Posted by
Kyle Singleton on Monday, January 19, 2009 10:20:51 PM
Dear Mr. President,
As we enter the final hours of your administration, I just wanted to thank you for your service to this great country. I'm only 21, so it feels like you've been President for most of my life. I can vaguely remember those cold mornings in December 2000, listening to radio updates with my Dad about your unbelievably close race with then-Vice President Gore. I really didn't have a firm grasp on politics back then, but I was happy that you finally won.
Only a few months later, something happened that I will remember for the rest of my life: A group of terrorists hijacked 4 planes, smashing 2 of them into New York trade center buildings and one into the Pentagon. Thanks to some brave souls, the 4th plane crashed in a field in Pennsylvania. When it was over, nearly 3,000 Americans were dead. I didn't really know what to think. I remember there was a lot of fear. But you reassured the American people. You told us to go on and resume our lives and not live in fear. In this last election, you were ridiculed for saying that, but we as a country needed to hear it.
The aftermath to that terrible day was messy. We had to fight a new kind of war, not against countries, but against radicals hiding all over the world. We began in Afghanistan, and later returned to Iraq. The Taliban and Saddam Hussein had no chance against America's finest. But instead of leaving those places in disarray, you tried to instill democracy. Just like after the American Revolution, that took time. After a while, it became very unpopular back home. But you stayed the course, doing what you thought was right rather than what was politically expedient. There are still challenges in the Middle East, but casualties are way down, and both countries now have popularly elected leaders.
On the domestic side, a lot happened as well. As is the normal in politics, a leader can't accomplish all the things he sets out to do. We weren't able to fix social security or find a good solution to healthcare or education, but we did get some good things done. The "Bush tax cuts" that some people have been ragging on brought tax relief to working families like mine, and helped stimulate the economy after 9/11. In my opinion, you also appointed two fine young justices to the Supreme Court, Mr. Roberts, and Mr. Alito, who will work diligently to protect our constitution and our precious rights.
I haven't always agreed with your decisions. I thought government spending was too high, and the failed immigration bill of '07 was not our best option. I also didn't think we needed the "bailout" last autumn, but our economy was facing unprecedented challenges, and you acted to try to make things better. I hope that will be the case.
I also hope that history will be a better judge of your presidency than your critics. Whatever your flaws, you didn't deserve to be treated the way that some have treated you. Thank you again for your service, and I hope you and your family have an enjoyable retirement. God bless.