OK, the first thing you have to do is go through a tutorial saying that anything you, as a voter and constituent, say is irrelevant. The Congressman’s time is way more valuable than yours so why bother? They hire a firm that discourages any contact whatsoever with your elected representative.
So these guys and gals we elect can go lunch at the prime spots in D.C. and think their constituents are tame and happy. Then dress up and go to the ball and tell people what a nice bunch of people that voted them into office. Republicans say that now, Dems may in two years if you keep this up. Meanwhile constituents fume about TSA gropings and films surface from disgruntled passengers who feel violated when a four year-old boy is shirtless and being subjected to an aggressive “pat-down.”
If you political figures had to undergo the plights of your constituents you might think otherwise. I’ve worked for the government, and it was our job to deal with constituents every day. Sometimes they’d call because there was a dead raccoon in the road. Or say that a recent renovation didn’t meet ADA requirements. When people cared enough to contact their representative on a local, state or national basis it was because they had a need or concern that was not being met. Yes, it was work but we did it. We answered their calls, letters and scheduled visits for the deaf lady who said the blind people got all the breaks.
And the band played waltzing Matilda, for the veterans who wanted free home loans and yes, I was the lone woman at the VFW breakfast and back then I could’ve tarted up for them but only found out I had to be there at six-o’clock in the morning so I was wearing my usual suit. But I was there, I listened, and I didn’t need every person’s name, address and nine-digit zip code before letting them unlock the key to ask me a question. They were nice guys who thought the scrambled eggs were rubbery too. Cheers, Dee
Cooking with Dee 