How can we make a difference when things seem unfair or overwhelming? My entire life, I've heard people say, "Write your congressman...write your senator." Well, I'm here to tell you, you may as well go spit in the wind for all the good is does.Here are snippets of a post sent to both Senator John McCain and Congresswoman Kirkpatrick, both elected officials from the State of Arizona:
Congresswoman Kirkpatrick:
I am copying you on the message I just sent to Senator McCain. I'm hoping SOMEONE will intervene to help ****** an Arizona resident and tax payer, in his time of need. This is indeed a matter of life and death for him. Besides his current emergency medical condition, he's depressed, alone, and I'm terribly concerned about him. Please find time in your busy schedule to show that the system does care.
Dear Senator McCain:
I supported you during the election, and now I'm hoping you'll find time in your schedule to show me you're a man of your word...that you truly care about the working class person. My ****** is hospitalized in ****** Arizona at the moment. He had the misfortune to serve our country during the Reagan Administration, and because of legislation, has no Veteran's benefits. **** recently had two surgeries to remove and repair a colon tumor. This all following being laid off from his job, discovering that his company did not pay into unemployment, losing his place of residence and being left virtually homeless and penniless. Why am I writing? Because ***** is a man, there are no resources available to him. He can get $100.00 in food stamps and medical attention, but where is he supposed to live when relatives have no additional funds to support him in these tough times. He's on his own.
Suffice to say, I heard absolutely NOTHING back from either. So much for writing the government. I guess I took that term "serving the people" too literally. What do you suppose it really means?
I should have learned from my sister's experience. A while back, she worked for a hospice as the quality control person. When she discovered the mistreatment of dying patients, she turned whistle blower...a supposed protective status. Her job afforded her access to patient records, so she copied and documented the falsified visits, the instances where medications were never administered, and the blatant disregard of care and compassion for those beyond normal medical help. The materials were mailed by certified post...at her expense, to all the local and federal agencies concerned with hospice care. She received one phone call from a nurse in San Diego who shared the concern, and that was the total extent of the responses to her dire cry for help. In the end, she was fired from her job, despite laws that are supposed to protect her. No attorneys she contacted were interest in a case that wouldn't garner any money for them. So much for doing good deeds. It doesn't pay to be a 'right fighter,' but she's the kind who can't sit back and watch people treated unfairly. We need to elect her to a government position that represents the people. I guess it's better to elect someone who forgot to pay their taxes as the head of Treasury, put a known plagiarist in as VP, and nominate a former senate majority leader and known income tax evader as the Secretary of Health and Human Services. If you want to read some eye-opening stories, you might visit: Michelle Malkin's Blog This woman is spot on!
These are the people who are working on our economic stimulus package...the same one's that think it's important to fund contraceptive programs, chlamydia and aids testing, the carbon recovery contest...whatever that is, and to concentrate on building energy efficient cars that no one can afford to buy. Have a gander at the crap that seems to share equal concern with the massive number of people out of work. Shouldn't they be concentrating on what they can fix NOW? I'm all for taking care of the environment, but first, let's put people back to work so they can support their families and get on with life. Too many people are contemplating ending theirs.
Rant over...for now!
Wow- good luck.
ReplyDeleteI find it interesting that people think all vets have GI bills- but it's just not true. There were close to ten years when little was offered. A whole generation of vets who "don't count."
Nancy,
ReplyDeleteIt's so unfair and one of the things that needs to be fixed. Men serving in the armed forces during that time are just as deserving as those who served any other time. As it is, there is so little available to men when they fall on hard times. Did you know that a divorced woman with children is eligible for welfare assistance and housing, but a divorced man who has custody of the children is NOT! Right now they are making a big deal about the woman who worked for years and discovered she was paid a lot less than the men. I agree it's wrong, but here's a prime example of the reverse. If we're going for equality, let's have it all around.
Thanks for visiting and sharing your opinion.
G
It comes as no surprise to me. All one gets from writing their congressperson or senator is a form letter, that is if they answer you at all, in which they tell you all about what THEY are doing. It's as if the letter you wrote is above their comprehension. I have been trying to get my (big joke) senators Kerry and Kennedy to help my PTSD Combat Veteran brother, and all he and I got, if they answered, was a form letter that meant exactly nothing. I am at a loss to know who or where a citizen can go for help anymore. Certainly, it is not, repeat not, to one's congressman or senator. (I use a small "c" and "s" because they don't deserve the title bestowed upon them. I wish you the best of luck in your attempt to help this veteran.
ReplyDeleteGod Bless!
Elena,
ReplyDeletePeople always talk a big game when they are running for office, but how quickly they forget their promises to help those who elected them. It's not like they don't have a full compliment of staff (aides and secretaries) who can respond and assure you that at least your email reached something besides the oval basket. :(