I had high hopes for your presidency. At first this may seem odd considering that I didn't even vote for you. Regardless of your policies that I disagreed with, I admired your charisma and ability to inspire others. When you spoke of the change you would bring to Washington, I sincerely hoped that you would follow through.
Unfortunately, most of what I have seen from the White House is business as usual. Your promises of bipartisanship seem paltry and weak. You stood by and ignored the voice of the right until they had enough votes to threaten your policies. If you had brought them into the process earlier and made some concessions, they would have been more likely to support your policies. Giving them some credit along the way would have made them more willing to join you also. After all, why help when every victory is trumpeted as a win for the left.
I was bitterly dissapointed time and again as you stood silently by while others attempted to marginalize and slander the tea party movement. I had hoped that you might echo the idealism of Jefferson and defend the right of these people to stand for their beliefs. Instead it seems that you condoned the attacks made by Pelosi, Reid, and others, which only made a group already feeling marginalized feel even more so.
Your attempts to reach out to the Muslim world are admirable, yet I see no such attempts at conciliation here at home. You would reach out to those who intend real, physical harm to their enemies, and ignore those whose weapons are words. Whether real or imagined, there are many who feel the yokes of oppression are tightening, why do you not attempt to ease their fears? Simply assuring them that you are listening and considering their pleas would make a dramatic difference.
The foundation of America is not in politicians, but in idealists. In you my hope was that we might return to that foundation, but it seems unlikely now. Your promises of fundamental change in Washington seem to be hollow words.
Is allegiance to a political party more important than the belief that America stands for something greater than any party?
It's not too late to make me believe again in the hope you promised.
Sincerely,
Chris (a cynic who wants to believe)
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