A Gentleman’s view.

The Nobel Prize was a great close to an impressive first year.

Fantastic year! It looks like they don’t feel you to be enough of a threat as they have let you live this long, so far, so good. There were times during the ‘Tea Party of all summers’, the ‘Gimme My Country Back’ periods last year when I wondered just what exactly was being implied. Why did so many people feel the right to bear arms in the same neighborhood our President happened to be in, all of a sudden? The way the birthers were protesting displaying such uncivilized public behavior, you have thought Hawaii really was a foreign country. I am very grateful to see you make it this far alive, just in case no else says that to you.

At first, when your term started and everything it appeared needed to be done was passed off to the Congress to get done, I didn’t get what it was you, not just was doing, but had to do in order keep the focus off of who you are, the ‘First Black Man’ to become President of these very white minded, if not white controlled, United States of America. No one but you can be even acutely aware of what it is you just pulled off in this most separate, but not equal country of ours. As much as the left has been hollering and screaming about you walking down the center of the road administrating during these most trying of times we find ourselves in as we go into a new decade. Convenient of them to forget the pile of mess in the Oval Office when you arrived consisting of a budget not realistically dealing with the war, ‘the war’, two of them, the Auto Industry in it’s death throes, the banking industry in a state of virtual collapse at its own hands and everyone looking the other way claiming no guilt or responsibility. In spite of that huge mound left by the previous administration, you forged on with an agenda that would not wait until ‘The time was right to do the right thing’.

This health care reform did not go as I envisioned. I saw this helping so many people out like small businesses and local Chambers of Commerce, Small Business Administrations all over the country, but no, they were not having any reform. I personally have moved from jobs that were not paying enough for me to afford it for all the members of my family, so it went to the kids. As time passed and my skill improved, I have worked my way to jobs where everyone in your family was protected and every type of care you could want or imagine is offered.  During this time to the present day, I have watched this situation evolving to the point that even at a good job paying good money, companies can no longer afford to offer employees both; the salary and the insurance, the freedom of choice that the Republicans brag exist so much in a open free market, has come to this point. I have watched the Auto Industry gripe with the unions about legacy costs, as well as municipalities dealing with contract renewal with unions making the same claims of year after year, the cost keeps rising. Through all of this brouhaha and screaming, businesses across the nation sit in silence during the most important of national debates.

I wonder of the silence, why it does not matter to not one or many Chambers of Commerce across this great nation screaming please save our city some money so we can give the kind of insurance people need to attract the quality people to the positions that require them. I wonder of the silence of Detroit who should be screaming on how lower insurance rates for retirees of the Auto Industry and the present day workers could make America’s Auto Industry competitive again on the national stage. I wonder of the school districts having enough money to be competitive in attracting quality teachers to the public school systems across the nation as these costs are reduced because of the options of either earlier entry into Medicare, or a public competition has become a reality. I wonder. But, had you stated even wanting or demanding any option or desires or wishes or bottom line, you were wise enough to know, you would have nothing, instead you are closer than any other president has ever been.  I suddenly realized what a brilliant tactic to take, no could say they was passing legislation you wanted as you put the ball in their court by insisting they come up with law that makes sense to fix the problem at hand.  They have come further than any others in any session of Congress before. This as the Republicans try to convince everyone you are trying to destroy America, as we know it to be.

I wish you a most happy of Happy New Years, as I understand you have your work cut out for you in just getting this health reform to fruition. Be mindful they are still hell bent in making this the most unpleasant of experiences for America and you so no other Black American ever thinks they should want to experience the stress they are witnessing you go through each day. As much opposition as I expect them to give you this year, nothing will match what you received and will continue to receive until this battle is over. I personally will do a column on the impact of the experience on my life once this process comes to a conclusion; I wanted it not to be my personal issue as well.  I want to thank you for the added bill a month on unemployment, as I just have been downsized, so that is good. I don’t think the opposition will have a lot left to do battle with you once health care reform gets passed.  Hang in there, you have done more in your first year than most do in their whole term, keep up the good work!

Gratefully yours,

A Gentleman

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