We Forgive... but NEVER Forget

Over the past few days, President Barack Obama has gestured to the center on some issues. I applaud the president for being presidential and encourage this activity to continue. However, it must be noted that these gestures are 'too little, too late' when it comes to the 2012 election.

The president visited Afganistan on Sunday and spoke to our troops there. This was the president's first visit to the country since taking the seat in the White House. Americans are proud of our troops and support them, and I applaud the president for at least visiting... heck, even for a good speech. But Mr. President, we were paying attention and we have not forgotten. We were paying attention to the extremely short nature of your visit. We paid attention that you went in under the cover of night. We couldn't help but remember as you said "America doesn't quit. You don't quit. We don't quit. We're not going to!" that it wasn't long ago you said in reference to our troops in Afghanistan "We've got to get the job done there and that requires us to have enough troops so that we're not just air-raiding villages and killing civilians..." and of course, we know when General McChrystal requested 40,000 troops, you took months to fulfill the request, sending fewer than requested by your trusted advisor on the ground. We also didn't forget what you said about our troops in Iraq, Mr. President, calling for an early withdrawal. We hope you mean what you said to our troops on Sunday, sir. We applaud you for it, but you'll have to excuse us when as we learn from history and see this as a good political move for your party right now. We support you in doing it, but question your character due to your very own words to the contrary, spoken just months ago.

President Obama announced today that he is open to considering the possibility of drilling to become energy independent. All this was surrounded with talk about being competitive, saving and creating jobs for the American people. Mr. President, we thank you for your words, finally considering this vastly bi-partisan movement that you rejected so critically on your campaign trail. However, 'the proof is in the pudding' and don't think we didn't notice that you won't actually authorize any exploration 'on the ground' until 2012.

I've talked about this already, but to review: we paid attention to the healthcare bill too. We know why the really good stuff won't take effect until 2012, and we know why the most heinous of the bill won't take effect until after 2012. If you had begun your office reaching out to the right side of the aisle instead of closing doors in faces, we might believe you.

However, as it is, this is all too little too late, Mr. President. It's too late because you suddenly seem to have a change of heart, just after wide-spread outrage around the country by the people on the street (that's us, for those of you reading) over your administration rejecting freedom and moving to take away our liberty. All of a sudden, when many in your own party are crossing the aisle in togetherness, you are talking the talk. Mr. President, we've seen you walk your walk for more than a year now. We Americans are pretty observant folks. We hear you, and we support what you're SAYING right now, but we've gotten to know your character, and platitudes won't change your heart overnight.

Granted, this is very intelligent political maneuvering; you're feinting moves to the center in hopes to save some of your own party that are starting to see the light. Maybe it will work! ...but for those of us that have been paying attention all along, it's going to take action, sir, not empty words.

Mr. President, you said "America doesn't quit. You don't quit. We don't quit. We're not going to!" You should listen to yourself, because you're right. We don't quit, and we're not going to. We love this country, we love freedom, we love liberty and we VOTE, sir. We can and will forgive you... because that's what America is all about. But we NEVER forget... your administration has lost it's second chances with the American people. So keep talking the talk, and start walking the walk you're talking... perhaps you can save your one term from being completely poisonous to the American people and your one term will be remembered in history fondly, if only in part.

With love, compassion, remembrance and reverence for the Truth,

-The American People