You Want To Be Scared?

[Asonokirk V 2.0]

I have been getting e-mails periodically from my local congressional and senate representatives (Barbara Boxer, Diane Feinstein, Jane Harman), and they've been asking me for advice regarding issues involving Iraq, health care, immigration, and a few other things.

These are NOT bulk e-mails, they are addressed specifically to me, and the correspondence is two way. I answer them and they answer back, directly to "Dear James."

Here is the body of an e-mail I got today from Jane Harman:

"Dear James,

A headache is what I had following a recent healthcare roundtable discussion in Venice on implementation of the Medicare prescription drug benefit. As the daughter and sister of medical doctors, I was appalled to hear caseworkers involved in the process of getting seniors enrolled talk of frequent errors on the Medicare website, conflicting information on eligibility for the low-income subsidy, and general confusion about which plans cover needed medications and offer the best savings.

Let me be clear. I did not support the legislation to establish this benefit. I strongly opposed the Medicare Prescription Drug Act because it prevented the government from negotiating lower drug prices and left many seniors in the dark who are just now learning they have no coverage for drugs once they reach the “donut hole.”

But, like it or not, Medicare Part D is a reality, and Congress must focus on fixing its problems. For starters, this program needs a heavy dose of common sense.

The administration should streamline the process for enrolling low-income seniors in Part D and in the low-income subsidy. For such seniors already in prescription drug plans through Medicaid, it makes sense to create presumptive eligibility in order to keep them from falling through the cracks. This could be accomplished easily on the basis of data already collected by Social Security and the IRS.

The administration must provide better customer service. A recent independent study found that nearly a third of seniors who call 1-800-MEDICARE receive false or incomplete information, and rated the usability of the website very poorly. Many seniors found the government Web site so confusing that they gave up before completing the enrollment process. This is unacceptable.

The administration should also consider creating an “ombudsman” or troubleshooter for people with the most intractable problems. Seniors deserve to have someone who can resolve problems effectively and advocate on their behalf.

Finally, Congress must act to extend the deadline for penalty-free enrollment in Part D. Under current law, May 15th was the last day seniors could sign up without being subject to a penalty. Yet, the administration has fallen short of its own enrollment goals, and over 10 million elderly adults and Americans with disabilities continue to lack coverage. Seniors should not be penalized for the Administration’s failure to achieve basic milestones.

The obstacles, errors, and incompetence seniors have encountered as they struggle to comply with a new and confusing program should have the White House reaching for an aspirin, not America’s seniors, who deserve accurate and timely information about their prescription drug options.

Regards,
http://www.demnet.net/images/Images_Harman/janesignature.jpg"




Now, this all started because a few years ago I sent e-mails to them with suggestions and comments, and apparently they respect my input.

NOW THAT IS FREAKING SCARY!

:)

[sickness]

Dude, that's AWESOME! I think I'll try sending some suggestions my rep's way!

[Queen Mae]

I don't think it's scary, I think it's great. Our politicians work for us, so it's logical that they should check in with their bosses once in a while. :wink:

[Asonokirk V 2.0]

I don't think it's scary, I think it's great. Our politicians work for us, so it's logical that they should check in with their bosses once in a while. :wink:

Which is a point of been trying to make in here. WE are in charge, and WE have the power. YOU HAVE TO EXERCISE IT!

[kah]

What's scary to me, is that you probably don't even know if you voted for these people, considering you've just decided to stop being an apathetic voter. Why did you spend the time writing them, if you didn't spend the time learning about them before they were elected?

And for the record, I think it's awesome.

[Asonokirk V 2.0]

What's scary to me, is that you probably don't even know if you voted for these people, considering you've just decided to stop being an apathetic voter. Why did you spend the time writing them, if you didn't spend the time learning about them before they were elected?

And for the record, I think it's awesome.

I know that I didn't vote for any of them. It started with my company asking all of us to send e-mails to our local congressional representatives regarding a lawsuit my company was involved with. We wanted to get congress to change the law to prevent the suit. Anyway, I sent the e-mails and they responded. Thus began the correspondence.

What is "awesome" about this? You're the second person to say that. The average slob on the street has WAY MORE power than he realizes. If you reach out in a meaningful, professional, and dignified way to anyone, they'll listen to you. All you have to do is type that e-mail, write that letter, make that phone call. HOWEVER, You can't be full of shit. You have to make the impression that you know what you're talking about, and that you are a completely reasonable and responsible individual.

[Space Tycoon]

The average slob on the street has WAY MORE power than he realizes.

That is frightening. I actually know a few people I would categorize as the "average slob on the street," and they already have too much power.


I think I'm getting jaded about democracy. It really is a joke.





.

[kah]

I know that I didn't vote for any of them. It started with my company asking all of us to send e-mails to our local congressional representatives regarding a lawsuit my company was involved with. We wanted to get congress to change the law to prevent the suit. Anyway, I sent the e-mails and they responded. Thus began the correspondence.

What is "awesome" about this? You're the second person to say that. The average slob on the street has WAY MORE power than he realizes. If you reach out in a meaningful, professional, and dignified way to anyone, they'll listen to you. All you have to do is type that e-mail, write that letter, make that phone call. HOWEVER, You can't be full of shit. You have to make the impression that you know what you're talking about, and that you are a completely reasonable and responsible individual.


Really? You really believe that? So you're apathetic and idealistic? Imagine that. I'm glad that you were given a work assignment that turned out to be in your favor, but maybe you need to talk to some of the people who have written, and written, and written their representatives, receiving no response whatsoever. It can either be that they get too many letters to respond to, or that they don't really care about your opinion now that they're in office. I'm sure there's plenty of both.

I'm really getting pretty tired of your generalizations; old people are stupid, people who don't write their congressmen are average slobs, Evangelicals are bad Christians, and then there's your threads about evil. Could you possibly try making a point without generalizing and stereotyping an entire group?

[Space Tycoon]

Could you possibly try making a point without generalizing and stereotyping an entire group?

Well, isn't that just something a Wisconsinite would say.... :smirks:




.

[kah]

Well, isn't that just something a Wisconsinite would say.... :smirks:




.

Nice. Reaaaall nice. LOL. I was just thinking about what I wrote, and I kind of feel a twinge of guilt, like I am advocating censorship. But I'm not. I just wish people actually knew what they were talking about before they started talking. That's all. And that's straight from the Wisconsinite's mouth.

[Asonokirk V 2.0]

Really? You really believe that? So you're apathetic and idealistic? Imagine that. I'm glad that you were given a work assignment that turned out to be in your favor, but maybe you need to talk to some of the people who have written, and written, and written their representatives, receiving no response whatsoever. It can either be that they get too many letters to respond to, or that they don't really care about your opinion now that they're in office. I'm sure there's plenty of both.

I'm really getting pretty tired of your generalizations; old people are stupid, people who don't write their congressmen are average slobs, Evangelicals are bad Christians, and then there's your threads about evil. Could you possibly try making a point without generalizing and stereotyping an entire group?

Would you mind reading what I write, instead of assuming you understand what I'm saying?

A. I never said old people were stupid. I said "some" and it is also TRUE that there are people in this world that are stupid, and they are of ALL ages.
B. I never said people who don't write congressmen are average slobs.
C. I never said "Evangelicals are bad Christians." I said that those who make a living, and end up wealthy, through their ministries are, IN MY OPINION, not good Christians.

The reason, the "I would be willing to bet you" REAL reason people who have written, and written, and written, as you mention without any response, is because they are
A: full of shit
B: have nothing meaningful to say in their letters

I know for a FACT that if you approach anyone in authority within any organization with diplomacy, tact, and something meaningful, they'll not only listen, but act if necessary. I know this through the fact that EVERY SINGLE TIME I've wanted to talk to or correspond with ANYONE, and this includes government officials, motion picture studio heads, directors, actors, artist's agencies, CEO's of corporations, athletes, scientists, etc., they've not only responded, but were more than willing to help me if I needed it as well as direct me to someone who could if they weren't able to.

I'm not "generalizing" about anything. I'm sharing thoughts, reflections and observations. Nothing I say is etched in stone, and is just my opinion or theory of the moment.

Anything I post in here is for the sake of discussion, argument, or just general reflection. We all have opinions, and sharing them is how people trade information with each other. I certainly don't know much of anything, so when I post something my hope is to learn from the thoughts of others. For example, your post tells me I'm rubbing you the wrong way. I'm sorry about that, and will learn from knowing that.

[Space Tycoon]

And that's straight from the Wisconsinite's mouth.

I agonized for several minutes about whether it was proper to say, "Wisconsinite," "Wisconsinian" or "Wisconsiner." So many variables! So many factors!

But I made my choice, and I stand by it.




.

[kah]

Would you mind reading what I write, instead of assuming you understand what I'm saying?

A. I never said old people were stupid. I said "some" and it is also TRUE that there are people in this world that are stupid, and they are of ALL ages.
B. I never said people who don't write congressmen are average slobs.
C. I never said "Evangelicals are bad Christians." I said that those who make a living, and end up wealthy, through their ministries are, IN MY OPINION, not good Christians.

The reason, the "I would be willing to bet you" REAL reason people who have written, and written, and written, as you mention without any response, is because they are
A: full of shit
B: have nothing meaningful to say in their letters

I know for a FACT that if you approach anyone in authority within any organization with diplomacy, tact, and something meaningful, they'll not only listen, but act if necessary. I know this through the fact that EVERY SINGLE TIME I've wanted to talk to or correspond with ANYONE, and this includes government officials, motion picture studio heads, directors, actors, artist's agencies, CEO's of corporations, athletes, scientists, etc., they've not only responded, but were more than willing to help me if I needed it as well as direct me to someone who could if they weren't able to.

I'm not "generalizing" about anything. I'm sharing thoughts, reflections and observations. Nothing I say is etched in stone, and is just my opinion or theory of the moment.

Anything I post in here is for the sake of discussion, argument, or just general reflection. We all have opinions, and sharing them is how people trade information with each other. I certainly don't know much of anything, so when I post something my hope is to learn from the thoughts of others. For example, your post tells me I'm rubbing you the wrong way. I'm sorry about that, and will learn from knowing that.

I have to apologize. I think both of us have been getting on each other's nerves lately. The Lounge has become the Kirk and Kah Fight Club. I don't mean to trample on your opinions, or to act like you are trying to be antagonistic, but some of your "observations" just strike me as so wrong, that I'm actually offended reading them. Case in point- the topic about elderly people. I don't care what you say about Christians. I was just trying to make a point. If you are going to espouse a theory, then you believe that a majority holds those traits. That's what a theory is. If you want to say old people are stupid, but really are only talking about 5% of the elderly population, then that is not a theory. That is a specific observation of a small study group, which is not indicative of the whole.

I don't want you to adjust your way of sharing on these boards because you rub me the wrong way. (Waits for a comment from Jake...) I just need to take a moment sometimes and calm down before I respond to some of your more inflamatory posts.

And for the record, I am glad you have had such good luck corresponding with your statesmen. There is not only A & B to answer why some people don't get a response from their local leaders. Sometimes their local leaders are too busy getting up to their eyeballs in corruption to worry about their constituents. Or they are too stupid to respond coherently, which is just a result of the cost of democracy. You don't have to be smart to get into office. You just need more money than the other guy.

Anyways, I apologize. I probably won't be able to control myself the next time you post one of your theories, but please know that I don't harbor any resentments towards you, or think ill of you, or want you to think badly of me. Just know that I think you are wrong. That's all. We seem to be decisively on the opposite side of most issues, so we will just have to agree to disagree.