Don't get me wrong; I'm a fan of Barack Obama. I may even love him -- his intelligence, his even temperament, his fabulous smile, his willingness to make enemies by forcing democrats and republicans to look at each other as humans with differences instead of as despicable aliens from another planet. Most of all I love him for winning(!) and bring an end to the republican era.
I'm one of those who's irked by all the people already in attack mode, waiting to find fault with his every move: his cabinet appointments, the Rick Warren choice, his lack of official statement on the Israeli/Palestinian war, and the list goes on. My take on his positions are nuanced -- some of them I love, and some I hate; when I hate 'em, I email his change.gov site and tell him what I think. But, I don't feel the need to start bashing him publicly. The guy's not even president yet, for God's sake! I want to give him some time to show us what he's got up his sleeve -- or better said, how he plans to implement his vision.
I am prepared to detest some of the incremental steps that lead to his finish line. I know who I voted for, and he's no lefty. However, I do have a question I'd like to ask publicly, and welcome anyone out there in Huffington Post Land who can enlighten me on this subject: When am I going to stop getting emails from Barack Obama, or Obama for America, or Michelle Obama, or Inaugural Store.com or all the other people on his "team" who keep asking me to donate, donate, donate more, more, more for a great inauguration; for Hillary Clinton's campaign debt; and for a host of other post-election issues that feel soooo 2008? I tell you, because of these emails I now have a trigger finger that only finds happiness on the delete key.
Hello? There's a depress... oops, recession going on! I'm worried about how my business' usually slow winter season is going to fare this time around. I stopped dreaming about my 20-year wedding anniversary trip to India this month because, as the media reminded me recently, half a million jobs were lost in December. I figure some of those jobless people might be my customers. Just to state the obvious, people are s-t-r-e-s-s-e-d about money. So, why are the president-elect and his people still asking me to send in donations? I spent a lot of money trying to get you elected, Mr. Top Dog. You got elected. You're big government now, with the big printing machine that comes with it. Can you stop asking me to give you money now? 'Cause it's pissing me off enough that I went public with my gripe. Your emails are beginning to feel like spam. Caution: You're abusing your infamous mailing list.
This is not a plea for the typically cynical and crude comments that abound on this site, where Obama is concerned. Sometimes I think I mistakenly happened onto a right wing forum. Yes, yes, you're allowed to disagree with him and with other progressives. It's just that the tone is disturbing sometimes. Can't we just unite for even one minute?! Anyway, like I said, I think he's the man. I would just like for someone to explain to me: What in the world are they thinking?
Anyway, I guess Obama's promise to bring us all into the fold of politics has worked. Previously, we could complain about big-money donors running the show. Now we see what those big money donors have to put up with! Ha. Somehow, I still don't feel much sympathy.
Instead, this senseless rule puts a president-elect into the awkward position of having to continue to ask for donations. Many have, I am sure, been all too happy to accept big checks from the lobbyists looking for favor with the new guy. What a way to have to start one's presidency.
It's time we changed this ridiculous system. The voters and the taxpayers are, after all, the same people and we have voted to inaugurate this person Tell your Congressperson we want the people, not the special interests, to pay for this and all inaugurations.
Y'all want change but when it happens, you complain. Nice.
Now, how do we get the message across to the "Barack Obama, or Obama for America, or Michelle Obama, or Inaugural Store.com or all the other people on his "team" who keep asking me to donate, donate, donate more, more, more for a great inauguration"?
Then after the inauguration what will we be asked to donate to? I am sure they have a 'team' working on that as I type.
Jut to make you feel better, I believe your generous donations to our President might be tax deductible.
This is the beauty of capitalism. You will get your money back, therefore don't stop giving ... unless you have second thoughts, and who could blame you, when you see the scary choices Obama made so far.
Alain B.
If I had it to do over, I would gladly find the money again, as this was the most important presidential race of my lifetime. Obama's message still resonates with me, and I have no doubt he will truly bring about at least some of the change our country desperately needs to heal.
But my contribution feels tarnished now. I am certainly not the only person who scraped up the money to donate to his campaign--I am only one of millions. And because this was difficult for us, the fact that we did it indicates our commitment to his campaign--it was our way of feling like we made a difference.
Yet, now, I receive an e-mail almost daily asking for more money, and I can't imagine why they think I would give it. In fact, I wonder if it has occurred to him that millions of his supporters are living on very low incomes, and therefore, finding the money to donate to his campaign is an indication of how important it was to them.
I gave what I could. Now leave me alone.
Jaynee
Michelle can debut a line of womens' and children's clothes (although she'll have to develop some clothes sense first). The kids could have their own sitcom, replacing the Olsen twins as America's favorite sisters. Some guy in France already has an Obama cola...that can be easily dealt with. I'm convinced that at least a trillion dollars can be generated almost immediately. We'll send him on tour and sell priority seating.
Obama cigarettes, shoes, cologne, sunglasses...you name it; he already has a logo for God's sake.
Think about it. Really, this IS the answer to our prayers.