An Open Letter to Our New President

We elected a new president last week. The results weren't even close. Congratulations Mr Obama. You earned the resounding triumph. Rather than succumb to any "Obama Derangement Syndrome" I'm willing to give you a chance. That is more than I can say for Democrats who made it their mission in life to oppose anything and everything your predecessor did or wanted to do even before he was sworn in. You say you want to earn the trust of those who did not support you on November 4th. You say you want to be President of all the people. Ok Mr Obama, it's time to back up your words with deeds. Dazzle me, impress me, earn my trust. I'm not rich, so I expect that tax cut you promised to 95 percent of taxpayers. You said we can be energy independent. You say you will make changes we can believe in. Well, you've got the keys to the kingdom now, so MAKE IT HAPPEN!!!

The American people have spoken, and quite loudly. You will be our next Commander-in-Chief. Your party controls the White House and both houses of Congress by substantial majorities. If you can't get anything done in the next two years [when the next mid-term elections will be], you will have only yourselves to blame. So a message to Democrats - when you pass your first budget, you will own the economy. If you don't withdraw from Iraq, you own it. If you don't leave Afghanistan, it's all yours. If we suffer any terrorist attacks on our soil, the fault is yours. Gasoline is currently under $2 per gallon. If it goes up, it's YOUR fault. If more people get thrown out of work, it's YOUR fault. If you re-institute the Fairness Doctrine and stifle dissent, YOU will have imposed a tyrrany upon us much more heinous than any you accused George W. Bush of creating. Until you repeal the 1st Amendment to the Constitution that guarantees my right to free expression, I will exercise that right. Remember, dissent is patriotic. I know this because many Democrats claimed as much in opposing George W. Bush these last eight years. If dissent is patriotic for you, it is patriotic for me as well.

If things go badly, it WILL be your fault. If things go well [and for all of our sakes I hope they do], you will get the credit, and rightly so. I wish I could honesty say that your predecessor has left the country in a better shape than when he took over in 2001. Alas, I cannot. Mr Obama, I hope you leave the country in better shape than when you take over. If you leave my 401(k) alone, if you don't tax me into the poor house, if you can prevent terrorist attacks on our soil, if you don't stifle freedom of speech, if you continue to allow intelligence and law enforcement agencies share information, if you don't recycle the Clintonistas into your administration and thus build a bridge back to the 20th Century, then you will have earned my trust.

Ok Democrats, come January 20, 2009 you will run the whole show. You will find there is a great difference between governing and complaining. Are you up to the challenge? We'll soon find out.

Good luck President Obama - you're gonna need it.