Letter to Mr. Obama

Dear Mr. Obama,

Please allow me to call you Barack, for what I have to say to you will sound and feel like it's coming from family or at least, a dear friend.

Before you ran for President of the United States of America I'll admit, I had never heard of you. My mom and sister who live in Chicago knew of you but your name didn't come up in our conversations. Full disclosure here; I'm not an American citizen nor am I a green card holder but both my mom and youngest sister are American citizens so I'm heavily invested. Your success and, by extension, the success of the United States of American is a personal matter for me. Of course it works for my country too when your economy is vibrant, but that's a topic for another letter.

So on that fateful night in 2008, I sat on the edge of my bed with my son, who was eight years old at the time, and shared the joy of the crowds in Grant Park. My son was concerned that I was crying so I was very happy to explain to him why they were tears of joy. The first thing I told him was that I never imagined that I would be alive to see a black man elected to be the president of the United States of America. It was a difficult sell to an eight year old who has only ever seen black people, men and a woman too, as head of our country. He didn't quite get it but I pressed on.

My son then, profoundly asked, how come you were the first, and if America ever had a woman prime minister. You see Barack; he was just learning new things in fourth grade social studies and learnt that Dominica once had a lady prime minister. Of course I also explained that America has a president not a prime minister, he didn't absorb the difference and I was too emotional to explain at that time. In his young mind a prime minister and a president was the same thing; head of the country.

As he got older, he has watched me obsess over the state of the States. We argue over the television when he wants to watch iCarly and want to watch Rachel Maddow or Wolf Blitzer or some other. He now asks, quite frequently, why people are so mean to you. Yep, he caught glimpses of those posters during that awful period of the healthcare debates, when I was too slow on the remote control. I do my best to explain the cut and thrust of politics, but he's got it in his head that they don't like you because you are black. I couldn't deny that, that is a part of it, and still can’t think of too many reasonably straight forward explanations for an 11 year old to fully absorb.

I explain to him, and hope he both understands and believes, that the world is in bad shape and the US is a big part of it. I explain that lots of things are happening that you couldn't have imagined. "Like what mommy?" he asks. There was that big oil spill thing, the financial sector stuff, the automobile industry stuff, the lady who got shot in her head, the guy who shouted "you lie" (he thinks that guy doesn't have any manners), the fighting in places with names ending with "stan". He’s glad Aunt B finally got a job so she could buy the ticket to come home to visit, since for an 11 year old 2+ years is a very long time to not have a job. He wonders if Grandma can afford her medicines up there or if I have to send her money and I tell him I help out. By the way, thanks for fixing the donut hole especially since my sister’s on furlough.

All that aside though, Barack, I am concerned. I really wish you hadn’t wasted so much valuable political capital insisting on the bipartisan thing; really those other guys don't want you to succeed. From where I sit, it seems like some of them are so filled with disdain for you, that they will throw the baby (you) out with then bathwater (the country). You see, they are so blinded by arrogance that they can't imagine that, even the great USA can fall hard. Let's face facts here, the rich have never had it so good and they won't be hiring any time soon if they can get richer without adding one more head to the payroll.

I was disappointed that you didn't go "gangsta" on the GOP and hold out for taxes in the debt ceiling fight. Seems like all that compromising, was a waste since the USA had its credit rating downgraded anyway. Oh and good job taking out Bin Laden, I knew you had it in you when to showed those pirates early on who’s in charge.

Your problem this November won't be the jobs situation; it won't be the fact that you are averse to a good brawl. Your problem this November will be voter turnout. If those who support you are not motivated enough to get out and vote on the day, or even get one of those voter IDs that some states are now insisting on so that they can get out and vote on the day, you will not see that second term. 

Things are tough Barack, all over the world. Your presidency is extraordinary so don't be daunted. The confluence of global events, from Ireland to Japan, has been nothing short of spectacular, unprecedented and heretofore unimaginable. In the end though, hope always trumps despair. You see Barack, the millions who voted for you didn't expect miracles; they simply expected you to fight hard for them. Your job is singular, give people tangible reasons to remain hopeful.

Happy New Year, Mr. President, happy new year to you, Michelle and the girls!

Nuff love,

M