you can pooh pooh and sneer at that all you like - but it will not change the facts...


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## AppyLover2 (Jun 18, 2009)

Does "support" means total agreement with anything he does?? There isn't a darned thing we peons can do to control or change his actions. The best we can do is let it be known when we disagree with something we feel is wrong.

Having been in the military for 25 years I've got to say that it's rare indeed to hear anyone in uniform saying anything derogatory about the President. If we didn't agree with him we merely kept our mouths shut. It's all a part of the President being the Commander In Chief of our military personnel. And in all reality, it just isn't smart, if you're wearing a military uniform, to sit around criticizing the President (whoever he may be).

As far as the 3rd grade teacher's letter is concerned.....evidently she didn't write it. BUT somebody did and whoever it was made (IMO) some very valid points.

Kay I don't think the issue is so much that he hasn't turned around 8 years of ruin in 6 months but that he's adding to the problems and creating new ones.


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## Bassett (Jun 18, 2009)

> So I'll ask again, since it wasn't addressed: *Why do we have people in this country dying because they can't afford health care?*



Silly question. We also have people dying who have excellent medical attention.


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## HGFarm (Jun 18, 2009)

It's been MUCH more than 8 years to 'ruin' this country. It started back when laws were being changed to allow all the overseas jobs and other things. Through the years things have been changed and moved around, and nobody said a word because the corporations were getting fat. Now the steak is gone and the corporations are going under, but the government thinks it's ok to bail them out? To me, this is just postponing the inevitable. What will they do next year, when people here still have no homes, no jobs, etc.... Is the government going to continue to keep them afloat while they continue to slash jobs here and send them overseas?

What is the current government doing to help all the small business owners that are going under on a daily basis?!! For the big companies being 'overtaxed'? They will just continue to move overseas! There are currently huge tax incentives for these corporations to LEAVE the U.S.- and they are- in droves. There is no incentive for them to stay.

With America being one of the 'wealthiest' countries in the world that supports a lot of the world trade, what is going to happen when we can't do that any more? (Oh oops, too late! We can't!) If the economy here continues to sink, much of the rest of the world will sink with it.

But that was already mentioned in the letter:

"You scare me because you want to kill the American capitalist goose that lays the golden egg which provides the highest standard of living in the world."

Look at the layoffs in China, by the thousands the last few months... also the Brazilians in Japan, etc..... If we can't afford to buy, they can't afford to stay in business either. Walmart sales worldwide had fallen by 10% and they were going to lay off about 10,000 China employees. (There are 227 stores there)

This huge mess does not just affect us here, it is hitting worldwide, and continuing to send jobs overseas is not helping.

No, none of this is going to be fixed in six months. It has been created over the last two or three decades and I see NO one attempting to right it.... just add to it, and the mess is getting bigger. Unemployment and forclosures continue to rise. The unemployment rates are hitting time highs but that is only based on the stats by people qualified to actually collect it, it doesnt count all the ones who no longer can or didnt qualify to begin with.

There are just too many things I see that I dont like about this administration, but everyone is so convinced that it was Bush who made this mess all by himself that they can't see what was not only going on before that, but don't want to see what is going on now either.

Just my opinion...............


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## kaykay (Jun 18, 2009)

There are a lot of people out there with cancer going especially to Germany for treatments they cant get here. Unfortunately only the wealthy can afford it. My sister so wanted to go there when she was fighting her cancer battle. Their cancer patients over there live much longer then here





Appy I was just replying to a post here that said our troops dont support Obama. Now my poll was very informal but thought I would ask my son just to see what his and his buddies think.

We have been very affected by what is going on (my entire family in fact) but do I blame Obama?? No but I do pray he and others can get this turned around soon. Its not just our President that has to get this country going again its everyone working together. Republicans, Democrats, financial heads etc etc.

I do know we all better come together and stop going against each other! This country does not need more division

Added: I do agree its more then 8 years of mess to clean up!

Kay


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## loveminis (Jun 18, 2009)

Look at the total MESS Obama has walked into. A complete and utter disaster thanks to Bush and the Republicans. Obabma has only been in office 6 months, he deserves a chance. I don't care about a "letter" some nimrod has written, it is only his opinion.

Time will tell.


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## Bassett (Jun 18, 2009)

> Time will tell.


You got that right. And it's not taking long. It's already telling much more that a lot of us like.


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## Danielle_E. (Jun 18, 2009)

> You scare me because you did not spend the formative years of youth growing up in America and culturally you are not an American.


Barack Obama was born in 1961 and he lived in Indonesia from 1967 to 1971, so from the age of 6 to the age of 10 and because of this such a stupid statement was made



I wonder if any american military families who are stationed outside of the U.S. for lets say from the age of 6 to 10 of a child they have and who goes on to serve his country in the military, if this bumbling fool would have the audacity to say such a thing to that individual or his parents and say he or she is not "culturally" an American so yes I say it again, it smacks of a racist and bigotted remark in this case, full of hatred and contempt and it's not pretty. I wonder if he thinks the same of any military personel who was perhaps not born in the U.S. but are now American citizen and who bravely serve THEIR country to keep all of you safe, wonder if he would be as flippant to make such an assinine remark about those American citizens,






.

With the pure venom this has been penned I am surprised you have given the man 6 months before crucifying him. Unbelievable and mind boggling this mentality that this author is spewing. Reminds me of the Pied Piper.....


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## Jill (Jun 19, 2009)

Bassett said:


> > Time will tell.
> 
> 
> You got that right. And it's not taking long. It's already telling much more that a lot of us like.


How true that is!!! The reality is becoming pretty clear and more and more people are joining those of us who already get it.


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## CharlesFamily (Jun 19, 2009)

I know many here don't know me, but I had to weigh in on this discussion from someone who has not jumped into this fight before. I voted for Bush - twice. I felt he was the best one for the job given the other options that we had. I've often felt that voting is "for the lesser of the two evils." I haven't had a lot of faith in any of the options we've been given.

I've always been a staunch Republican as that party seemed to mirror most of my own beliefs. However, last year I voted for Obama. And I'd do it again. I really, really tried to find a reason to vote for what had always been my party - but they just never gave me one. I grew so tired of the hate mongering and the fear mongering that was going on. They NEVER came up with one original idea to help our country that was already diving into this recession. The recession did NOT start with Obama - he inherited this mess. I grew so tired of tuning in to watch speeches by McCain and Palin only to hear them emphasizing their opponents' name, "Barack HUSSEIN Obama" like just by carrying that name he was the anti-Christ. All they continually did was stir up fear about what would happen if Obama was elected - very rarely did they address what good they could do if they were elected. So I chose to vote for the man who had a plan. At least he had a direction he wanted to take this country, and I agreed with a lot of those plans. The only plans the Republican party had to offer were the same ones that hadn't worked the previous 8 years.

This country is in a mess - and our entire government is a mess. I feel we need to be turning our eyes more to Congress than to the person who is currently the President. There needs to be so much Congressional reform before this country can regain its status as the leader of the World. This country was built on the backs of the working middle class - and that is who is going to turn this country around.

We cannot sit around and wait for our leaders, whomever they are, to change it. Change will start with us. We need to make smarter choices within our own situation. We can't change the national debt - but we can take charge of our personal debt. Our society has become a quick-change, disposable society. If you don't like it - get rid of it. If it's too hard - just quit. Our entire mindset as a country needs to change. It's going to take a lot of hard work and sacrifice to make our country great again.

Trickle-down economics do not work as I am seeing it. The truly wealthy (not just those who were living above their means) are not being affected by this recession one little bit. In fact, they just stand to make more money when we pull up. They're buying stocks and real estate at rock bottom prices and the market will recover and they'll make a killing. The people who are suffering are the middle class workers who had invested retirement savings and those were wiped out. They don't have the time or the money to rebuild. The rich are making money on the backs of the poor and it is outrageous and time someone put a stop to it.

We need to stop being complacent and looking for the next person to come along to "fix it." WE ARE THE PEOPLE WHO CAN FIX THIS! We have to start holding our elected officials responsible starting with our city councilmen and women right up to our congressmen and women. President Obama may have a lot of ideas, but not many of them can be implemented without congressional support, yet few people even know who their representatives are! The working middle class is the largest class in this country. If we decide to start working for a change - we can do it! And we need to quit being a country divided by party and start working together. That means listening to both sides. Not all of the ideas Democrats have are liberal, socialist ideas that are going to bring this country to its knees. And not all of the ideas Republicans have are conservative, old money, protect the wealthy ideas that are going to keep us in this recession.

I love this country, and feel amazingly blessed to live here. I think when everyone starts reclaiming their responsibility for making this country great - it will be again.

Barbara


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## Carriage (Jun 19, 2009)

loveminis said:


> Look at the total MESS Obama has walked into. A complete and utter disaster thanks to Bush and the Republicans. Obabma has only been in office 6 months, he deserves a chance. I don't care about a "letter" some nimrod has written, it is only his opinion. Time will tell.


"Bush and the republicans" only played their choreographed part just like the current crew is doing.

Another post specified these problems going back 2 or 3 decades. This statement is correct only in part. You can pick several points of genesis going back to the revolution. From a constitutional perspective, the anything but cival war and the "creation" of the fed. and "income tax" are HUGE way points and dramatic departures from Constitutional/Common law. But there are also MANY more.

I would agree with the above posters sentiment IF we had a president that was "upholding the Constitution against all enemies both foreign and domestic". Such is not nor has been the case since day one. Violating your oath even once is grounds for immediate dismissal and or impeachment. Handing complete control of your countries financial future to a private corp. that has systematically destroyed you financially and enslaved current and future generations

IS criminal and unconstitutional! ( "Give me control of a countries currency and I care not who makes the laws." Meyer Rothechild )

I wanted to keep this fairly topical and short and so will leave it there. It just still amazes me however, how many folk are STILL buying the peddlers wares (both repub and dem) in spite of

the increasingly obvious unlawful actions being taken by leadership right in their faces. However, it would be curious to see a poll of how many reps and dems have realized their long held folly and are now much more aligned with constitutional patriots? If the past 6 months haven't changed you to move in that direction, I couldn't fathom what would....

And in a turnabout is fair play kinda thing, the above poster wants their opinion heeded but doesn't care what the "nimrod" has to say. Nice......


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## Sue_C. (Jun 19, 2009)

Barbara, you get a standing ovation from me.





Well thought out, and _very_ well said.

I am a Canadian, and stay out of these political posts as "we" have in the past been told to basically shut-up



and keep out of them...but for ANYONE to _seriously think _ that todays problems affecting the WORLD are Obama's fault and he is a failure after only a short six months in office...they just cannot be seriously that niave??








Come-ON people...


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## Jill (Jun 19, 2009)

Sue --

I'm sure you've got me in mind. I'd like to just clarify that I've never told anyone here to "shut up". I have said that I _personally_ have zero interest in the Canadian (British, African, Mexican, ETC.) perception of American politics. Since you brought it up, I'll go on and re-affirm that is how I still feel. Not a popular opinion here, but I'm hardly the only one who feels this way. It doesn't mean I don't think you have a right to express your opinion about our politics, it just means I probably won't be a part of your audience.

Jill


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## Marylou (Jun 19, 2009)

Barbara, you said it all! Thank you! Finally a voice of reason. Bless you!


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## Miniv (Jun 19, 2009)

Barbara,

You touched on some excellent valid points with your post. So often I see the answers to most of our problems by using moderation and I feel that is what you have pointed out.

You say that the largest segment of the population in this country is the "middle class".........EXCELLENT point. And it is this middle class that should band together and become a power! The politicians don't want people to wake up to this.

Ma---


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## tagalong (Jun 19, 2009)

> I'd like to just clarify that I've never told anyone here to "shut up".


Actually, *Jill*, to be fair... you have. Many times. To me and others. You may not have said those exact words but that is simply hiding behind semantics - your intent and meaning were very clear. You felt that I should just shut up and that my thoughts and opinions were not welcome or were laughable - even more so when you found out I was Canadian... even though I live here, pay my taxes and carry on day to day the same way you do. You tended to run roughshod over other posters who did not agree with you. No other opinions mattered. No other opinions were to be considered. We got that message Loud and Clear. I think you do not realize how strongly you have come across at times



...

Fortunately the threads that went that direction and got OTT were deleted and sucked into the void.

JMO - but declaring that a President is a failure and that the country is in ruins after only 6 months... after ignoring (or in some cases, condoning) the downward spiral of the last 8 years (yes, it started well before that but the last 8 years produced the steepest accumulation of debt than all other adminstrations combined) only serves to tear the US down - and not help build it up.

*Barbara* - that was a very well thought out post....


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## Jill (Jun 19, 2009)

Oh boy



Anyone who thinks I don't know what I'm saying, or thinks that I don't mean to say exactly what I do, doesn't know me at all







> I wish people would just think of how it looks from the outside when they see people like Rush, Hannity & and their many radical followers from the "party of NO", daily, tearing down the U.S.A. - It really makes me sad..


And I wish that our President would discontinue his worldwide apologizing for the U.S.A. - It really makes me, and a lot of others, mad


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## LowriseMinis (Jun 19, 2009)

Jill said:


>


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## tagalong (Jun 19, 2009)

> Oh boy
> 
> 
> 
> Anyone who thinks I don't know what I'm saying, or thinks that I don't mean to say exactly what I do, doesn't know me at all


Well, I was trying to be nice about it - but if you want to own the past rudeness and sneering and embrace the contempt and disdain you have shown for many of us in the past (and seem to want to continue to do so) - so be it...





I tried.

Please explain to me how that HISTORY bumper sticker is in any way true - or even _remotely_ supportive of the country in any way? Seriously?





Wow.


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## Jill (Jun 19, 2009)

*Tag*, it seems like you've read more of my posts than vice versa and with that being the case, then you understand where I am coming from with the bumper sticker. If not, just go back and re-read what I've said in this thread alone. You might also just re-read Lou Pritchett's letter, the foundation post of this thread, as that sums it up very fine. You already know, because you were told a couple times before, that I'm not going to be baited into debating anything with you.

On the other hand, it's good to see you are still around. You always let us know you're here in political threads (exclusively from what I have seen) -- I hope your miniature horses are doing well.

A friend (and LB member) just sent some cartoons to me. Some of them (below), fit right in with what we are talking about. For those of you who "get it", here you go. Those of you who don't, at least the topic title made it fairly obvious what to expect...


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## tagalong (Jun 19, 2009)

> You already know, because you were told a couple times before, that I'm not going to be baited into debating anything with you.


BAITED? Wow. That was not my intent at all. You just see ANY opinion that may not mesh with yours 100% as "baiting". Because the thought that anyone might want to simply discuss such things is obviously ridiculous...







> On the other hand, it's good to see you are still around. You always let us know you're here in political threads (exclusively from what I have seen) -- I hope your miniature horses are doing well.


*Jill*.... why the sneers and contempt.... _From what you have seen?_ Better check that eye chart.



I posted in this thread - I did not know I needed a permission slip to do so. I have posted in many other threads out on the main forum as well. Not much of late as - horrors - it is not only show season but there is untold pasture and fence maintenance to do. So I do not spend a lot of time on the forum unless it is a rainy day, like today... or late at night.

Oh, I "get it" as you say. It is not exactly rocket science.

And obviously you did not read my earlier post that said I have issues with some of Obama's current policies... but I fail to see how that Anti-American President schtick helps Country First or the current situation in any way...


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