Dear President Biden,
Congratulations and thank you for serving as the President of the United States of America. Your career of sacrifice, and service have led you to leading our nation. Your empathy and compassion have guided you with a sense of morality and deep concern for the nation. Your presidency gives me hope tempered by the knowledge of how the reality exclusion zone inside the beltway operates.
You are the first democrat I have ever voted for in my life. You and Pete Buttigieg are the first democrats I have ever supported with monetary donations. I am far from political other than having formed an ideology of what I think is best. While I am far from a “never Trumper” it was just simply that President Trump and I don’t share any common values. While I’m a believer in the political ideology of small government, strong national defense, and the inherent value of individual rights. I also believe you can’t have any of those political principles without the personal values of courage, courtesy, honor, honesty and respect.
I believe in service to nation and community. I have served in the Army National Guard, the US Marine Corps, the bowels of law enforcement, the intelligence community, and government as an executive. I was a professor at Purdue and gave up tenure twice to serve my nation. I am far from bragging because I’m not sure I was very good at any of those roles. I have always appreciated the opportunity to serve. I say this not to raise my star above others but to shine a light into the depths where the work of the nation gets done. There exists a population of government workers eager to do the work of the nation and they deserve the spotlight.
President Biden, I’ve met you and Vice President Harris a few times. Don’t worry about trying to remember me. My inherent super-power is being completely forgettable. Every interaction with you Mr. President was courteous and consciously positive. Unfortunately, I had to testify a bunch of times in front of Vice President Harris while she was in the Senate and she was a rough customer. However, I admit grudging respect for her. Take the days following your oath of office and inauguration to reflect on leading all Americans. In the cities, towns, and rural areas of the nation there is a hunger for positive effective leadership.
After testifying in front of the cameras in 2017 regarding the Russian attempted hacking of the election. The feedback from President Trump was if I was any good, I’d be working in industry. After decades of building up an excellent reputation for results, working in all the areas most people never want to work, I was now a dead man walking. Imagine being a pariah to the people doing the jobs nobody wants to do? So, I voluntarily left government service or was pushed out depending on how you look at it. This is far from sour grapes. I have been working in an amazing company, live on my sailboat in Florida, and work hard every day with some amazing people.
Mr. President, you are now the leader of all those amazing people I left behind in government service. Many of us lacked the fortitude, courage, or drive to remain serving these last four years. Those who did remain deserve some level of admiration. Whether the incredible intellectuals I worked with in the professional military education environment, the talented and mission focused people of the intelligence community, or the service first forward leaning folks in the Department of Defense. You are leading all of them and more. It is a significant responsibility, an immense challenge, and an honor few people will ever be graced with.
Mr. President ,you are no longer just a democrat. You are no longer just a parent. You are no longer just a grandparent. Mr. President, you are now the leader of the greatest nation on earth. You are my president. You are our president. Your success is our success. May the spirit light your way as our nation navigates the competing needs of so many.
With respect,
Dr. Sam