Everyone that is upset with what our President is doing PLEASE TELL HIM.

[Maraya1969]

http://www.whitehouse.gov/CONTACT/

How will he know if we just complain on forums? I really don't think he has people in charge or reading all the articles that explain why people are so dissatisfied with him.

I just sent him a letter telling him about Russ Feingold and how he said that the public option failure was the President's fault. I put some other things in there also.

Remember he works for us.

[Hekate]

1. Thanks for the reminder to tell him I appreciate his hard work against terrible odds.

:hi:

[Forkboy]

2. And hey, that works too.

I like that both sides tell him what they think, good and bad.

[Maraya1969]

4. That's good too.

[voc]

7. Succinct. +1

:hi:

[hfojvt]

3. knr

although I don't know if many DUers will wanna do this.

[TreasonousBastard]

5. What if I'm not too upset? Can I tell him that, too?

[opihimoimoi]

6. The Poor Pubs...just flummoxed as what to do with him...All the Kings Men and all the Kings Horses

cannot rein him in...

"3 Blind Gops 3 Blind Gops...

See how they run

See How they run...."""

Obama is killing them and the Pubs still in the dark as to what to do

Cept whine and stealth

[ixion]

8. All he needs to do is use the interwebs and teh google

to understand what people are saying about him, and if they are happy.

And one quick peek would tell him: no, sir, they are not.

[Don Caballero]

9. This place is becoming the Blame the President Underground

The President is sincere in his efforts and doing what is best. We must not second guess him. Everything will work out.

[DrDan]

12. oh brother . . . . .

[rateyes]

17. No, never second guess a Democratic president.

Just drink the kool-aid. :eyes:

[Dinger]

34. Well, At Least It's Blue Kool-Aid, Or Purple At Least (nt)

[Echo In Light]

10. In a parallel universe where Reps represented us, and not their corp pay masters...

... you'd have a valid point. Given reality, however, you and countless others could voice your views and concerns to those Reps all you want, and they'd simply shine you on to get you to shut up, knowing full well that nothing is actually going to deviate from current course. Sorry, but that's a fact. The fantasy notion that these people give a shit about us needs to be allowed to dissipate so more people will know the true score. And no, within a system where private, openly biased corporations get to tally up the electronic votes, "elections" don't mean shit to them either since, as we saw w/Gore/Bush and Kerry/Bush, the results will be whatever vested intere$ts want.

[laughingliberal]

24. One thing which might be productive is work at the local & state level to push for

voting methods that can't be manipulated. Optical scanners that scan a paper ballot are good cause the paper balltots remain. Interestingly, the Secretary of State here in Nevada who is a Republican refused to allow electronic voting machines without a paper trail into our state. He is a congressman now and a Bush rubber stamp but he was right on this issue and I am grateful for it.

[Echo In Light]

25. That, yes. Writing a letter to a prez, & thinking it matters, not so much.

[Maraya1969]

29. Yes thank you for bringing that up. I've forgotten about vote stealing and that is something

that needs to be addressed in the upcoming elections.

[Hekate]

32. Vote stealing needs to be addressed every single day, not just at election time...

Vote-suppression can be done by very old-fashioned means, and is, but the new way to steal elections is electronically. We need watchdogs, we need aware and educated citizens who can work at the County level to make sure there is a paper trail for ballots; we need people who can work at the State level. It should be a priority in every Democratic Club in the country.

Go to it.

Hekate

[sad sally]

39. Oh, you are SO right.

Back in the days before email, after writing to all the members on the armed services and finance committees about concerns and opposition to the Gulf War (1991), I actually received well written letters from Senators that addressed my concerns - even though they didn't agree with me. (Even got one unsigned one from my then Senator Packwood - he was drinking lots of box wine those days and feeling up the ladies, so guess he didn't have time to sign his before it was mailed.)
Point being, we used to believe that congress actually represented us. Nowdays, if you send a message or even a paper letter, the response is just what you said - a shine on, shut up and send me money, otherwise don't bother me, and I've saved a bunch of them and they all say the same thing, regardless the subject.

[DrDan]

11. you assume he cares what the people think . . . . as opposed to large corporations

[tbyg52]

26. I agree. If more than a handful of them actually listened to the people

there would never have been a bankster bailout, to give just one example.

[DrDan]

27. and HCR would be a hands-down winner - as opposed to what we are getting

[Maraya1969]

31. I express my happiness that he is my President and I voted for him but I also include things like

"This is what is being said about you on the internet..... and progressives that elected you are very disappointed about the result of health care reform...etc. I always let him, (his staff let's not kid ourselves) know that I support him because I do. I just don't want him to get kicked out in 2012. I think that is the main reason I write and I tell him about the vote every time.

[thotzRthingz]

13. k&r "Everyone that is upset with what our President is doing PLEASE TELL HIM"

Personally, I think THAT is precisely what he, and others (in Congress), are waiting for...

A majority of the American people WANT a public option. Obama himself, in July 2009, said he would not sign a bill which did not contain a public option. 60 members of Congress have taken a pledge that if there's no public option they will NOT support passage (thus the House version, which contains a public option, barely passed 220-to-215 because of that pledge). There are more than 50 Senators who support a public option.

Why, with all this support... did it not get included in the Senate's version? Some say that is because a "filibuster proof majority" (60 votes) is now needed to get anything done. THAT IS BULLSHIT! Whatever comes out of "reconciliation" WILL pass the Senate... you can bet your life on that! There's no way that Obama and the Senate will allow anything to FAIL at this point... because they've already "celebrated" (their somewhat empty, yet historic, victory).

All we need are a handful of those SIXTY members of the HOUSE to pull a "joe LIE-be-man" ... and stand strong and proud on their own pledge. If we let them know that we have their backs... they will do exactly that... after all: who wouldn't want to go down in HISTORY as being on the list of those in congress, with BACKBONE and PRINCIPLE: who were responsible for the passage of REAL REFORM, including a PUBLIC OPTION?

We must not only let OBAMA know... we must let everyone in CONGRESS (House & Senate) know that we will not stand for this outright GIFT to the FOR-PROFITs in the health care industry! To that end, you can read an email which I've sent to my friends and enemies alike... the email is posted here:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=7320157&mesg_id=7328626

It contains a list of those persons in Congress that we should be contacting (via emails, letters, phone calls)... and it begins like this:

***************************************
***************************************

Subject: Regardless of what is being said, the health care PUBLIC OPTION is not dead!

Greetings all,

Many "talking heads" and some congressional members are telling America that there can be no public option. This is the result of BIG CORPORATE BUCKS buying congressional influence and media air-time. DO NOT believe these mis-informers. What comes out of the HOUSE & SENATE "reconciliation" process CAN and WILL include a PUBLIC OPTION... if *we the people* will only speak up, loudly and clearly!

*WE* only need to continue reminding President Obama, and Congressional members, of their promises and pledges... and also let them know that *WE HAVE THEIR BACKS* (come re-election time)!

More than 50 U.S. Senators support a PUBLIC OPTION (ref: http://news.yahoo.com/s/politico/20091223/pl_politico/30927 )

60 members of the House of Representatives pledged: "no public option = no deal" (ref: http://fdlaction.firedoglake.com/2009/08/17/60-members-of-congress-say-no-public-plan-no-conference )

President Obama himself, on 17 July 2009, said: "Any plan I sign must include an insurance exchange -- a one-stop shopping marketplace where you can compare the benefits, costs, and track records of a variety of plans -- including a public option to increase competition and keep insurance companies honest."

As things currently stand, there is a real possibility that there will be NO PUBLIC OPTION... but ONLY if *we the people* choose to remain SILENT and allow the health care FOR-PROFITs to have their way. I will not remain silent! I hope that you will join me, and 1000s of others who also will not remain silent.

What should *WE* be doing? Listed below are some suggestions... please FOLLOW THROUGH ... and PLEASE pass this information along to others (friends & enemies alike).

[Maraya1969]

35. Thank you. That's a great letter and I'm going to send it around. And

put it on my facebook page.

[rateyes]

14. You think he's going to read it?

[DisgustedInMN]

15. What the heck have you been waiting for?

I've written and called Obama and my Senators multiple times and expressed my opinions. I far as I can see, it'd had ZERO effect. I guess without having the ability to write out "donation$" checks in the million$, we just don't matter. All I EVER get back is a form letter shining me on.

And them there are people here that pretend people like me are the problem.

[DisgustedInMN]

16. oooops

Removed double post.

[mmonk]

18. Presidents, after taking office tend to have handlers around them,

and emails tend not to get through except a few.

[thotzRthingz]

30. re: "and emails tend not to get through except a few"

True, and that's why I say we need to contact the HOUSE members who've pledged a "public option" ... insist that they stand their ground... surely 60 (even a half-dozen) members of the HOUSE are more powerful than a single senate obstructionist (such as is LIE-be-man)!

[rateyes]

19. And, to make sure someone opens the letter, be sure to include one of these:

Because, this is the only thing that speaks to politicians. Put a big number on it, too!

[donco6]

23. LOL! No kidding.

[TorchTheWitch]

20. you must think he's dumb as a box of rocks

Do you REALLY imagine that he doesn't fucking KNOW what people think?

Damn.

[Echo In Light]

22. Yeah, b/c politicians don't realize how they're lying and helping Big Biz to fuck people over

[ReverendDeuce]

21. IBTL... n/t

n/t

[LWolf]

28. I only wrote him once.

I sent him a letter of congratulations on election day, along with a book about education policy.

He sent it back unopened and unread, calling it a "gift." It wasn't a gift; it was a request that he look at some others' ideas about education policy.

Why would I write to complain, when a letter of congratulations doesn't get opened? Could he be any plainer? He doesn't want to hear what I have to say.

[happy_liberal]

33. good idea

And I think if Obama cared what his base was thinking, he might also consider surfing the internet to find out.

I wrote on the TheHill website that he should check out DU to see what the people who worked so hard to get him elected are now thinking about what has occured so far.

[thotzRthingz]

36. I just sent this email to President Obama:

*********************
*********************

Dear President Obama,

First, I would like to say that I am a progressive registered-independent voter... who strongly supported your run for the presidency. I am mostly pleased with your handling of America's affairs.

But I can NOT support any health care reform which does not include a strong public option. In fact, you have said as much yourself... on 17 July 2009:

"Any plan I sign must include an insurance exchange -- a one-stop shopping marketplace where you can compare the benefits, costs, and track records of a variety of plans -- including a public option to increase competition and keep insurance companies honest." (ref: http://yeswestillcan.org/)

Thanks to SIXTY HOUSE members, the U.S. House of Representatives put a PUBLIC OPTION front & center in H.R. 3962 (which barely passed by a vote of 220 to 215).

You must not allow any one Senator (such as Joe Lieberman) to hold this country's HEALTH CARE hostage, by threatening a filibuster. Senator Reid should never have sought 60 votes, as history has shown us that there are other ways to get legislation passed in the Senate.

Only with inclusion of a PUBLIC OPTION will there be any meaningful competition and thus cost control (which is the primary reason we needed health care reform in the first place).

PLEASE, stand firm, and insist that a PUBLIC OPTION be included in any bill which will be sent to your desk for signature.

POLL after POLL has shown that the majority of Americans want a PUBLIC OPTION.

There are more than FIFTY U.S. Senators who support a PUBLIC OPTION (ref: http://news.yahoo.com/s/politico/20091223/pl_politico/30927).

H.R. 3962 was passed by the HOUSE, and it contains a PUBLIC OPTION, and at least 60 members in the HOUSE pledged their unwavering support for same (ref: http://fdlaction.firedoglake.com/2009/08/17/60-members-of-congress-say-no-public-plan-no-conference).

America wants a PUBLIC OPTION, America needs a PUBLIC OPTION... YOU can make it happen, if you but have the will to do so!

Please STAND FIRM and DEMAND a PUBLIC OPTION be included in the final "reconciliation" bill which gets passed by the HOUSE and SENATE, and which gets signed into law by you.

Thank you, for standing on principle... in the face of much political and corporate-lobbyist pressure!

Respectfully and Sincerely,

*********************
*********************

I also sent a very similar message to Harry Reid, Nancy Pelosi, and others in the U.S. Congress.

fwiw

[thotzRthingz]

37. just a bump... (n/t)

[Nikki Stone1]

38. K & R!

Ask him who is going to police the healthcare industry on behalf of the people.

[hfojvt]

40. I seem to have been correct

this post is a long, long way from the front page, and it didn't get that much attention.

[Bluebear]

41. "Remember he works for us." - nah, I'm not with AIG or Wellpoint or Goldman Sachs or...