Friday, October 4, 2013

Dear Members Of Congress



















Dear Members of Congress:

These are busy days, scheduling television and radio talking head appearances and face time with local constituents at fundraising galas, I know, but I'd like to beg a few moments of your time to talk about something I still consider to be important:  your jobs.

You know, the ones you aren't actually doing these days.

The job for which you were elected, while promising to faithfully serve the interests of your constituents while secretly, in your greedy little heart, thinking about how that very same job could serve the interests of you and all of your political posse of hangers on.

The jobs we, the American voting public, are paying for with our own hard-earned tax dollars. 

I'd say we aren't exactly getting value for our money out of the lot of you in Congress, wouldn't you agree?  Worse, I'd say that the bulk of you took your oath of office without pausing to even listen or consider the words that you were mouthing, with your hand placed solemnly on a Bible while cameras clicked away to remember your moment for all eternity in commemorative fundraising brochures. 

Be honest, with me and with yourself, you were standing there thinking about the style of font and color of paper for that fundraising brochure, weren't you?  And, moreover, how much money you would begin to raise with those very first shots for your next election cycle.

This is what we have become:  a nation of leaders who don't lead, and voters who are voting for empty placeholders who do nothing but chase campaign coffer money down the next election cycle rabbit hole.


What ever happened to working together toward building that "more perfect union?"  Isn't that the point of a responsible elected body which is put in place to work for the interests of the governed?  Last time I checked, all of you were working at our -- the American people's -- sufferance, and boy, are you making us suffer for electing you.

Here's a thought, one that I have been having a lot lately:  how about you all get off my television and radio and, instead, go back to actually doing the work for which we, your public, are shelling out our money for your barely earned paychecks?  You could pass an actual budget.  Sit down and negotiate real solutions to the nation's problems instead of just carping about them on a talking head parade.  Honestly negotiate and deal with one another the way that the legislature was intended to function instead of coming up with new and better ways to be a blockade mechanism to anything getting done.

Who knows, we might all benefit from it if you actually tried to DO your jobs instead of posing, preening, and parading around mouthing words that are only designed to help you KEEP your jobs.  Don't think that some of us don't see through your kabuki show to know exactly what you find most important -- yourself.  Over and over again, one thing has been made perfectly clear to this disgruntled voter, and that is your willingness to do anything, say anything, make a fuss about anything that will get you re-elected.  And that this is the sole thing on most of your minds 100% of the time.

Try something new:  govern.

Or you might just find that your re-election hopes and dreams have disappeared along with the nation's patience.  How's that for some incentive.

Your disgusted constituent,

Christy Hardin Smith

(Photo of the lovely reflection pool before the Lincoln Memorial via anpalacios.  Seemed appropriate, given Lincoln's actual commitment to justice and good government.  Seems quaint, now, doesn't it?  SIGH)


2 comments:

Unknown said...

Bravo Kristy...perfect example of what most of us are living with when it comes to our congressmen. They are mostly into only themselves and what they can get out of the job. We are all fed up with the present state of affairs and mostly it is because of the GOP's insidious hatred of our President. They are like a bunch of playground kids who cannot get their ways...really pathetic. Let's hope a few of them get a grasp at what is happening and decide to work for the people and do something FOR THE PEOPLE and vote to open the government again. If not, I pray that the people wake up and vote each and every one of them out to give them a taste of their own nonsense! Bless you Kristy!! Maureen Maloney

Unknown said...

congress,
Notice I used lower case, that's because you do not rate a uppercase opening.
I have lived thru poverty going up as a child, sickness as a child, and sickness as a adult, don't get me wrong, my dad and mom did the best they could. As a adult my husband and I raise our boys to be quit the men they are today, all graduated from high school, one served in Iraq, and finished college, the other two are also doing quite well.
I watched my mom and dad suffer because of not having health care, and no options to receive it, but as a adult my husband and I made sure our family was covered even at a enormous cost. What I am telling you is even though we managed our budget to include health care, it was tuff, and our children and us did without a lot. We were never able to save for a rainy day, it seems like it was always raining when it came to money.
When I was 38 I was diagnosed with stage 2b breast cancer that was 18 years ago, August, again In 2003, with a recurrence, I had great doctor, but the odds were 75/25 with me being the 25, you see I was allergic to chemo, and all the drugs used to combat the effects of radiation, so yes I am blessed. I have a lot of friends that have passed form this disease since then because of no health insurance, and they could not get the same quality care that I received. I am not saying that "Obamacare" is the best, but it is better than not having anything. congress has had many opportunities to get a health care plan in place, I would say a lifetime, but you can not quit the constant bickering between yourselves, you have a problem crossing party lines, most of the people don't give a rat's hinney about party lines unless of course they make over 100,000 a year.
You, being congress or any elected official continue to give yourself raises, where is our raise? You have received exemption from this health care, and you should not, you also still receive your pay check, all the while you have shut the government down and furloughed more people than there is in congress. My question to you is how can you live with yourselves when children are going hungry, our service men and women do not have access to the facilities they need, and people in general can not access what we need at all, but then again you and your families don't have to worry about that because you are wealthy. Just how much of this is fair? I would say NONE!!!!! I can assure you all when election time comes, all of us won't be thinking red or blue, but who will do the job "WE THE PEOPLE" put you in office to do a job, "WE THE PEOPLE" will take you out of office.