Dear Mr. President...
September 26, 2018 8:02 PM Subscribe
this is salt rubbed in our collective wounds
posted by growabrain at 8:23 PM on September 26, 2018 [13 favorites]
posted by growabrain at 8:23 PM on September 26, 2018 [13 favorites]
how have we arrived here
posted by voltairemodern at 8:26 PM on September 26, 2018 [5 favorites]
posted by voltairemodern at 8:26 PM on September 26, 2018 [5 favorites]
I'm tired and it's been a long day, a long week, a long month, a long year for sure... But this did bring tears to my eyes. He's a good human indeed.
posted by limeonaire at 8:48 PM on September 26, 2018 [3 favorites]
posted by limeonaire at 8:48 PM on September 26, 2018 [3 favorites]
“It’s the power of empathy not as an end-all, be-all,” he said. “Because even after you’ve listened to somebody or seen them, they still have a concrete problem. They’ve lost their house. They’ve lost their job. They disagree with you on abortion. They think that you’re pulling troops out of Afghanistan too soon and, you know, potentially betraying the sacrifices that have been made by the fallen. There are all these concrete issues that are real. And there are real conflicts and real choices.
“But what this form of story sharing and empathy and listening does is it creates the conditions around which we can then have a meaningful conversation and sort through our differences and our challenges, and arrive at better decisions because we’ve been able to hear everybody. Everybody feels heard so that even if a decision’s made that they don’t completely agree with, then at least they feel like: ‘OK, I was part of this. This wasn’t just dumped on me.’"
Speaking of dumps, back to our regularly scheduled dumpster fire, but I remain grateful to have had a president like Obama during my lifetime, and I know that we can get back to a place like that again. As naive as it occasionally feels, we still need to go high when they go low.
posted by vverse23 at 8:49 PM on September 26, 2018 [26 favorites]
“But what this form of story sharing and empathy and listening does is it creates the conditions around which we can then have a meaningful conversation and sort through our differences and our challenges, and arrive at better decisions because we’ve been able to hear everybody. Everybody feels heard so that even if a decision’s made that they don’t completely agree with, then at least they feel like: ‘OK, I was part of this. This wasn’t just dumped on me.’"
Speaking of dumps, back to our regularly scheduled dumpster fire, but I remain grateful to have had a president like Obama during my lifetime, and I know that we can get back to a place like that again. As naive as it occasionally feels, we still need to go high when they go low.
posted by vverse23 at 8:49 PM on September 26, 2018 [26 favorites]
Also I just paid another $700-plus today to keep my hybrid car with my Obama '08 bumper sticker running, bringing the total I've paid for car repairs recently up to a few thousand dollars. It's been a rough month in repairs. But y'know, maybe it's worth it if I can keep driving that car. Maybe I should buy replica copies to put on future cars.
posted by limeonaire at 8:56 PM on September 26, 2018 [3 favorites]
posted by limeonaire at 8:56 PM on September 26, 2018 [3 favorites]
Dear President Obama,
I really miss you.
Sincerely
Alexia.
posted by AlexiaSky at 9:15 PM on September 26, 2018 [16 favorites]
I really miss you.
Sincerely
Alexia.
posted by AlexiaSky at 9:15 PM on September 26, 2018 [16 favorites]
You know when Obama hit office one of the things I was excited about was to hear full rhetoric with thought behind the speech. I remember thinking "yes, finally! Nothing could have felt worse than the way GWB spoke.".
Damnit. I miss the way GWB spoke.
posted by drewbage1847 at 9:21 PM on September 26, 2018 [8 favorites]
Damnit. I miss the way GWB spoke.
posted by drewbage1847 at 9:21 PM on September 26, 2018 [8 favorites]
Actual conversation with my son (9 years old and dark skinned) tonight:
“I’m done with my homework it’s good enough. I want to play FIFA [xbox soccer].”
“Baby Bartfast, you haven’t finished, your writing is sloppy, and you didn’t put any thought into it.”
“I don’t care what it looks like, I did it.”
“Your mother and I really believe that doing your best with school work and being thoughtful about it is Very Important. Doing your best shows you care and shows that you are smart. It’s how people like your teacher and your classmates know that you’re smart and successful. It’s how your mom and I got to where we are, successful and respected. It’s the difference between being smart and dumb. It’s the difference between being a bully and a hero. It’s the difference between Donald Trump and Barack Obama. What kind of person do you want people to know you are?”
“Barack Obama.”
*goes back and does homework neatly and thoughtfully*
posted by Slarty Bartfast at 9:45 PM on September 26, 2018 [66 favorites]
“I’m done with my homework it’s good enough. I want to play FIFA [xbox soccer].”
“Baby Bartfast, you haven’t finished, your writing is sloppy, and you didn’t put any thought into it.”
“I don’t care what it looks like, I did it.”
“Your mother and I really believe that doing your best with school work and being thoughtful about it is Very Important. Doing your best shows you care and shows that you are smart. It’s how people like your teacher and your classmates know that you’re smart and successful. It’s how your mom and I got to where we are, successful and respected. It’s the difference between being smart and dumb. It’s the difference between being a bully and a hero. It’s the difference between Donald Trump and Barack Obama. What kind of person do you want people to know you are?”
“Barack Obama.”
*goes back and does homework neatly and thoughtfully*
posted by Slarty Bartfast at 9:45 PM on September 26, 2018 [66 favorites]
If you’re curious about how the current administration is doing with correspondence, read no further.
posted by JoeZydeco at 9:45 PM on September 26, 2018 [1 favorite]
posted by JoeZydeco at 9:45 PM on September 26, 2018 [1 favorite]
We didn't deserve him.
posted by shoesietart at 9:58 PM on September 26, 2018 [4 favorites]
posted by shoesietart at 9:58 PM on September 26, 2018 [4 favorites]
Absolutely we deserved him. He was the first president in my lifetime that looked and acted like me and the people in my circle. College educated, curious, humble, and concerned. Maybe Obama didn't look like Joe the Plumber or Randy the Long Haul Truck Driver, but neither does Trump or McConnell or Ryan, but Joe and Randy voted for those guys because the evil zillionaires stoked their fears. Maybe the Dems were dismissive of their working class concerns. No, we don't want to threaten the capitalists who employ you, or put pressure on the health insurance companies that grudgingly provide some minimal amount of health care to you, but we are putting a little less pressure on the boot that is stomping on your skull. Maybe if the Democrats spoke what was truly in their heart -- unions are what give you the basic respect that your labor deserves, health insurance companies profit by taking your premiums and denying you care when you need it -- that would speak to the anger of Joe and Randy. But instead we get: "don't piss off Wall Street first, speak for the common person second, if at all" and then the Republicans counter with "Mexicans are taking your jobs and raping your children and black people kneel during the national anthem to disrespect your friends that died for W's war in Iraq."
It's way past time to put up or shut up. Being a republican-lite only makes sense if your primary consideration is trying to not offend anyone. It is time to take sides. And the truth is, what's in the heart of hearts of most democrats is far more revolutionary than what most establishment Dems are running on and the ironic thing, is those same values resonate with Joe and Randy who just want opportunity and freedom and recognition of their contributions. I firmly believe that the most aggro vociferous left wing politicians have way more to say to Joe and Randy than Ted Cruz does.
Being a good representative of your constituents means listening to the individual messages of your constituents and being smart about responding to them, even if they disagree with your talking points .Ideally, you are able to engage in a conversation with each and every one of them. Obviously, at the highest office in the land you cannot do this, But daily exposure to a random sample of them is about as good as it gets for a presi dent and deserves recognition. While far from perfect, Obama was the best president in my lifetime and his daily routine ought to be emulated.
posted by Slarty Bartfast at 11:18 PM on September 26, 2018 [25 favorites]
It's way past time to put up or shut up. Being a republican-lite only makes sense if your primary consideration is trying to not offend anyone. It is time to take sides. And the truth is, what's in the heart of hearts of most democrats is far more revolutionary than what most establishment Dems are running on and the ironic thing, is those same values resonate with Joe and Randy who just want opportunity and freedom and recognition of their contributions. I firmly believe that the most aggro vociferous left wing politicians have way more to say to Joe and Randy than Ted Cruz does.
Being a good representative of your constituents means listening to the individual messages of your constituents and being smart about responding to them, even if they disagree with your talking points .Ideally, you are able to engage in a conversation with each and every one of them. Obviously, at the highest office in the land you cannot do this, But daily exposure to a random sample of them is about as good as it gets for a presi dent and deserves recognition. While far from perfect, Obama was the best president in my lifetime and his daily routine ought to be emulated.
posted by Slarty Bartfast at 11:18 PM on September 26, 2018 [25 favorites]
We didn't deserve him
And we proved it.
posted by chavenet at 1:26 AM on September 27, 2018 [11 favorites]
And we proved it.
posted by chavenet at 1:26 AM on September 27, 2018 [11 favorites]
I doubt Trump reads 10 letters of the alphabet each day
posted by Ray Walston, Luck Dragon at 3:45 AM on September 27, 2018 [19 favorites]
posted by Ray Walston, Luck Dragon at 3:45 AM on September 27, 2018 [19 favorites]
I came in here to say that Trump hasn't read 10 letters from the public in his whole term, but Ray Walston, Luck Dragon isn't wrong.
posted by Rock Steady at 4:49 AM on September 27, 2018 [1 favorite]
posted by Rock Steady at 4:49 AM on September 27, 2018 [1 favorite]
how have we arrived here
Reading is a liberal elitist scam?
posted by Thorzdad at 5:00 AM on September 27, 2018 [6 favorites]
Reading is a liberal elitist scam?
posted by Thorzdad at 5:00 AM on September 27, 2018 [6 favorites]
During his presidency, Barack Obama read 10 letters from members of the public every day
I'm not convinced Trump knows 10 letters.
posted by NotMyselfRightNow at 6:43 AM on September 27, 2018 [1 favorite]
I'm not convinced Trump knows 10 letters.
posted by NotMyselfRightNow at 6:43 AM on September 27, 2018 [1 favorite]
this is salt rubbed in our collective wounds
That is one way to look at it. Another way is as a sobering (and welcome) reminder that we have actually been able to put good humans in office when we have 1) given enough of a shit to vote, and 2) incited others to do so as well.
posted by tempestuoso at 7:20 AM on September 27, 2018 [2 favorites]
That is one way to look at it. Another way is as a sobering (and welcome) reminder that we have actually been able to put good humans in office when we have 1) given enough of a shit to vote, and 2) incited others to do so as well.
posted by tempestuoso at 7:20 AM on September 27, 2018 [2 favorites]
God damn it, I miss him so much.
posted by sarcasticah at 8:02 AM on September 27, 2018 [2 favorites]
posted by sarcasticah at 8:02 AM on September 27, 2018 [2 favorites]
I was just talking with someone yesterday about how much I miss Obama and his family. And then we talked about how weird that was. I mean, I never said that about Clinton, and certainly not either Bush. But I actively miss this President, and only partially because of his politics. I miss having an eloquent, deep-thinking, competent person in the White House. And his equally eloquent, deep-thinking and competent wife.
posted by widdershins at 8:09 AM on September 27, 2018 [7 favorites]
posted by widdershins at 8:09 AM on September 27, 2018 [7 favorites]
I know that it's really difficult but can we please not make this thread about our current president or otherwise focused on the negative? Thanks!
posted by ElKevbo at 9:56 AM on September 27, 2018
posted by ElKevbo at 9:56 AM on September 27, 2018
You know, Obama wasn't even my president, but I really, really admired the man (especially because we had our own horrible right-wing robot leader until 2015, so I and a lot of Canadians were super jealous of your charismatic president with good ethics and a good sense of humour).
My politics are further to the left than Barack Obama's, so I'm sure we would disagree on a few things, but nevertheless I always was struck by what a good, kind person he seemed to be. It is obvious he and Michelle are good, intelligent, compassionate people who aren't afraid of hard work. This story about the letters just confirms that for me.
He was also someone who made people feel like they knew him personally--witness the mom who sent her kid's straight A report card to him. That's the kind of thing a proud parent tells a family member or friend, not usually the leader of their country.
posted by hurdy gurdy girl at 10:09 AM on September 27, 2018 [8 favorites]
My politics are further to the left than Barack Obama's, so I'm sure we would disagree on a few things, but nevertheless I always was struck by what a good, kind person he seemed to be. It is obvious he and Michelle are good, intelligent, compassionate people who aren't afraid of hard work. This story about the letters just confirms that for me.
He was also someone who made people feel like they knew him personally--witness the mom who sent her kid's straight A report card to him. That's the kind of thing a proud parent tells a family member or friend, not usually the leader of their country.
posted by hurdy gurdy girl at 10:09 AM on September 27, 2018 [8 favorites]
My politics are further to the left than Barack Obama's, so I'm sure we would disagree on a few things, but nevertheless I always was struck by what a good, kind person he seemed to be.Add me to the list. Obama's administration made me understand for the first time - sort of - the people who've voted for other politicians just 'cause they were likeable. (Reagan always read as a smarmy asshole to me, but half my family voted for him twice, despite disagreeing with most of what he did, 'cause he seemed like someone they wanted to spend time with.) Aside from my brief time in Barbara Lee's district, the Obama elections were unique in that I actually felt good about the person I was voting for as well as disliking their policies less than their competitors.
But, the idea of writing a letter to the president seems really strange. I've sent letters to elected officials in support of very specific legislation. Telling the president about my personal life is a concept that simply never occurred to me. I suppose if 0.1% of the US population does it once per president that's still 200 letters per day, so it's not surprising they get a lot of them. It does make me wonder how representative the whole set of letter writers are. Perhaps that isn't the point.
posted by eotvos at 11:10 AM on September 27, 2018 [2 favorites]
There's certainly a specific mindset that comes with actually writing a letter to the president. I don't think I have it, but from the article it sounds like there's enough people from all walks of life that do, and I appreciate that.
Another neat thing is that you can always send a wedding invite to the office of the president and receive a signed congratulatory response (though they won't actually come). You can still do it for the Obamas now, apparently.
posted by numaner at 11:28 AM on September 27, 2018 [1 favorite]
Another neat thing is that you can always send a wedding invite to the office of the president and receive a signed congratulatory response (though they won't actually come). You can still do it for the Obamas now, apparently.
posted by numaner at 11:28 AM on September 27, 2018 [1 favorite]
Having watched several of my friends scramble to have their citizenship applications processed, I am so, so glad that my citizenship certificate and welcome letter (“Dear Fellow American”) is signed by Obama.
posted by RedOrGreen at 11:46 AM on September 27, 2018 [3 favorites]
posted by RedOrGreen at 11:46 AM on September 27, 2018 [3 favorites]
With all due respect, truly, there’s no way a post about Obama being his good, kind, empathetic human self isn’t going to kick off a series of comments about our present negative situation. It’s complicated and it’s where so many of our minds — and hearts — automatically go to.
posted by knownassociate at 2:29 PM on September 27, 2018 [1 favorite]
posted by knownassociate at 2:29 PM on September 27, 2018 [1 favorite]
I read an a great article I'll never find again about Obama and how getting to play basketball with pro basketball players was basically his most visible abuse of power for personal gain. (I think he abused his power in wars, etc., but apparently not typically for personal gain). It seemed remarkable and quaint at the time, and even more so now. Especially because I'm guessing the pro-players liked it as well; so it's just a few taxpayer dollars to arrange the whole thing.
I'm way way way left of Obama and disliked many of his actions while still admiring him.
posted by lab.beetle at 2:47 PM on September 27, 2018 [3 favorites]
I'm way way way left of Obama and disliked many of his actions while still admiring him.
posted by lab.beetle at 2:47 PM on September 27, 2018 [3 favorites]
I wonder if I could get copies of these (with names and addresses censored) through the FOIA.
I started tearing up at Ashley.
posted by bendy at 8:05 PM on September 27, 2018
I started tearing up at Ashley.
posted by bendy at 8:05 PM on September 27, 2018
“It wasn’t just me,” Reeves said. “It was this big group. And folks in the office came from different backgrounds. We had our volunteer workforce. And there were some old people in the mix, too. So we had a lot of people putting stuff forward for you, a lot of people interpreting what ‘representative’ meant.”
volunteer workforce
How incredibly fascinating would that be?
posted by bendy at 8:08 PM on September 27, 2018
volunteer workforce
How incredibly fascinating would that be?
posted by bendy at 8:08 PM on September 27, 2018
I read an a great article I'll never find again about Obama and how getting to play basketball with pro basketball players was basically his most visible abuse of power for personal gain.
lab.beetle, I went searching for that article and I suspect that this oral history of basketball in the Obama administration isn't what you're thinking of, but it's great and describes the incident you mention, I think.
posted by matildatakesovertheworld at 11:24 PM on September 27, 2018 [1 favorite]
lab.beetle, I went searching for that article and I suspect that this oral history of basketball in the Obama administration isn't what you're thinking of, but it's great and describes the incident you mention, I think.
posted by matildatakesovertheworld at 11:24 PM on September 27, 2018 [1 favorite]
Dear Obama,
We miss you so much.
Love,
Most of the rest of the world
PS You can still be leaders of most of our countries, if you're interested. Heck, the Queen probably would prefer you to take over rather than Charles.
posted by daybeforetheday at 1:41 AM on September 28, 2018
We miss you so much.
Love,
Most of the rest of the world
PS You can still be leaders of most of our countries, if you're interested. Heck, the Queen probably would prefer you to take over rather than Charles.
posted by daybeforetheday at 1:41 AM on September 28, 2018
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