Dear
President Obama,
I
have been a staunch supporter of you ever since June 3rd, 2008, the
day you seized the Democratic nomination.
At my non-secular high school in conservative Orange County, California,
I am one of your few supporters and unceasingly defend your policies from daily
attacks by my peers. In the weeks before
the 2008 and 2012 elections, I wore your campaign shirts every school day and even
worked at a local phone bank to solicit support for you and other
Democrats. After watching the so-called
“fiscal-cliff” negotiations come to life, for the first time, I am very
concerned that during the next four years you may be content to address only
America’s immediate needs and maintain the status quo.
In
your latest campaign you promised me and millions of Americans that you would
preserve Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid. Taxes were a critical issue in the campaign ,
and over 51% of the
voters
endorsed your plan for those earning over $250,000 to
contribute
a little bit more to our society. I am frustrated
because you abandoned these positions. In
the New Years’ deal, you increased
your $250,000 threshold to $450,000. In
addition to capitulating on the tax front, you proposed indexing social
security inflation. Even though that
proposal failed in the obstinate Republican-led House that opposes any new
taxes,
it lays the groundwork for an entirely new line of attack from the GOP. In the future, when the GOP says Democrats
want to cut entitlements, they will not be lying like they did with the $716
billion cut from Medicare myth.
If
this is how you will address issues where you have a strong position and
maximum leverage (e.g., since the Bush tax cuts were expiring for all income
levels, the GOP demand that the tax increases be retained for all had the
unenviable position of holding hostage tax increases
for 97% of taxpayers), how will you deal with issues that do not require
immediate action yet will have dramatic impact upon the future well-being of
our nation? I am a junior in high school
and my concerns relate to America now and the America of my children and
grandchildren. One has to go back to the
Great Depression and its aftermath to find a period of US History as ominous
and threatening as the present. In his
book The Price of Inequality, Nobel prize-winning economist Joseph
Stiglitz observes that “The United States has the highest level of inequality
among advanced industrial countries …[and]…We are now approaching the level of
inequality that marks dysfunctional societies…including Iran, Jamaica, Uganda,
and the Philippines.” Will you
effectively address the escalating inequality and the instability it
engenders? Will we continue to define
America’s competitiveness in terms of a quarterly income statement and
encourage American industry to “race to the bottom” by relocating to the lowest
cost producer and leave the low-paying “service” jobs behind? As Hurricane Sandy tragically illustrates,
significant parts of America’s infrastructure are reaching the end of their
useful lives. It is estimated that over $2.3 trillion is required to
upgrade our transportation, energy, and water infrastructure. Does your unsuccessful $50-$75 billion
infrastructure
proposal in the year end negotiations imply that this is not a real priority?
The
White House website acknowledges that “our
country does best when everyone gets a fair shot, does their fair share, and
plays by the same rules. We must transform our economy from one focused on
speculating, spending, and borrowing to one constructed on the solid foundation
of educating, innovating, and building.”
This should be your second term mission.
I
realize that an intransigent House and inflexible GOP Senate minority will
continue to challenge the adoption of your policies; however, you have a
position of strength in these negotiations.
Your priorities are the priorities of most Americans. In a September 2012 Pew Research
Poll,
voters selected “economy, jobs, health care, and education” more frequently
than “budget deficit” when they were asked what was very important to their
vote. In addition, you have retained your formidable
campaign infrastructure that contacted one of every 2.5
people
in the country and was able to raise over $1 billion. Please use it now to educate the public and
Congress to generate the support you need.
Before the focus shifts to the 2014 elections and early 2016 candidate
handicapping, please seize the moment to clearly establish your priorities and
make every effort to implement them.
An astute leader once
said “I
reject the view that says our problems will simply take care of themselves,
that says government has no role in laying the foundation for our common
prosperity, for history tells a different story. History reminds us that, at every moment of
economic upheaval and transformation, this nation has responded with bold
action and big ideas.” You were correct
when you gave the nation that assessment in your first State of the Union
Address, and you and the entire country will be well-served if it guides you
now.
Sincerely,
Matthew Cohen
PS: In your victory speech you promised to fix
America’s voting system and make it easier for our nation to vote. California’s on-line registration and vote-by-mail
guidelines provide policies that would be effective elements of any solution.
