Dear Mr., President, Commander-in-Chief, Prime Minister, Top Dog, Barack Obama,
Congratulations on your inauguration as the 44th President of the United States of America (As of noon Eastern time today)!
You are assuming the position of Chief Executive Officer of that failing corporation known as USA, LLC., with one of the highest initial approval ratings since Ronald Reagan.
Your most recent predecessor leaves the White House with one of the lowest approval ratings in history, an ego-busting 22%. Just about eight years ago, former President George W. Bush achieved the highest approval rating (92%) of any Presidency shortly after the September 11 attacks and this enabled him to push his neo-conservative and partisan policies that for the most part have gotten us in the status quo. The test that stands before you: How will you utilize your high approval rating? As Bush, Clinton, Kennedy, and countless other “great” former Presidents have proven to America: the “top” is also the place where you can “hang” from. Will you repeat history?
Your inauguration as Commander in Chief is without a doubt an historic and monumental one but your decision making and actions during the time period since your election as President-elect have coerced me into being pessimistic about your first term and whether or not you will be a centrist or the elitist, hyper-liberal, and quixotic hypocrite that will further divide this great country in all social and political aspects. Below are a list of some events that have fueled my pessimistic attitude:
1) Blackberry…Really??
Get over the BlackBerry addiction Mr. President. I was once a “CrackBerry” addict and I know how you feel, but you are the most important man in the world at this moment and you do not need any data compromised, whether official or personal! Also, during your campaign, you stressed “buying American”, I did not know that you meant ”buying North American.” If the President could have a cell phone, he or she should set an example and buy from an American manufacturer and not a Canadian one.
2) Chief Performance Officer…Really?
After reading the job description for your newly created administration post, I couldn’t help but smile at the irony. The position was created to clean up the federal budget and create fiscal responsibility through a business efficiency model. Pardon my reference to the United States of America as USA, LLC. earlier but a country can not be run as a business. It is to serve the people in whatever way it must and not have to worry about the “bottom line” as do corporations. Yes, there are federally-funded programs that need to be cut outright or for the short-term, but creating a new and unnecessary administrative position that will be paid via taxes is contradictory to fiscal responsibility. Besides, the government already has the Office of Management and Budget that comes with its own director.
3) William Lynn, Deputy Secretary of Defense and Ron Klain, Chief of Staff for VP Joe Biden…Really?
Former Lobbyists, need I continue?
4) Timothy Geithner…Really?
He may be the right guy for the United States Secretary of Treasury position; but the man who you picked to run “America’s Treasury” is under scrutiny for non-payment of taxes and for continuing to employ an housekeeper whose visa status was expired?
5) Retracing Abraham Lincoln’s journey from Philadelphia to Washington, D.C. via a train…Really?
This is only a sure way to further use up more public resources and tax dollars to protect you as if the job wasn’t difficult for the Secret Service already. I understand the political (and historical) implications of the journey but honestly why? Are you proving your elitism and hubris, by seeking attention, or showing your intimate connection and appreciation to some of the people that helped elect you into office? Lincoln took the trip in order to communicate 101 speeches to everyday people before his inauguration because communication was restricted to public speeches in 1861. You took the lengthy trip in order to make stops in three cities but yet affecting over forty jurisdictions.
President Obama, you represent a new direction for America and your Administration obviously faces many challenges, both domestic and international. Although the economy, Guantanamo Bay, national security, and the Middle East are your top priorities in your first 100 days in Office, but, if i can offer you my opinion for your first action in the White House, it would be: Sell the new imperialistic half a billion dollar behemoth of a U.S. Embassy in Iraq to the Iraqi Government and build a more hospitable, humble, and diplomatic one to represent America’s ideals, or rather, its new found ideals.
I wish you and your Administration the best!
Your loyal subject,
Kevin Woghiren