by K. Andaya

Created on: January 21, 2009

Dear President Obama,

Congrats on your new post, and good luck with your term. Please forgive my cynical beginnings, but as I write this I can't help but feel a sense of displacement of the American Public and where our future is headed. It is not a reflection of your strength or ability, but rather a general feeling of worry as where the economy is headed. Here are a few suggestions from a mom, wife, American

1. Educate. The most important thing you can do for the American Public is to educate them. Take for example the current housing crisis. If the general public could read and understand basic loan document, and could trust the people before them, maybe, just maybe some of the people would not have signed their lives away. Can you imagine the feeling when someone comes to your door to ask you to leave your house? I'm sure it is very unpleasant.

2. Find out where the money goes. Period. I can't pretend to know where every cent of my money goes. I'm sure that with proper budgeting though I could figure it out. I can certainly balance a checkbook. If every American can cut corners in order to feed their family then certainly we can find some spending issues to fix with our government.

3. Needless things: Stop spending money on unnecessary things. I know, I know. There is some big deal about the Presidential China. I know there is a whole room in the extremely large house that you live in now, but come on. Laura Bush just spent $485,000.00 on china. We all do realize that this is half a million dollars right? Now, I know there was talk about how much your inauguration cost and frankly, I don't want to know the number. I just wonder where this money comes from. Me, for one, if I need extra money I am forced to sell something I possess on ebay or craigslist. I don't think anyone up there on capital hill was hocking their goods to pay for your party. Let the big wigs cut back too. Show some reserve.

4. Follow Through. Awesome speech today. Your target audience was right there with you, cheering you on, hopeful and uplifted by your words. Please, follow through. Remember, we chose you, and hopefully you will choose to fight for us.

As a mother of three small children, these four tasks are what I am forced to do every day with millions of Americans. If we can do it, then so can you. I have faith and confidence that the American public will see great changes in the coming years. Let's get back to basics and start fresh. Budget, analysis and follow through. The concept is easy. It is the implementation that will take time and effort to bring this great country back to economic greatness.

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