November 23, 2009
Dear President Obama,
Happy Thanksgiving! This time of the year always makes me reflect on what I’m grateful for and how I can do more for those in need. This year more than ever, I’m so grateful for my family and friends who have encouraged and supported us through a difficult year. I’m certain that you are grateful for your family as well, as everyone can see how much you love your girls. In fact, I was so pleased to hear you say; “When it comes to my children, I’m very conservative!” Which leads me to the reason of this letter. I’d like to talk with you about all the children of America and how we can work together to protect their future.
During your campaign, you voiced that Congress needed to hold itself to higher standards and needed to work together for the future of the generations to come. I know you don’t control Congress, but President Obama, you have a great deal of power and influence.
This congress established Sarbanes-Oxley that created new and enhanced standards for publicly traded companies for fiscal responsibility, yet many in congress do not hold themselves to the same standards. Here are some examples-
- $787 BILLION stimulus package did not include proper oversight to analyze, monitor and report the spending and results of such spending. In fact, multiple errors have been reported in the data provided to the public and the public has been asked to ignore such errors and focus on the big picture. President Obama, I know your administration and Congress had to react quickly to a crashing economy, but it was not acceptable for Congress to spend the hard earned dollars of the American People without applying the same standards we force onto public companies. Executives at public companies have gone to prison for false financial reporting.
- Cash for Clunkers program was poorly implemented by Congress and did not focus on American made vehicles, even though this program was created during the time that Congress was “bailing out” American Auto Manufacturers. The American People paid for individuals to trade in cars to purchase foreign vehicles that do not help the United States economy.
- During the American Auto Makers hearing, our Congressional leaders mocked the CEO’s who flew into DC on their private planes. A few months later, those same leaders, including your beloved Nancy Pelosi, asked the American people to pay for new private jets for congressional use. How is this different from what they asked the CEO’s to do?
- $90 Billion annual fraud in our current national health care programs and the current Health Care bill being debated in the Senate does not include measures to reduce the loss of American tax dollars. Why didn’t Congress carve money out of the stimulus package to create a Health Information Service Platform for each State, creating efficiency and tremendous savings? This would have created sustainable IT and health services jobs in each State and would have been a step toward true health care reform.
President Obama, as important as fiscal responsibility, you have called for Unity in this Country. You have asked that all Congressional leaders and the media to not bring race into political debates. I applaud you for doing so. Yet, my incumbent has used race to create racial tension and anger. Rep. Johnson said, “I guess we’ll probably have folks putting on white hoods and white uniforms again and riding through the countryside, intimidating people,” in reference to the Ku Klux Klan. This same week, my son was corned on the bus by several boys and called a “Cracker”. We as leaders should not use today’s problems to try to throw us back to the embarrassments of the 1950’s and 1960’s. History should be used for knowledge and wisdom to create momentum and positive change, not to enact fear and anger.
President Obama, Congress is spending our children’s and their children’s future. They are creating divide within our Country. I understand that your daughters will not have to worry about this, because you’ve had the opportunity to be fiscally responsible and not feel the deep impact of this economy. But here is my fear; the children of the majority of the American people will not have the opportunity that we had, because of the Congressional spending.
President Obama, it’s time to put party politics aside and hold all in Congress accountable. We must work together to bring opportunity to all American people, opportunity that elevates and provides more for the next generation and prosperity to all, regardless of the color of your skin, religion and political views.
I look forward to working with you in 2010. I pray that you not ignore this letter, as I am running for Congress in 2010. I want to work with you and with all those in Congress who want what is best for the people, not just a political party.
So, I’m using this letter as a way to reach across the aisle, before I’m elected and at the beginning of my campaign, even though I’m running on the Republican ticket. Please respond, as I’d hate to have our first meeting start off with the subject of you not answering my letter.
Sincerely,
Liz Carter
Candidate for House of Representatives
Georgia, Congressional District 4
