A letter to President Obama before his January 27 State of the Union Address

Dear President Obama,

I would like to offer my suggestion for how you might address the nation on January 27th, in light of new balance in the Senate, nationwide concerns on the economy, banking and health care reform.

Health care reform is now in jeopardy. But, I believe that the Massachusetts election was not a referendum on health care reform. Instead, it was a voicing of deep and desperate frustration from the jobless, from those who have lost their homes who have seen their plight get worse at the same time Wall Street banks make record profits (see Goldman Sachs today).

Your work on financial reform is incomplete and often appears to be in vain. Worse, Americans feel that you have not expressed compassion or solidarity with their economic troubles. Health reform is popular among working Americans, but it has been overshadowed by outrage over the country’s financial situation.

Here’s how you might begin to regain the upper hand:

Open your speech by addressing the Massachusetts result for what it is: A cry of frustration over the ongoing injustice of America’s financial system. Acknowledge that you’ve heard Americans’ message, are humbled, and vow to answer our call. Offer a concrete plan for doing this.

Make it clear that Americans have a choice to make. Are we dedicated to the reform of a financial system that has let us down and continues to do so, or will we be swayed by arguments from self-serving entities that reform is not in America’s interest.

Point out that, if there was ever an example of Wall Street’s power over America, the Massachusetts election result was a great example. As Brown closed in on victory, healthcare stocks jumped. Jim Cramer shouted in joy.

Make it clear here that Republicans are the ones that put the power in the hands of the banks over 8 years of the Bush Administration. Are Americans going to give power back to those who claim that they’d deliver reform yet have never done so?

Address the fact that 35 million American are without insurance, and those people will continue to lack insurance if reform fails. Republicans offer promises of better reform, but they have never made reform top of their agenda when in power.

American’s have voiced their frustration with the economy, now they must voice their support for health care reform with equally strong voices. That means pushing elected officials to support reform.

Making a Mockery of Nebraska

Welcome, Nebraska, to the ranks of the South Bronx, post-Katrina New Orleans and Detroit. We never knew you were in such bad shape.

If I were a Nebraskan I’d be pretty embarrassed. With the guidance of Senator Ben Nelson, I’d have come to realize that my state has fallen to the status of forlorn welfare recipient in need of permanent life support from Washington.

By milking his status as the 60th and crucial vote for the Senate’s healthcare reform bill, Nelson managed to steal an unprecedented guarantee of federal aid to pay for Nebraska’s expanded Medicaid population. In doing so, he acted like a gun-wielding bank robber who empties the till and safe but, unsatisfied, grabs the tellers’ family photos too, just because he can. He revealed himself as a cynical opportunist, and made a mockery of his state’s reputation for honesty and self-reliance.