It is my sincerest hope that Senator Elizabeth Warren will change her mind and decide to run for the office of President of the United States in 2016. IMHO she alone among the potential candidates, has the leadership, courage, vision and tenacity to tackle our nation's most pressing issues. Here is an open letter asking her, no pleading with her, to run for POTUS.
An Open Letter to Senator Elizabeth Warren
First let me begin by saying that I am a big fan of yours. I have read your book and I am impressed by your tenacity and passion for protecting the American middle class in the political arena. You are the first and only politician that I trust. You have a vision and you have consistently and courageously fought to see that vision become a reality. If I may clarify upon the definition of the term “middle class” that is in common usage, I would say that it includes any single individual making under $200,000 a year and any family making under a total of $400,000 a year. This definition then includes the large numbers of people that are striving to be middle class, but also fall below the “poverty line” due to very low income. I understand that geographical location and other factors affect the cost of living and there is no hard line between poverty, middle class and rich. Suffice it to say that the vast majority of Americans fall under the incomes listed above and their situations have been stagnating or degrading for at least the last twenty plus years. To state the obvious, the vast majority of people are losing purchasing power while a very few are doing spectacularly well. You are fully aware of this situation and the severe consequences wealth inequality can have if it is not addressed. I would agree with the Pope when he wrote, "Just as the commandment 'Thou shalt not kill' sets a clear limit in order to safeguard the value of human life, today we also have to say 'Thou shalt not' to an economy of exclusion and inequality. Such an economy kills… today everything comes under the laws of competition and the survival of the fittest, where the powerful feed upon the powerless. As a consequence, masses of people find themselves excluded and marginalised (sic): without work, without possibilities, without any means of escape. Human beings are themselves considered consumer goods to be used and then discarded." This statement feeds directly into Maslow’s stated second level of needs, the key component being financial security. In my humble opinion, “income inequality” as a descriptor of several economic trends, tax complexities and international trade pacts, is the most pressing issue in modern day America, if not the world; and I know you recognize this reality and the priority it deserves. I know you also understand that ACTION is needed, not faint words and few deeds.
I need to let you know a little about myself and how I came to write this letter. I am a father in my mid-fifties. I have been lucky enough to have generous middle class parents and grow up in a time of opportunity where my hard work, affordable degree and tenacity allowed me to claw my way into the middle class as well. In the last few years, I began to recognize that the opportunities that were available to me are no longer available to my children. In short - I woke up. The world I see before my children has far fewer opportunities with much steeper roads that lead to them. Education is expensive and often ineffective in preparing people for employment. The tax code is labyrinthine and full of a myriad of loopholes and exemptions that smack of dated social engineering. Our big employers have moved large chunks of manufacturing and product support out of the country where they can pay extremely low wages. This puts downward pressure on wages for companies that remain here at home in order for them to stay competitive. I am certain that these multiple factors that have led to the current astronomical income inequality, combine to be the largest immediate threat to the well-being of countless Americans and that you are the most qualified individual in an ideal position to change the direction of our nation.
And now I speak from the heart. You NEED to run for the office of President of the United States in 2016. I follow the news and understand that you have publicly stated that you are NOT running on multiple occasions. Call me delusional, but I am hoping that this letter will help change your mind. Senator Warren, I want you to look deep into your own heart and examine your convictions. You recently ran against an incumbent politician and beat him soundly. In the process, you discovered allies and resources you never imagined were there prior to your journey. I am telling you now, the resources and support you need are ready and waiting for your candidacy. I need you to run. My children need you to run. America and its future - need you to run. To put a finer point on it, I have an adult daughter that is trying to get a college degree so she can get a J O B and live a relatively financially stress free life. What she is finding is that college is VERY expensive and there is zero confidence that she will be employed after completing a degree. Even if she is employed, it is doubtful that the salary from her employment will be able to support her financially to an adequate level. I know all too well that the office of president is limited in its powers as far as correcting these issues. But I do know beyond a whisper of a doubt that the position of “president of the United States” has a lot more influence in this area than any other single political position. Elizabeth – your time has come, your time is NOW – please run for the office of president - United States of America – 2016.
Thu Feb 19, 2015 at 2:00 PM PT: I have created a petition on MoveOn with a slightly modified version of my Diary entry. Please sign and pass along if you think we need Senator Warren to run for POTUS in 2016.