A few weeks ago I wrote my Senators and Representative [again] begging them to get on the ball and impeach Cheney.
Soon thereafter I received an email from my 'Democratic' Senator saying, 'Don't you worry your pretty little head about such matters -- leave the decisions to us grown-ups who understand such things.'
Then, this morning, I received an absolute brush-off from my [Republican] representative. He didn't even mention the impeachment issue at all -- he simply 'thanked' me for my letter using a full sheet of paper, an envelope, and ink to do it with along with the gasoline used for its delivery.
Now, THAT was a complete waste of resources merely to say, 'I know you won't vote for me anyway, so the hell with you and the hell with the Constitution which, by the way, I swore to uphold and defend. But, what's a little oath before God when important issues are at stake -- like paying back my corporate backers?'
Full text of both letters and my reply to Senator Nelson are below.
There's no point in responding to Bilirakis as you'll see.
^^^
Dear Ms. C_____:
Thank you for informing me of your views. Many Americans would agree that certain actions taken by this Administration warrant impeachment.
While I’m also frustrated by the failures of the White House in both foreign and domestic policy, such action would be impractical. The president’s and vice president’s terms conclude next year. In the months immediately ahead, I believe the officials in Washington need to focus on working across the aisle to get results on the major challenges facing our country--not only on Iraq, but also on health care coverage and retirement security for all Americans.
I appreciate hearing your thoughts. Please do not hesitate to contact me again.
Sincerely,
Bill Nelson
xxx
I took him at his word and sent him this:
Dear Senator Nelson:
I recently wrote you concerning impeachment of Vice President Cheney and President Bush.
You wrote me back--and thank you for the letter. I could not forgo one response.
I'm aware that it is never convenient to impeach an administration. However, these are not normal times. When our Constitution is daily being shredded and we are on the verge of being taken into yet another war on false pretenses, some sort of action must be taken.
Your argument that this is not a convenient time is simply not sufficient right now.
Thank you for your attention to this matter.
Sincerely,
^^^
Then, this morning, I received this:
Dear A______:
[and btw-- I hadn't been aware I was on a first-name basis with this man. I used his title when I wrote to him.]
Thank you for contacting me to share your thoughts on the Republican leadership. I appreciate hearing from you.
As a resident of Florida's Ninth District, your comments and opinions are an important source of information to help me carry out my duties as your federal representative. In that regard, please do no hesitate to contact me in the future on any issue important to you. Also, if you would like to be informed more frequently about my work in Congress and in Florida's Ninth Congressional District, please visit my website at *** to sign up for regular email or to send me a message.
Again, thank you for sharing your thoughts with me.
Sincerely yours,
Gus M. Bilirakis
Member of Congress
^^^
Well, what can I say?
I've known for years that the era of representative government was past.
I just hadn't expected to have my nose rubbed in it quite as flagrantly as this.
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14 comments:
I got the same types of responses from the Congressmen when I wrote to them about Burma about a month ago. It makes you wonder if they even read the letters they get.
Hi two crows-
Shortly after Obama became my Senator and decided to vote in favor of that horrible bankruptcy bill, I wrote to him about my concern over this. He sent me a form letter that told of all the wonderful things he was doing for Illinois. A few months back, his campaigners called me to ask for a donation and support for his campaign. I gave them the same answer I got from him. I told them all the wonderful things I plan on doing to make sure he doesn't get elected and thanked them for calling. I also told them that they can call in the future and I'll update them on what I've done to make sure anyone else but him gets elected in the primary. They haven't called back....I wonder why?
hey, Parson--
I don't expect the reps themselves to read their mail. I know they get a lot of it and they've got, hopefully, other stuff they're doing.
but I DO expect their staffs to read em, tally up the concerns their constituents care enough to write them about so they can -- you know -- stay informed about what we want.
sending out a form letter that at least mentions the issue the person they're ostensibly representing wrote to them about would be a nice touch, too.
hnh, Mary Ellen --
wb, hope all is well on the home front.
xx
so, Obama's up-front straight-talk demeanor is only for the press and his stump speeches?
gee, why am I not surprised?
two crows
I can't believe that Dem said that to you but I have to laugh! I have E'd it seems a million times to every one of them I can and aside from my own Rep Olver no one responds. Kennedy did once or someone did it for him and it was totally the wrong thing. He said the exact opposite of what I did and thanked me. they don't read our stiff! Those idiots don't care what we think only what they want.
hey, AAP--
I used to think the dems were on our side.
these days, I'm not so sure ANYONE is.
for sure the reps aren't. now the dems seem to have deserted us, as well.
my old rep in KC is the only one I still trust. unfortunately, I can't vote for him any more.
Hey two crows
I hate to say it but no one is on our side. We are on our own. Politicians are only concerned with themselves. it appears to me that Dems are jockeying for a position after Bush declares martial order of something.
It's just a waste of time to even deal with our Reps. We should just let them know how we feel when we go out to vote.
I hope that we can get people in office that will surely look out for the people and not the lobbyist.
hey, LT--
our representatives certainly aren't going to help us.
yes, we're on our own.
to quote Tiny Tim --
'May God bless us, every one.'
Hi two crows- this is a tad off topic, but I talked to my daughter this weekend,who is the journalist in New Hampshire and she said she met Hillary Clinton last week. I guess with the primary's coming closer, the first stop the candidates make when they get to town is the newspaper office that she works at. Anyway, she said that Hillary, without even being asked, walked up to the third floor where their office is and stopped by each desk and shook hands and talked to each journalist. My daughter said she's the only candidate who did that with out being asked to do so. Anyway, she said the photographer was in the office at the time and took pictures for all of them, which is cool. She said Hillary was a lot shorter than she thought she would be.
I'll e-mail you with some other stuff about the candidates so as not to take up your whole blog.
Where have you been, two crows??? Are you still wallpapering? I miss seeing you around, kiddo.
thanx for missing me, ME--
hope you get this.
I had my first Florida house guest last week. he was here for 8 days and, even tho he spent a lot of time jumping out of airplanes while he was here, I still stayed pretty busy keeping up with him.
then, I spent the last 2 days catching up with my Fla friends after Mike left.
and antiquing. and yes, after agonizing between a butter churn and an African drum, I ended up buying the drum. actually, it will go well in the guest room which has a world-traveler theme. :)
thanx for the update about Clinton, ME--
now, if only shoe leather and glad-handing were what made for a good president. . . .
Havr e you tried bundling half a million or so in contributions? That's how to get their attention.
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