A Question or Two for the President of the United States

by

Robert A. Simpkins

Global Crosswinds, L.L.C.

 

Mr. President;

As a citizen of the United States, and a really, really hard-pressed taxpayer, I’m curious about a few things.  I hear a lot of sounds bites about the wars, the economy, and other really important stuff, but these questions are a little different.  Some of my queries relate to your early term in office, and some relate to the actions of your predecessors.  If you or your staff could clear up my uncertainties, I’d be very appreciative.

Question1: If we need to spend our money wisely, why again are we bailing out General Motors?  I know their collapse would be horrific for all those workers who would be out of a job, but does the corporation, itself, deserve to be saved.  Couldn’t you have just given the same amount of money to extended unemployment insurance programs and retraining initiatives for the GM workers to find other jobs?  To be honest, sir, GM is a company that has screwed up over and over since the 1970s and I can’t see how they plan, if they have a plan, to do anything different once they come out of bankruptcy. 

Question 2: If the legislation passed by Congress is so important to every American, how come they exempt themselves from so many of the new laws?

Question 3: If government needs to become more lean and efficient, why do we still have so many legacy agencies and commissions that are no longer needed? Do we really still need the Panama Canal Commission?

Question 4: If America’stomorrow is so dependent on our future generations becoming more global in their perspective, why isn’t more money being invested in teaching our youth about the world and its wonderful cultures?  I’m sorry to tell you this, Mr. President, but a huge percentage of your younger constituents couldn’t find Iran, North Korea, Myanmar, Cuba, Somalia or Pakistan on a map if their lives depended on it.  I’m not even sure they could find Brasil, England, France, Germany, China or Japan (I won’t even talk about their inability to find where you live in Washington, D.C.). Why not subsidize opportunities for education abroad or, at the very least, expand geography and cultural diversity courses in our schools.

Question 5: If America truly values its rich heritage of cultural diversity, what happened to the Native People (Indians, First Americans or whatever European title you want to give them)?  The greatest atrocities ever committed by the United States government were against these people who were here long before Christopher Columbus haughtily “discovered” the new land.  I think it’s great that you’re supportive of so many of the minorities that make this country great, but I don’t see any full-blooded Native People in your entourage.  Please don’t tell me about the Bureau of Indian Affairs or Bureau of Land Management. I’m not even that enthralled about the new National Museum of American Indians in D.C.  I’m talking about a real policy-making position.  Don’t you think it’s about time they were given a stronger voice in government?

I know you are very busy, sir, what with fund-raising events and keeping Congress’ attention-deficit-disorder focused on your initiatives, but these questions (and so many others) bother the heck out of me.  If you could answer them, I’d be so appreciative.

 Very, Very Respectfully Yours;

Robert A. Simpkins

www.robertsimpkinsbestsellers.com

www.globalcrosswinds.com

PS: How’s the new dog?  Not digging up the Rose Garden, I hope.

PSS: Oh, sorry, please say hello to the First Lady for me. (You’re a lucky man. She’s a keeper)

 

 

Tags: Congress, globalization, GM, Native Americans, Obama, President, White House

This entry was posted on Sunday, June 14th, 2009 at 10:57 am and is filed under Bail out, Bailout, Barack Obama, Congress. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.