Open Letter to Barack

Dear President Senator Obama,

I recently finished your book, The Audacity of Hope, and I wanted to take a moment to tell you that I am officially on your side. You have my support in all upcoming elections, so long as you don't screw things up, of course.

But before I start gushing over how much I like you, let me introduce myself. I'm a 31-year-old woman living in a mid-sized city. I've been a city girl for seven years, but I grew up in a small, rural community in Upstate New York. I'd like to believe that the experiences I've had in both settings give me a pretty good understanding of the needs and issues that are important to both the "city slickers" and the "country folk." I'm also a new home owner and a single, working woman who hopes to have both a career and a family one day. Because of these goals, I support programs that encourage community improvement and involvement, quality health care for both those who can afford it and those who can't, support for working-class and low-income families, quality child care, environmental conservation, and sustainable and organic agricultural practices.

I'm what I like to call a liberal conservative (or a conservative liberal, if you prefer). As a Christian, I used to stand up for Republicans solely because they often shared my personal views on matters of my faith, no matter what their political views on many other issues that directly affected me. Having never been very interest in politics, and having never understood clearly how important politics were to my own life, it seemed easier to toe the line and ignore the other stuff. But as I've grown personally and spiritually over the last few years, I've found that there are many issues on which I don't agree with the Republicans.

Which brings me to you. You have plunged me in the river of politics and I've come up a convert. I've been born again politcally. No matter what party you belong to, I believe in you. And anyone who can restore my hope in the government of this nation deserves my vote. Your youthful outlook on the future of this country inspires me. Your thoughtful, honest opinions on all of the major issues that impact our country, however idealistic they may seem, have rekindled my faith and interest in politics.

I appreciate your candor. I'm thankful for your acknowledgement that politics is about compromise and that good politicians will be open to reasoned, well-thought 0ut and effectively presented debate. I applaud your encouragment of other politicians to open their minds to different policies and points of view. I am grateful for your political youth, for your "still-wet-behind-the-ears" (but well-weathered nonetheless) outlook that has prevented you from becoming easily influenced by money, power, and the fear to lose a race. And I know that if you were to ever get out of hand, if you were to ever forget where you came from, your wife would firmly grab you by the collar and bring you back down to earth.

Keep up the good work, and don't be afraid to want it. Just don't ever want it so badly that you'll do anything not to lose it (like some of those older folk). Your fresh perspective is exactly what this country needs.

Your faithful fan,

Smtwngrl