Dear Mr. President

Dear Mr. President,

I can't stop thinking of the images that I saw of Honduran migrants in The New York Times as they were deported to Mexico--not told where they were being taken by border officials, not given any warning until they were already across the bridge (at least according to their reports.)  And I guess I'm ...angry, and frustrated--one that you couldn't offer asylum to people of Honduras who have nowhere else to go after hurricanes devastated their homes.  We should have known this was coming, Sir.  And you have the power to do something about it.  These people deserve to be treated as human beings, and if that means we need more help there, then we find a way to fund it; we make that happen.  I'm not saying to grant asylum to everyone, but those countries hit by hurricanes last year--one after the other?  We should be helping them--not sending them away.

We've done our part in making South America what it is today, too, Sir, and as many South American people will tell you, most of it isn't good.  We need to work more closely with them, though; and if we can't work with their governments, we should be offering those that want to leave them some hope for a better life here.  Turning them away, even during (and perhaps especially during,) a pandemic is heartless.  The message of "go home" doesn't seem to be resonating too well right now, either.  But I hope you'll get a chance to clarify that on March 25th.  It's just...seeing images like the one below and knowing there are thousands more like that--wondering if, someday, it might be me having to make such a trek to a new land, I want to be treated fairly, not taken places without being told where I'm going and given over to the authorities of some other country.

Photographs by Daniel Berehulak

I just feel like we could be doing more here, Sir.  And I get it; we're still dealing with the pandemic.  We're still trying to make it through our own emergencies, but that doesn't mean the rest of the world stops needing our help.  I just hope you'll keep that in mind moving forward.

I am heartened by everything you're doing for the people of America with the difficulties of the pandemic still on-going, and I felt grateful to see your Nowruz celebration, and your statement against racial hatred--your willingness to work with leaders from the American Asian and Pacific Islander communities.  I imagine after your predecessor's treatment of them, it must have been nice to feel heard and seen--to be believed.  It won't end the hatred, but at least there's a spotlight on it, now--someone saying that it isn't right and won't be tolerated.

I loved the phone call you had this week with Jocelyn.  Those are heartening moments, and you're getting better at them.  I guess it's hard to make a phone call seem as real as a face-to-face interaction, but I am still glad to see them from week to week.

The thing about marijuana....  I understand the reasoning for it, but you also have the power to deal with that, as well.  With so many states making it legal, maybe it's time to put in the money and research needed to make it legal at a federal level, much like we've done with alcohol.  I can't imagine the people who lost their jobs are very happy, but marijuana use is illegal federally right now, and security clearance concerns need to be taken seriously--especially these days.  But again, I think it's time we looked at changing those FDA regulations, Sir.

Easter's in two weeks, but I can't say I'm looking forward to it right now.  There was some bad COVID news that hit close to home for me this week, and since I don't have the luxury of going and helping out there (still no vaccine available for me yet.), my emotions have been all over the place.  Anger.  Resignation.  Frustration.  Grief.  Worry.  Anxiety.  You name it; I've probably felt it.  It meant a lot to hear you reminding people to keep masking up, washing hands, social distancing, and all the rest.  The worst part is, even if I could get there, being legally blind leaves me unable to actually help them in any meaningful way, either.  And I have to say, that last really kills me the most--knowing that someone important to me is in need, and knowing, as well, that trying to do something to help may cause more trouble than doing nothing at all.  It's agonizing to feel powerless, Mr. President.  But I'm sure you know that better than most.

I feel like you've been somewhat defensive of late, Sir--curt with your answers in some cases without explanations as to why.  I read your recent remarks after Marine One landed, and it felt like you were rushed or hurried, or worse still, that you weren't interested in really talking and answering questions.  And I guess I get it.  You're probably tired a lot--exhausted more like.  But please remember not all of us out here are against you, Sir.  Help us to understand what's going on.  Remember that the reporters aren't always the ones whose questions your answers are reaching; remember that there are people out here wishing and hoping for the best for you and your administration.

I don't know what to say at this point with regard to Russia and China; I feel like they don't care about us any longer--bulls in a china shop wanting to plow ahead regardless of the consequences.  I guess just keep doing your best out there and remember that we do still have allies who share our desire to see people free from oppression and able to make choices for themselves through government systems that don't seek to dominate, rule, and subjugate them.  And as for Iran, as I said last week, I think we need to consider something new besides sanctions.  Also, I think we should end the sanctions that came into being and work with them on creating a new deal--but I'd prefer if those deals were also made with Congressional approval; that way they can't just be changed on a whim.

Ah well...it's late.  I'm tired, and it's been a long week.  I did have a good St. Paddy's Day, though, and I loved seeing the fountain at your house changed to green for it.  We went out for my birthday on Wednesday, a small, careful celebration with family and one friend.  And let me just say how wonderful it was to be out with people again.  I'll be glad when I can do that again without worrying.  We were talking today about that July 4th comment you made, and I think many of us are longing for it with all our hearts--getting to be out in the world with other people celebrating again, the fireworks, the laughter, the hugs...most of all, the hugs.  But, we'll get there when we get there, I guess, and in the meantime we'll keep doing what we can to make sure everyone stays safe.

There are still a lot of hills to climb yet, Mr. President, but we can be lights in the darkness, too.  I hope you'll consider some of the suggestions I made.  I was thinking, maybe we can create a better border experience, too--instead of walls, halls.  Instead of cells, rooms.  Anyway...I look forward to your press conference on the 25th.  Remember that you're not alone and that people need to be told the complex things because the media is always going to try to make sound bites out of you.  But the people who care are going to listen to more than just those moments.

And with that, I bid you good night, Mr. President.  Try to get some rest, and I'll talk to you again next week.

Until then,....

~~ Jenni

P. S.  How are the doggos?  We miss them!

Dear Mr. President

 Dear Mr. President:

I can't say I really wanted to write this tonight--not because I didn't want to write to you, but more because I didn't want to have to go mucking about to see what all you've been up to this week.  As per usual, you've been pretty busy--from foreign policy to national emergencies in Oklahoma and Texas, (and Portland as well, I hear;) and then there were the little things, like congratulating NASA and posting some videos of you and Jen answering some twitter questions.  I must admit, the latter was my favorite when it came to catching up this week.  These things humanize you.  They help us get to know you, and it is greatly appreciated.

I see we officially rejoined the Paris Climate Agreement, and I heard you were interested in working with Iran on the nuclear deal again.  I also saw you were flexing some military might down in the China Sea.  These are all good things, I think, but I do think we need to be looking into those SolarWinds hacks--figuring out just how bad they were and working to ensure that national security information and infrastructure is, if not impervious to hacking, at least strengthened to better ensure our safety.

There was also the national emergency situation with the cold weather in Oklahoma and Texas this past week, and just hearing from my parents about their own difficulties, I can assure you that any help the government can give is a good thing there.  But it brings to light some of the problems in our current infrastructure--things that we really need to address.  With the climate changing, this kind of weather isn't going to be as strange as it seems to us now.  Colder winters.  Hotter summers.  Wetter Springs, and drier autumns.  We need to look at our roads, our buildings, and our green technology and ensure that it is climate-proofed for the future.  For far too long we've taken shortcuts and looked only at the short-term gains rather than considering the long-term efficacy, reliability, and sustainability of the things we build.  That needs to change.

As an aside, my parents are on well water, and their well froze over.  Most of the small towns near the big cities (like where my parents live,) ended up being raided for water, and my parents were lucky my dad's a volunteer firefighter.  They were able to get some water from one of the stations where he works, but otherwise, they might well have had to do without it.  They managed some water from HEB (local grocery store) on Friday, and they're hopeful that their well will unfreeze soon, but...that's certainly not a given.

A lot of people who aren't your most ardent supporters have been talking about your immigration plans, and a lot of them are pretty upset about the fact that we've closed our borders due to COVID but see that we're still accepting people into the country seeking refuge and help.  It's frustrating to see their words and feel a twinge of understanding.  But I also know that there are problems at our borders, and maybe it's time that people saw that.  Maybe help them understand what's going on at our borders and then try to explain better our policies in that regard.  I didn't catch anything about it during your Town Hall; so, I'm mentioning it here, because as I said, I've been seeing a lot of that coming from your opposition.

So much has happened this past week that I don't know if I mentioned my disappointment with the whole impeachment last weekend.  I expect I might have said a thing or two, but I think a lot of us were disappointed at how glib, smug, or downright derisive some of our public officials acted.  A lot of people are still angry, sir--on both sides obviously.  But from where I'm standing, the House and the Senate look like giant piles of crap right now.  Not only were there no repercussions for elected officials for their conduct (while regular people are standing trial for their actions,) but COVID relief feels like it's stalled.  And sure, we get that things don't move fast in Washington D. C., but our lives don't just stop while we wait for laws to get made.  We've got bills to pay, and mouths to feed; and frankly, most of us just want to see some parity.  What are we paying taxes for if the people who are taking that money as payment for their service aren't actually doing anything to serve us?  It gets ..old, Mr. President--really old.

And I get that you've been working to salvage things as you can--especially with mortgages, foreclosures, and student debt.  You're doing what you can, but Congress needs to get their heads out of their behinds and start doing the work that's going to help the people.  Also, I wanted to congratulate you on getting more work done on vaccines and getting them to the states.  I know there's still more work to be done, but on this count, at least we are seeing that progress is coming--if not necessarily here yet.

I want to touch on something I read the other day though regarding student loans.  You mentioned during your town hall that you weren't willing to go beyond forgiving $10,000, and I really think that's a mistake.  Check with your Treasury Secretary; look at the figures.  The people hardest hit by debt are lower and middle income families, and they can't afford it.  And if that's holding together something in our economy, then there's something wrong with the way we're running our economy.  I'm not saying you have to do more than the 10K now, but don't discount doing more, please.  There are a lot of people struggling right now, and words like never and not possible aren't things we should be saying.  Not to mention that the more educated we are, the better prepared we'll be to deal with hardships and setbacks, Mr. President, and that's a worthy investment, but it's not worth a lifetime of debt.  It just shouldn't be.

I'm pretty sure I had a lot more to say to you than this, but I guess there'll be more in the weeks and months to come, hopefully.  One thing I did want to highlight was the call you made to NASA about the Perseverance Rover landing on Mars.  It sounded a little stilted on both ends, by the way--the video that was released of it.  But nonetheless, I am grateful that you did it.  The men and women of our space programs deserve a lot of respect, and the fact that their hard work merited your attention, respect, and congratulations was important to me.  So thank you for honoring their work and achievements as you did.

I'm actually a lot more excited to hear that you want to visit them and see the work they're doing.  If you do, you can rest assured I'll be following all the news about it.

I have to say, that's one thing I am really glad to see you doing--listening to scientists and inviting experts in their fields to offer you their thoughts and opinions.  I hope I get to see a lot more of it in the coming weeks.  I am also looking forward to hearing about your wife's media appearance on Thursday.  I hope she does a lot to lift up marginalized voices and highlight the work and accomplishments of not only great people, but also great people of color--and also women.  I know there are a lot of girls and women who were excited by your choice of Kamala Harris as your running mate, and I really hope that Jill Biden will continue to build on that rapport that your Presidency has built with the women of this country and abroad.  Your wife has a chance to advocate for us, and I really hope that she'll speak about the inequalities and injustices in this country (and also the world.)  If we can't talk about the problem, there will never be a way to solve it.  When you name a thing, when you point it out--when you see it for what it is--only then can you truly understand it.  So I will wish her luck and look forward to seeing what she has to say.

Also, congratulations to you and your staff on your first full month in office, Sir.

And with that, Mr. President, I believe it is time to go and feed the cat his treats.  He's been very patient since about the third paragraph of this letter to you, but I don't know how much longer he can be patient.  Also, I don't want to incur his wrath. He has claws.

I look forward to writing to you next week and seeing what you've got on the agenda.  Stay strong, don't forget your coffee, and keep the pineapple off Jen's pizza.  Until next time, Mr. President!

~~ Jenni

Dear Mr. President

 Dear Mr. President,

This weekend I spent celebrating Planetfest '21.  Planetfest is a yearly celebration and gala hosted by The Planetary Society, a group the strives to promote space in every aspect known to man.  They started in the 1980's and their first Planetfest was in 1981.  But this was my first Planetfest--40 years after that first one.

I can't put into words well just how much being a part of The Planetary Society and celebrating this event with them (albeit virtually due to the pandemic,) meant to me.  But I will try.

When I was a little girl, I found a book about constellations in one of those old paper handouts that teachers gave to students from booksellers.  It was meant to promote reading, I think.  But I got that book and read it, and the idea that the stars had stories to them!--that began my life-long love affair with space.

I am no scientist or even a really great thinker; I'm certainly not a whiz a math, but I do love a good story..  One of the greatest space storytellers of our time, I think, was Carl Sagan.  Bill Nye, who was once one of his students, still sits as the CEO of The Planetary Society (TPS,) and while I never did see his television show, his enthusiasm and cherished goofiness make him a great successor to Sagan--one of the founders of TPS.

I cannot wait until we can gather together again in person, Mr. President, as this will be one of the events that fills my soul with real joy.  I am thinking about becoming one of their ambassadors next year--people who head to Washington D. C. to address their lawmakers in Congress about the importance of space exploration and being a champion for space.

This Thursday the Perseverance Rover will (hopefully) land on the surface of Mars.  It's super exciting!  And as I'm sure you've heard, China and the UAE also had missions arrive at Mars this week.  That is something that I found myself struggling with somewhat, and then simply wanting to embrace--the idea that space efforts bring countries together.  They break down barriers and serve as a pathway for diplomacy and cooperation in a way that I don't think any other endeavor does.  And while I understand this can be difficult sometimes, I think it is a trend that should continue.

For as far back as I can remember, the scientific community has worked together around the world--probably far better than our own governments do.  Perhaps it is because they have a common desire to learn and study and understand things; maybe it is that common language that makes it so much easier.  I would like to hope that space can be our common language to engage the rest of the world, though, Sir.  Of all the great mysteries of our lives, it is a common thread and helps us to understand ourselves better the more we learn about it.  Space exploration is also a language of hope--a way to see ourselves from a different perspective, and I've heard that having different perspectives is a good thing.

Listening to the various panels, I learned a LOT about Mars, but also about space as an industry--as a cultivator for cooperation and growth.  It is, I think, one of the most unique fields in the economic sphere, as getting ourselves out into space isn't easy and therefor requires a lot of cooperation, even among competitors.  This is something that sparks the imagination--making me wonder, for instance, how much more advanced we'd be if companies sought to work together in some endeavors rather than seeking to have the most customers.  Would there be more room for innovation?  Research?  More money to invest in the architecture and services needed to ensure more successful endeavors?  It's definitely an interesting business, and I hope if you get a chance, that you'll meet with some space industry leaders and those who advocate for more education and exploration in space, like TPS.  Their hope and enthusiasm are something I would certainly like to see more of.  And their emphasis on science education in particular is a real boon to not only this country, but other countries as well.

Also, I hope you'll be there to see Perseverance's landing, and I hope you'll say something about it, too.  It's a great opportunity to showcase our partnerships both within the US and abroad.

You've caught some slack for not chatting with Israel's Prime Minister this week.  I can't say I know what that's all about, but I guess it's nice to know that people want to be recognized by us?  Too, it certainly doesn't hurt to hear what they have to say.

I read somewhere after the acquittal of your predecessor (yet again,) that our country is in a state of Constitutional rot--where partisanship means more than doing the right thing; where winning is more important than abiding by some commonly held good for the nation--almost as if right and wrong didn't exist, only the appearance of them.  It makes me sad to see that.  And I'm worried that your predecessor will seek re-election at some point.  And yes, I've heard the arguments about how the House rushed things--about how this was done in a manner that seemed more about show rather than an adherence to established law, but if we can't call a spade a spade at the end of the day, is there really any chance to set aside our differences about other things?  Once again, I find myself hating the need to court money for re-elections.  I find myself angry that there are people working in the House and Senate who make more than minimum wage--who still collect their paychecks even when they can't go to work, when so many other Americans don't even have that.  I'm angry that they care more about votes than about doing the right thing, and I fear what moral bankruptcy means for our country.  

That said, I am looking forward to your town hall on Tuesday.  Hopefully I'll be able to watch, though I know we have plans that evening to meet up virtually with some friends for a "metal crew" happy hour.  Last January before the pandemic set in, John (my fiance,) and I went on a cruise called "70,000 Tons of Metal."  There are so many different kinds of metal, Mr. President, and while I understand that it's not for everyone, there is something therapeutic about headbanging and screaming along with lyrics sometimes.  Sometimes ya just gotta get all that pent up tension out.

People still seem pretty focused on foreign policy, which is fine, I guess.  That's important, after all.  But we have an infrastructure problem here in our country.  Of note, I'm looking at some articles about foreign policy affairs (for the US,) but also a The New Yorker article about getting broadband into rural areas.  My parents, for example, live off a highway in Texas, and while you'd think they'd have good internet, there isn't much there besides satellite.  And since they live in a pretty tree-y area, that doesn't always work well for them.  They also can't really afford to get broadband out there, as the companies won't pay for it unless the whole neighborhood wants it.  Likewise, the pricing options make it difficult for them to be able to afford dedicated internet to the house; so, they only have limited amounts of data they can use.  Can you imagine trying to navigate the world these days with limited data and no broadband, Mr. President?  It seems pretty awful that these things aren't available for everyone.

Of course, that's not counting all the bridges, roads, dams, and other projects that need funding badly.  I guess you have to do it through government grants to companies so they can hire workers and the like, but maybe consider looking at hiring more engineers and such for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers?  Or better yet, make a civilian division that can employ people who, while not fit to be in the army, can still do valuable and vital work for the country.  It frustrates me to see us putting money into a new $1bn missile refurbishment and upgrade program, but our roads, bridges, and dams (and environmental programs designed to move us toward being carbon neutral,) are getting so little attention.  I know you're not Congress; I know you don't make the laws, but you are the face of the nation, and you and your teams can get peoples' support if you try.

Still, ...I know you're working on COVID.  It's probably the only big project for your first year as President, but we need to be looking beyond that, too.

I talked to John's aunt just the other day, and all ready there are worries that once the rent moratoriums are gone, the housing market is going to collapse.  We can't afford another 2008 on our hands--not right after COVID.

So...I know everything seems to be piling up on your desk, Mr. President, and I know the problems we're facing are pretty big ones.  But I'm doing my best to remain positive.  Maybe that's the one thing America really is great at, and I hope you'll keep reminding us of that by being and setting a good example for us all.

One last note: I read the story about your staffer and the threat he made to a journalist, and I have to say that I'm glad he chose to resign.  I expect you might well have fired him, but allowing him that bit of dignity might well have saved his future career.  That said, that's the kind of attitude that I imagine most of us out here think people where you are (people in positions of power,) have toward us plebs.  It's hard for us to feel sympathy or empathy with you all, because we don't have that kind of power.  We're not out here threatening to end peoples' careers if they screw us over.  We mostly just get screwed over if we make mistakes--the kind that can destroy our lives for years, or even forever.  It's good to want to be mindful of the fates of those who work for you, but we want someone out here fighting for our fates, too, Sir.

There are a lot of unjust laws here in America--or maybe they're just unjustly meted out depending on how much money or power you have.  But that needs to end, and we need to work hard toward that end.

Anyway....this letter got a little long, and I hate ending it on a darker note like that.  But I think we're all longing for something better in our lives.  We want to be proud of the people who represent us--to feel like they're people like us, just trying to get by.  And we want to be able to look to the future with hope in our hearts--that things are going to be better than they were today and the next and so on.

So, keep at it, Mr. President.  We'll get through this, and when we do, let's sit down sometime and have a beer together so you can remember that you're only human like the rest of us, and the rest of us can share that story about that one time we got a chance to have a beer with that guy in the White House who works for us.

He's a pretty cool guy, I think.

Until next week, Mr. President, I remain a loyal citizen and dedicated space fan; (a space fan sounds pretty cool, actually.  I bet someone's already thought of that.....)

~~ Jenni

P. S.  Happy Valentine's Day!  I almost forgot.  And here my love is cooking me dinner downstairs while I write this to you.  >.<  <3

me, at home, on the last day of Planetfest '21