Reagan's Daughter, Patti Davis: Why Am I Losing My Health Insurance?

In a twitter posting on Friday, liberal activist, Patti Davis, the daughter of former President Ronald Reagan, echoed the sentiment of thousands upon thousands of American citizens, when she tweeted the following question: "Could the president please explain why I and others are losing our health ins. plans? Wasn't supposed to happen!" Newsmax reported on Sunday.

Ms. Davis, who is known for her rebellious, liberal streak, had been estranged from her parents for a number of years, Newsmax noted, but she later reconciled with both of them, despite her staunch Liberal views and free-spirited nature.

In recent weeks, Ms. Davis has expressed disappointment with President Obama, particularly with the way he handled the recent government shutdown, Newsmax noted. And, while Davis remains a staunch Liberal activist, who blames the shutdown primarily on Republicans, she nevertheless had some harsh words for President Obama.

In an open letter to President Obama, she wrote:

[Excerpts from the letter] Dear Mr. President.

Since you have quoted my father on a number of occasions, always strategically, always with a political goal in mind, I thought you might like to know something about him as a man... You’re the president. And if you are going to quote my father, you might want to learn from him.

We all remember your campaign tag of “no drama Obama.” Interesting that there has been one drama after another in your presidency, this last one [the government shutdown] really tipping the scales. My father would never have thought to announce he wasn’t about drama. He just wasn’t. It was how he lived, how he conducted himself. If you live it, you don’t need to talk about it. He believed with all his heart that he was given a destiny to fulfill, that whatever he did as president was for the good of all Americans. That’s why he talked to the American people in the heartfelt way that garnered him the title of the Great Communicator.

Mr. President, when you talk to us — on the few occasions that you do — you seem annoyed, as if this job you campaigned for is keeping you from something else you’d rather be doing. It seems like you don’t like us very much [Editors Note: Chris Matthews made the same point last year during an interview], and whether people agreed with my father or disagreed with him, they always came away believing that he liked them...

Announcing that you won’t negotiate is not showing leadership, it’s showing a pouting face to the country and the world. My father understood leadership. He understood that it’s a mix of strength, gentleness, and humor. He would never have frozen out the opposing party...

You have talked often about reaching across the aisle.But do you extend your hand with kindness, with an understanding that the person you’re reaching toward believes as fervently as you do that he is right? Or are you just following a political map?...

[My father] could negotiate successfully with those from the other side of the aisle. He saw their humanity even if he thought they were wrong. He would never have insulted them, or frozen them out. He understood that Americans elect a president... who can handle things better than they do, not someone who complains and grumbles in the same ways they do.

Mr. President..., my father... had humility, and in that humility was great strength. He had a kindness toward other human beings that transcended political boundaries. That’s what brought this country to a standstill when he died. Maybe people are born with those attributes, maybe they can learn them. I don’t know. I’m trying hard every day to learn from the man whose DNA runs through my veins. Maybe you could try a little harder to learn from him too.

Sorry to shatter your dreams, Patti, and I'm sorry that I can't draw upon your father's spirit of optimism in this instance. But Mr. Obama will always remain who he is, and he will never, ever learn from your father the attributes of humility, kindness or any of the other noble character traits that your father possessed.

I'm sorry to shatter your dreams, but what can I do? The truth can be shattering.