Dear President Obama,

It is hard to see how you've deflated.

You talked a big game when you entered office, but then when the health care debate got sticky you disappeared from the media.  You're trying to come back now and fight, but it's probably too late, and the entire situation seems to have stolen your mojo.

For someone who plays so much basketball, you've certainly dropped the ball.  Our military is still wandering through Iraq and Afghanistan, largely unaided by the rest of the world due to their general disinterest in getting involved in these ridiculous situations. 

Yet on our own borders, the U.S./Mexican drug wars rage on, with close to 10,000 people officially dead in drug-related violence: http://projects.latimes.com/mexico-drug-war/#/its-a-war  And of course the real number is MUCH higher.  Allow me a moment to focus on this particular issue, and use it as an example.

You have done virtually nothing about this problem, perhaps shrugging it off as (a) a problem in another country, and (b) of less importance because it's drug gang violence.  However, I don't see the difference between invading a country half a world away, versus stabilizing a country along our own border and is our, what, second largest trade partner?  (What's first, Canada? China? Whatever, Mexico is up there.)

Then for the sake of this argument, let's say these drug gangs do deserve to die.  Let them shoot it out, kill each other off.  But what about the family members who are kidnapped for revenge?  What about drive-by shootings that hit the wrong targets?  What about American workers in Mexico who are shot in retaliation?  These are brothers, sisters, children of drug dealers who are being targeted, it's really nasty.  And you may say "This violence is happening among the Mexican people, not Americans."  But, hmm, the violence in Iraq and Afghanistan isn't against Americans either, is it?  So why are we there? 

And there's also the fact that much of this violence is not actually happening in Mexico.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-P1dmnjAEPA Watch 30 seconds of this, and be shocked.  This is MUCH more of a threat to Americans than anything coming from Iraq or Afghanistan. 

I could go on, but this isn't a letter about violence along the Mexico/US border.  This is about you, Mr. President.  You've become so bogged down by the healthcare clusterfuck, and these stupid wars in Asia, there are all these other issues happening that we can't begin to address. 

You are about to get your ass handed to yourself by your biggest enemy, the Republican Party, because you are sitting still like George W Bush sat in that classroom the day the World Trade Center was destroyed.  Are you just overwhelmed?  All the people who voted for you had big expectations, but it's been depressingly "business as usual" in Washington for the past year.  What have you changed?  Besides some good policy decisions, like the Matthew Shepard Act and such, what is really different?  I don't see much.

Sadly, you've changed your mind on the Middle East, presumably convinced by well-meaning military officials, and kept us wrapped up in wars we care very little about.  If the majority of America thought those wars were a priority, we would have voted for John McCain.  And we didn't.  CHANGE YOUR MIND BACK.

Please pull yourself together, take a big cleansing breath, and remember why you are in that office.  I realize the Taliban is coming back, but that is not our only problem.  Make some tough choices, man.  The definition of "insanity" is, "doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results."  And things are starting to look a little crazy around here.

I'm rooting for you, my Prizzle Obizzle.  Get back in the game.

Sincerely,

Dan Renzi

~

PS: Note to people who do drugs: where do you think it comes from?  Unless you are growing pot in your basement or you have a prescription to by medical marijuana, you are part of this problem. 

Comments

[Glenn D]

WTF, I can't believe you wrote that. What got you fired up??? Not that I would or could disagree with you but six months ago you chastised and humiliated me for disagreeing with Obama. I was so upset I would cry after your emails. And then a bunch of people on this blog ganged up on me and humiliated me further questioning my sanity. Now you are doing the same thing. I was very hurt. I just don't get this sudden change in YOU!!!

[Mkelaurie]

I am a conservative and regretfully voted for McCain, so my politcal perspective is very different. With that on the table, I thought this was incredibly well written, Dan. Bravo.

[Mike B.]

Interesting, I remember when he first started governing it was "You're trying to do too much", maybe that was the problem, focus? Anyhoo I am dissapointed too, and am thinking how much better Hilary would be doing if she was president (I was constantly thinking the same about Bush and Al Gore. What a different world it would be now). He does give a hell of a speech. And the Republicans are obstructionists, they are going to shut everthing down til they are back in power.

[Glenn D]

Hmmm ... you never responded to my post. I guess you don't feel anything for humiliating me or making me cry after all of this. :(