I'd like to take a moment to tell you that I'm not happy. Not one bit. I'm practicing my right to voice my opinion… and I can do that, since I voted. And I voted for you, actually, since the thought of McCain saying "Bomb, bomb, bomb Iran" scared the bejeesus out of me. So, I won't lie, you weren't my first choice… mine conceded early in the primary. But, holy crap, right now? I'm really disillusioned.

You see, I'm a historian by nature. So, I look at things in the light of what has happened in the past. It's not always fair, but it's how I work. And in times of crisis, a president should jump to the aid of its people. The 2010 Gulf Oil spill, known as Deepwater Horizon, began on April 20, 2010. You still have yet to set foot near the Gulf of Mexico (and you won't until tomorrow). Instead, you did a flyover a little more than a week after. I'm calling you out. I'll be the first one to call other presidents' mistakes out, and right now, some of the worst legislative presidents in history are making you look like a chump. Our most recent president, George W. Bush, almost immediately after 9/11 was on rubble in New York City with a bullhorn rallying Americans, and just a few days after Katrina was in both Mississippi and Louisiana on the ground speaking with residents. [Of course, Vice President Cheney didn't help things when he told the world to eff off, but I digress.] Americans need a president to come to their aid and more than anything right now, Southerners needed YOU to have already visited and tell BP to step up their efforts to stop the spill.

You see, it's not an educated estimation, but I can't help but wonder if something would have been stopped sooner if you had stepped up sooner. Instead, now as oil plumes are reaching Mobile Bay, the South is in danger of losing pieces of the ecosystem, months (or years) of the fishing industry, and a hit in tourism which drastically affects our economy. The farther this goes, the worse it gets, and it will continue to get worse especially if a hurricane(s) comes through. 

Kudos to you sir, for standing up and taking responsibility today. This is now the largest oil spill in U.S. history, and will far surpass the Exxon Valdez spill. But, if this top kill doesn't work, what are your plans? Will you continue to let big business let states and their economies be devastated while they continue to rake in a profit, or for once, will the U.S. stand up for its own people and not let another travesty like Katrina blemish the government?

This may not be fair. But, you initially blamed BP; BP said they're not in charge, and then today you said it's your fault. Southerners are searching for answers as our region is beginning to suffer because of what has happened. The South is watching your actions, Mr. Obama, just as we watched Mr. Bush five years ago. So far, you've scored just as poorly and it's our governors who are looking like the superstars.

Civically yours,
VM

P.S. It's interesting to see how news outlets pulled apart the your oil spill presser… CNN chose to focus on the "Top Kill" project, while MSNBC looked at the administration response times of Deepwater Horizon versus Katrina and 9/11, and FOX attacked the Obama administration's delay in the Sestak allegations. And people don't think that their media is biased…

Needless to say, I was very glad to have 5.5" this morning, and about 7" total in the backyard in some spots. So, as soon as 4:30 hit, I bolted out the door and headed home, excited to get to this hizzouse and play in the snow. My first thought was to make a snowman… but the snow was too powdery.

So, I made a snow angel. I lay on the ground and just looked up, so glad to know that I was just surrounded by powdery white snow. Then I felt how cold that snow was through the jeans. And then I realized as a person of my age, and who doesn't get up quickly of the ground, that snow goes down the back of your pants quickly (not to mention it's really cold… duh). As I got up, I started dancing around because the snow went down my pants pretty quickly, and then realized I had an audience across the street. Glad they enjoyed the show.

After that, I literally took on the 4-year-old in me and just ran around the yard kicking the snow. Why? Because I could. I took a few more pictures and stomped around in it, and people giggled at a grown woman playing around in the snow. But, I could care less. I really enjoyed getting to play around in the snow. It was like being a kid again. I was a kid again!

There are just a few pictures of my rendezvous with the fantastic dusting that DC received after the jump…

Tagging the steps…

My feet in the snow… overwhelmed by the powder.

Lying in the snow.

Post-snow angel. Isn't it fabulous?!

Me & some snow. Jamming & snowing.

The backyard.

The empty lot across the street.

My street in the snow.