1/16/19

My dear Friend and President, DJT,

I see that you had some snow in DC. I am ambivalent about snow. It's beautiful while it's falling but ... It's wet here and we're getting more rain tonight and tomorrow. I got soaked biking home yesterday. Riding in the rain makes me feel like a hero triumphing over the elements. It doesn't take much to give me a thrill. Do you ever get a thrill out of the weather?

I wish things were going better for you. I was sorry to read about the US soldiers killed in Syria. Just when you thought that the rebels had been vanquished. Will you be changing your mind about pulling the troops out now that it's clear that the rebels are still around?

I'm also sorry to hear that no one is moving on the shutdown. I feel sorry for those folks who are being asked to come back to work without a paycheck. I am most concerned about the TSA agents who don't make much in the first place so can't save money for this kind of thing. I encourage you to invite some to the WH so you can better understand their plight.

I understand that NDP wants to postpone the State of the Union until the shutdown is over. Are you going to go along with that plan? I think you should. As you know, she's worried about your security given that the Secret Service and Homeland Security folks are working without pay. You might prefer to cancel all together since you would be speaking to a chamber with so many Dems in it. AOC or one of her young friends might yell at you like Rep Joe Wilson did when Barak was speaking in 2009. That might get ugly. Maybe best to just send a written report this year.

 I hope your meeting with the Problem Solvers Caucus provides some hope for a compromise.

Best,

RCA

PS - I'm excited to see that my fellow Dartmouth Alumna, NY Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand has thrown her hat in the ring. It would be fun to watch you two wrangle in 2020.