Let's talk about St. Anthony, Minnesota's Rebekah Erler's letter to Obama and some advice for her...

which she isn’t going to like one little bit. Too bad.

Today, Obama had lunch (and photo op) with Rebekah Erler of St. Anthony Park, Minnesota, who wrote him a letter to complain about how hard her life is.  And by gosh, the “ribbon cutter” president is supposed to do something about it.

In her own words on video: 

“I was frustrated,” Erler said. “I paid for my family’s mortgage payment and our child care payment all on the same day and was really frustrated at how much it all cost.”

That was the moment I really decided like, “Somebody has to say something about this,”‘ Erler told CBS News. “This is nuts. It costs more in Minnesota to send kids to daycare than it does to send them to in-state college.”

In the same story:

The Erlers both work and have two children in preschool which, according to Rebekah, costs more than their mortgage. 

 And more from this story:

In her letter to Obama, Erler wrote about her husband’s struggles to find a reliable job, the high costs of groceries and childcare, and the burden of paying off student loans. Obama said those challenges, while pervasive, are ones the government can help address.   source

Let’s review what we know for sure:

1. Rebekah lives in St. Anthony Park, MN
2. She’s 36 years old
3. She has two kids in preschool/daycare
4. She’s an accountant
5. She has a large mortgage payment that she struggles to pay
6. Her preschool costs more than that mortgage
7. She has school loans
8. Her husband can’t find “reliable” work

Rebekah,

Let’s start with your first statement about being frustrated with how much your mortgage costs.  Did you not buy the house and agree to a certain mortgage payment, or were you duped and dragged kicking and screaming into a house you clearly can’t afford?  Why are you suddenly dismayed at the payment amount? 

St. Anthony Park is a fairly expensive area.  Oh sure, there are some listings for 2 bedroom, 1 bath, 672 square foot houses that can be had for a relatively low price of $169K, but most the listings are in the 300K – 400K region. You may have wanted to consider spending a bit less for a house, or you could have chosen a different area. 

You claim to be an accountant.  Accountants make fairly good money.  Why didn’t you work really hard at paying off your school loans before splurging on a house and starting your family?  With proper planning, you could have been in position to stay home and raise your own children instead of paying exorbitant daycare fees.

I’m sorry your husband struggles to find “reliable” work – whatever that is.  Because really, Rebekah,  there really is no such thing as a “reliable” job. 

What exactly do you expect?  You managed all on your own to run up student loans, purchase a house you can’t afford, and whine that “Somebody has to say something about this,”

Well, now you’ve said it, and your president used you for a photo op while the two of you chowed down on non-Michelle approved hamburgers in a local pub.  Bet you dollars to doughnuts the two of you talked about “free” universal daycare as well as paid family leave for every time you want to take off work to see little Bobbie or Billie play soccer. 

Here’s my advice:  Sell that house, get yourself on a budget, and pay off your debts.  Send hubby off to work while you stay home and bond with the kiddies.  You can freelance your accounting talents to make extra money.

I don’t want my tax dollars going to support your lifestyle.  And I doubt anyone else does either.

And I don’t want to listen to you whine.

P.S.

This may hurt you to the core, but truth must be told.  Obama doesn’t care about you. Not one little bit.  You are what is known as a “useful idiot.”  He used you.