Why is it so difficult to let our elected representatives know our opinions?
By ladyluna
@ladyluna (7004)
United States
March 8, 2009 10:08am CST
Hello All,
D'ya know why it's so difficult to let our thoughts be known about upcoming legislative efforts? Nawww, it's not because there isn't a toll free number to the Capitol Hill Switchboard -- although, that would be helpful wouldn't it???
Here's the real reason why:
http://www.house.gov/house/floor/thisweek.htm
Did you take a looksy?
Is that unbelievable or what! The link leads to the official weekly docket for the US House of Representatives. And, guess what? It's empty! There's not a single legislative initiative listed. It's Sunday, and tomorrow is Monday, which is the first day of the legislative week. Yet, no one bothers to let the voter, the media, or anyone else for that matter, know what is slated to be voted on in the coming week.
[b]Why is that, I wonder?
Why do you think our elected representatives keep us in the dark about what they're doing?
So much for transparency, huh???
Maybe it's time to pound the phone in an effort to insist that the legislative docket be posted for at least a week in advance, preferably a month. Any thoughts?
Thanks for taking the time to read my rant. I look forward to all of your perspectives. [/b]
[b]Why is that, I wonder?
Why do you think our elected representatives keep us in the dark about what they're doing?
So much for transparency, huh???
Maybe it's time to pound the phone in an effort to insist that the legislative docket be posted for at least a week in advance, preferably a month. Any thoughts?
Thanks for taking the time to read my rant. I look forward to all of your perspectives. [/b]4 people like this
11 responses
@PrarieStyle (2486)
• United States
12 Mar 09
President "transparent" sure became invisible when he signed this last bill didn't he? He put on the big show with multiple pens making himself look like he knows what he's doing. But now, he had to hide to sign this last pork loaded bill. As if we're all stupid and won't know what he did.
Calling them, signing petitions and sending email won't do any good. I think we have to start sending snail mail letters. Remember the old days before the internet. We would would all ban together and swamp their mail boxes with letters, and they got the picture. I remember seeing on the news when that people would send truck loads of letters and the news was all over the story.
3 people like this
@PrarieStyle (2486)
• United States
15 Mar 09
Kool Aid caps Kitty. 
Now I'm wondering if the stock market went up last week because he signed President Bush's "last year's bill", hiding in the closet, the other day.
Now I'm wondering if the stock market went up last week because he signed President Bush's "last year's bill", hiding in the closet, the other day.1 person likes this
@rodney850 (2145)
• United States
9 Mar 09
LadyLuna,
I prefer the electronic coorespondence myself. I have written numerous e-mails to my senators and representatives. The sad fact is that it is doubtful these people see many of these e-mails or even are apprised of the phone calls as their staff only interrupts the congressman/woman or senator only when they deem it necessary.
The way I see it is as long as we have party monkeys voting for the same people every election, we will never see real change in Washington. What is a party monkey? This is a person who votes party lines even if it is a monkey running on the ticket! This disease affects both parties and is of epidemic proportion. Until people wake up and see DC for what it is and start voting the republicans and democrats out of office we will continue to see business as usual in DC.
3 people like this
@ladyluna (7004)
• United States
9 Mar 09
Excellent points, Sir Rodney! I stood firm in my conviction last year to vote in no incumbent. Alot of good that did, huh?
And X, geesh, it's been 48 minutes and still nothing. I think all the race-baiters all circling Kennyrose's "Buy Black" story.
3 people like this
@nzinky (822)
• United States
8 Mar 09
Did you know that one letter to Your Sentor or Repsentive is worth a thousand phone calls......They will listen if you set down and write a letter cause they have to answer it.....
But why do people keep putting people in office that should be in jail???????
@ladyluna (7004)
• United States
8 Mar 09
Hello Nzinky,
Your words used to ring with solid clarity. Though, they've figured out how to get around those pesky letters. You see, now they simply conceal the agenda until there isn't enough time for a letter to be delivered by the post office.
I'll add that I have a very long history of writing to my representatives. As an aside, I also regularly stop by their local offices! Anyway, I cannot begin to count the letters that I have recieved back that are no more than cookie cutter letters that say absolutely nothing. Why bother spending the $.42 to send the letter, then have to pay for the postage back on a letter that says nothing? To say nothing of the fact that the 'staffers' stamp the signature on the cookie cutter letters anyway.
Believe me, I completely respect your point. And, if letters are your preference, please, please keep sending them. For me, I'd rather have the staffer squirm in direct contact with the angry constituent.
Now, to your REALLY important question: Why aren't they in jail?
Because Harry Truman's Congress voted themselves and their predecessors permanent 'get out of jail free' cards!!! And, the bums on Capitol Hill today certainly aren't going to re-write that law unless they find themselves looking doen the wrong end of a rebellion!
Great points, Nzinky!
3 people like this
@Destiny007 (5805)
• United States
8 Mar 09
They treat us like mushrooms. I'm sure you know the rest.
They do this because the Speaker does not want anyone, especially the unimportant voting class to have any say in what the government is doing. All we does is make a lot of noise and interfere in their work as they make new laws that further erode our rights.
Pelosi thinks that the government should be ruled from the top down, as do Reid, and the 0bamunist. They believe that government dictates, and we are expected to obey any and all mandates.
Meanwhile, they keep piling on the spending, and the first chance they get they are going to be piling on the taxes. Since the rich are not going to be able to supply the tax revenue, that means that everyone else is going to pay higher taxes as well.
Everyone of these members of Congress are what I would consider to be rich, wealthy, or whatever terminology is in vogue... the point is most of them are millionaires, most of them are career politicians, and most of them have no clue as to what everyday life is all about.
They claimed Bush was out of touch, but he was no more out of touch then they are.
They don't have anything on the schedule for the simple fact that they don't care what we think, and they don't think it is our concern or business to know.
They are elitists, and they think they know better than us what to do.
3 people like this
@Ima_C_Suvaya (431)
• United States
11 Mar 09
Hey, they put some days of the week and start times, I'm feeling more informed already. Can't get more transparent than that.
3 people like this
Hey, at the very least if someone was unsure of the date, they could always gain that info from those helpful folks in Congress, huh? @Ima_C_Suvaya (431)
• United States
9 Mar 09
I just emailed my rep., Jay Inslee (d), and gave him the WTF. Now that I have his email on my blackberry I can ask him poignant questions throughout the day. I have a feeling we will become closer. Thanks Ladyluna for putting this out.
3 people like this
@morethanamolehill (1586)
• United States
12 Mar 09
I have several representatives on speed dial. And I call them whenever Rush tells me to... (A little joke for the libsters, Hope they appreesh)
The problem is they all hide behind clueless phone screeners. But then again I hide behind *67 too. But I have reason for anonymity. These people don't seem to take criticism well. Just ask Jim Cramer.
One question. How did we get to a place where the wackjobs in San Fransisco get to elect the leader of the entire country?? Jeesh I can't wait for 2010. We need a Swiffer® in the House...
2 people like this
@ladyluna (7004)
• United States
12 Mar 09
Somehow I don't think that the Libsters will really appreciate this particular humor. I, on the other hand, appreciate it very much! Thank you!
Through the many chuckles I still found myself rhetorically impaled by your perspective that the San Francisco Congressional district was exclusively authorized to vote in the leader of our nation. Hmmm, me thinks that I'll need some time to recover from that awakening -- wow!
If I may, might I ask you to expound on Jim Cramer? I have no idea what you may be alluding to. Do you mean the Jim Cramer from CNBC? If so, I must have missed something -- and I'm sensing that it may have been something noteworthy. Am I "on" or "off" base?
2 people like this
@morethanamolehill (1586)
• United States
13 Mar 09
Yes I mean That Jim Cramer. It seems that he was a 'bama supporter through the campaign, and he is a big lib. But he recently said that The O's plans are stupid and destined to fail (I'm paraphrasing) and has since felt the sting of the Democrat hate machine. The worst part is that while his beloved party was jumping his case, Rush Limbaugh came to his defense. I recently heard Cramer on some spinning head show asking all the politicians he's supported for his money back!! And they call Rush an entertainer!!
Some of Cramer's quotes (taken completely out of context of course)
“This is the most, greatest wealth destruction I’ve seen by a president”
“Until the Obama administration starts listening, until they start paying attention to what you’re watching – to the stock market, until they realize that their agenda is destroying the life savings of millions of Americans – then all I can give you is caution,”
“I’m not asking for the Feds to give us a plunge protection team, to stop declines – as we always thought to be the case under Greenspan,” he continued. “I’m not saying, ‘Mr. President, stare at the Bloomberg quote machine and come to your senses. I just want some sign that Obama realizes the market is totally falling apart and his agenda has a big hand in that happening.”
“I thought the prices, the screen, the action, the sense of a vortex down that cannot be stopped, of equities becoming worthless, of savings becoming tattered, of a stock market without bottom,” Cramer said. “But this time in slow motion, I felt the total lack of control that we all feel right now – the ‘it’s out of my hands,’ the ‘where’s the authority,’ the, ‘Hey, it’s amateur hour at our darkest moment.’ It’s the feeling of capitalism vanishing, businesses capsizing under their own weight – thanks to an administration that doesn’t seem to know or maybe doesn’t care.”
“Hey – I get it,” Cramer said. “Young president, big landslide, vigorous agenda, Congress that smells Republican blood – might find changing the world simply irresistible. We all want to change the world. I know I’d like to change the world, but when you talk about wealth destruction, don’t you know that you can count me out?”
I got these quotes from ONE article
http://www.businessandmedia.org/articles/2009/20090303083226.aspx
Here is another article about Cramer's response to The WH.
http://www.businessandmedia.org/articles/2009/20090306151603.aspx
And an article about that "Bastion of news reporting", Jon Stewart calling CNBC "criminal"
http://www.businessandmedia.org/articles/2009/20090312235048.aspx
This looks like a pretty good news site. It's Media Research Center. I Bookmarked it and will refer back often.
And as a bonus here is an column by John Hawkins on Obi wan's Top Ten amateur mistakes. Read 'em and weep.
http://townhall.com/Columnists/JohnHawkins/2009/03/10/the_10_biggest_amateur_mistakes_by_the_obama_administration_so_far
2 people like this
@coffeebreak (17798)
• United States
9 Mar 09
They don't want to know what we think. They don't want to hear from us cause then they'd have to listen and they sure don't want to do that! They don't care what we think, just what will make them keep their job and keep their huge salaries and cushy life style and keep us paying the bill. End of story
2 people like this
@ladyluna (7004)
• United States
9 Mar 09
There, you see? There is the silver lining, Coffeebreak. You said it, they do care about keeping their jobs -- and it is we who decide whether they ultimately get what they want, or not. It's time to start talking to friends, family, neighbors, anyone who will listen. The water is beginning to reach a slow boil. The more people's pocketbooks take the hit, the more they will listen.
End of story? Not as far as I see it. Instead, it seems like the end of a chapter is coming. Which means that a whole new chapter awaits!
3 people like this
@ladyluna (7004)
• United States
9 Mar 09
Hello Coffeebreak,
I stand corrected. You're right -- officials that we are unable to vote for are in a position to affect our lives. As well, they do love to strut for the cameras. Yup, it's enough to make ya' wanna' reach for the Pepto Bismol.
3 people like this
@spalladino (17891)
• United States
8 Mar 09
LMAO!! I had to laugh when I saw that! 
Are we supposed to believe that everyone is going to show up on Monday with no clue....Whatta you wanna talk about today?....I dunno. 
I agree with you, it's time for some phone calls.
Are we supposed to believe that everyone is going to show up on Monday with no clue....Whatta you wanna talk about today?....I dunno.
I agree with you, it's time for some phone calls. @Ima_C_Suvaya (431)
• United States
2 Apr 09
Hey, rep. Jay Inslee (d) WA. sent me the following websites. He said these would be more informative. http://clerk.house.gov or http://democraticleaderhouse.gov. He "applauds me for my interest in federal matters" and also thinks "it's great we have people who are so actively engaged in helping make public policy."
