NOTE TO THE READER

After due consideration, I have decided that, for an indeterminate period, I will no longer be writing essays for the express purpose of publishing on HubPages. During this period, I will instead be posting a series of communications to various government representatives, including the President.
I recently posted the first of these communiqués under the title “Letters to the Rulers”. I have edited that hub, changing the title to fit the series.
Each of the hubs will contain any message I received from the given representative and my response to it.
I will provide relevant links in the event anyone wishes to engage in such communications of their own in an effort to apprise our elected officials of our displeasure.
I will continue this series until I become convinced it is utterly futile or I am arrested, whichever comes first.
I fear there is little any of us can do to change the disastrous course we are presently on.
However, if the time I use composing essays can be better spent attempting to breech the walls of the empire in hopes of influencing even one of our "representatives" then I feel I no longer have a choice.
In fact, I have waited far too long.

SHAMLESS

I received the following request today.

Richard --

Last year, millions of Americans came together for a great purpose. Folks like you assembled a grassroots movement that shocked the political establishment and changed the course of our nation.
When Washington insiders counted us out, we put it all on the line and changed our democracy from the bottom up.
But that's not why we did it.
The pundits told us it was impossible -- that the donations working people could afford and the hours volunteers could give would never loosen the vise grip of big money and powerful special interests. We proved them wrong.
But as important as that was, that's not why we did it.
Today, spiraling health care costs are pushing our families and businesses to the brink of ruin, while millions of Americans go without the care they desperately need. Fixing this broken system will be enormously difficult. But we can succeed. The chance to make fundamental change like this in people's daily lives -- that is why we did it.
The campaign to pass real health care reform in 2009 is the biggest test of our movement since the election. Once again, victory is far from certain. Our opposition will be fierce, and they have been down this road before. To prevail, we must once more build a coast-to-coast operation ready to knock on doors, deploy volunteers, get out the facts, and show the world how real change happens in America.
And just like before, I cannot do it without your support.
So I'm asking you to remember all that you gave over the last two years to get us here -- all the time, resources, and faith you invested as a down payment to earn us our place at this crossroads in history.
All that you've done has led up to this -- and whether or not our country takes the next crucial step depends on what you do right now.
Will you donate whatever you can afford to support the campaign for real health care reform in 2009?
It doesn't matter how much you can give, as long as you give what you can.
Millions of families on the brink are counting on us to do just that. I know we can deliver.
Thank you, so much, for getting us this far. And thank you for standing up once again to take us the rest of the way.

Sincerely,

President Barack Obama

My response follows.

president@messages.whitehouse.gov

President Obama,

Having just given away anywhere from ten to twenty trillion taxpayer dollars to those responsible for the catastrophic situation we now find ourselves in, how can you possibly ask the impoverished American people for yet more?
Have you no sense of shame?
You promised change. The only change we have seen so far has been from bad to worse.
Please do not misunderstand. I did in fact cast my vote for you in November, hoping you were at least half the radical your opponents accused you of being.
If, as now seems likely, I was duped by a brilliant marketing campaign, then shame on me for being so gullible and shame on you for lying to the people of America .
If, on the other hand, you now find yourself powerless to fight the strength of the corporatocracy or the opposition of the congress, then please tell the people exactly what is happening so we may better understand the situation.
We simply must have honesty. It is very clear to anyone paying attention, despite the spin of optimistic sounding speeches, that our situation is only being worsened by the actions you have taken thus far.
If you truly wish to salvage the nation, you must make a stand now against the privatization of the government and the transformation of America to a third world country.
The preservation of the status quo and a return to the corrupt, venal system that created this crisis will only serve to bring about the final destruction of our country.

“The end of democracy and defeat of the American Revolution will occur when government falls into the hands of the lending institutions and moneyed incorporations. The Bank of the United States is one of the most deadly hostilities existing against the principles and form of our Constitution. The system of banking is a blot left in all our Constitutions, which if not covered will end in their destruction. I sincerely believe that banking institutions are more dangerous than standing armies; and that the principle of spending money to be paid by posterity is but swindling futurity. “

Thomas Jefferson

Please heed this warning from our most distinguished founder and do the right thing.

With the utmost sincerity,

Richard W. Posner