An open letter to President Obama

Dear President Obama:

I voted for you. I donated a lot of money. I've never been so happy as when you won...at least over political things anyway.

I voted for you because you represented change. I voted for you because your predecessor ravaged the environment,  ignored the rights of minorities (particularly gay and lesbian minorities), and just generally acted in a way that made me, an American currently living overseas, want to tell people I was from Canada. Okay - I voted for you because McCain is a loser and Palin a pathetic, hating loser. Can't forget that.

I really wanted change.

Now, I feel like you're selling me out.

You always try to compromise with people who won't compromise. Make that mistake once or twice and no problem. Keep making it and I'm not so sure what you stand for.

You're soft on protecting wolves, whales, sea turtles, etc. You supported lifting the restrictions on off-shore drilling. You seem unable to move forward in Afghanistan or get out of Iraq.

You fiddle around on the GLT issue and nothing happens.

Oh, don't want to forget the economy. It sucks. Where are all those "green jobs" you promised?

I don't want this to sound wrong. Given the same choice we had last time, I'd vote for you again. But, I doubt I'd donate money to the campaign.

Do something. Tomorrow, allow gay and lesbian folks to serve openly in the military. It won't hurt anything and it will help a lot of things and people.

Sure, some folks will get out of the military over that issue - who cares? The military is meeting their recruitment goals anyway. Haters are replaceable.

Don't forget - anyone who gets out of the military over serving next to gay folks is a hater - do we really want them in combat?

Also, be serious - if you really loved your country and that was really why you were in the military, you wouldn't get out over this.

You could make that change with the stroke of a pen.

Then, support the whales at the IWC. Stop kissing up to Japan...hell, to a minority in Japan. We need to stand for something. It shouldn't be Sea Shepherd alone protecting whales - it should be the U.S. government.

Tell Salazar that wolves matter. They're a critical part of the ecosystem and we aren't hunting them en masse from helicopters, etc any longer. Leave the hate to Palin. She does it better anyway.

Make the next 2 years count. If you don't, there won't be another four - unless of course the Republicans keep apologizing to BP and other stupid Nazi tricks.