Harlingen, Texas, October 13, 2009: "I am not a deep thinker like all of our political whiz-kids in Washington", says Myrna Rogers of Los Angeles, California, "but, I can't figure out how raising everyone's taxes now and making medical insurance companies even richer, then waiting three years to have the insurance kick in and give me medical coverage, is good healthcare reform."
This lack of faith in our national officials is an ongoing theme in the remarks citizens from across the nations have emailed in response to last week's commentary on Americans speaking out about Washington and the political elite.
Americans across the political spectrum are speaking out. Perhaps the most concerned voices are those of retired military personnel and veterans. Both of these groups have been victims of self-serving politicians who neither value military service nor view those who served as potential voters.
One of these speaking out is Retired Marine Sergeant Major Leo Robert of State College, Pennsylvania. He sees the continuing rants on healthcare and other planned legislation in the same light. The Sergeant Major writes, "I feel that politicians from both parties are in it for themselves. It is not what's good for America. Politicians from both parties are more interested in getting re-elected. It is about power and $$. Nothing else. The Republicans had many chances to help get America back to its roots and failed to do so. The Democrats are following in their footsteps. Today issues are no longer important. There is so much political correctness. Until we change the mindset in Washington we'll continue to go deeper into the cesspool."
Michael G. Bailey is a 100% disabled veteran who feels "Politicians seem to cause more problems than they solve." He speaks about the corruption and misdeeds of so many we have elected to high office and laments, "If this is what we have in elected officials, then we need to take a deep breath and start over." He also believes, "It is time to end professional politicians and term limit all elected positions."
Donna Hood is a housewife in Yakima, Washington. She notes, "When all the cities and many companies made major cuts and even had employees working without pay for periods of time, I never did hear about any elected official in Washington D. C. giving up any of their salary for the good."
John Clayton is a retired Master Sergeant who fought in Vietnam. He is very concerned about military retiree healthcare. "Can our earned and promised healthcare benefits for military retirees survive the political debate on the current Administration healthcare plan? Is there enough honesty, integrity and truth in our political arena to prevent them from raising/charging us military retirees more for our promised healthcare benefits?
Wayne C. Bucklaew is a retired Navy Chief Petty Officer from Nathalie, Virginia. He reflects on the national healthcare debate saying, "Washington is not listening to the people. Two million of us went to Washington to protest and the Administration has pooh-poohed it. Do they really think they can manage a health care system for the whole nation? They can't even manage Medicare cost effectively, much less the military health care system. It s time they fixed both of those systems before trying to tackle something as big as a health care system for the whole nation."
Paula Martin is an administrative executive for a legal organization in Harlingen, Texas. She writes, "What scares me the most is that Senators and Congressmen (and women) seem to be following our newly elected president without question and he appears to believe that he can do anything he wants. His arrogance and his ignorance are apparent and yet he can snap a finger and get what he wants, except for the 2016 Olympics. He has made a mockery of our Nation, let alone the Constitution, and bends over backwards to Islamic leaders. He wants to be able to dictate and control every aspect of our lives. I only hope and pray that God will protect us and that it is not too late for our country, our world and our children."
Another Texas veteran, Randy Givens writes, "These days fewer and fewer of our elected officials have a background of military service, nor do many have children who serve in the military. This tends to support our belief that the Political Class is an elitist minority which looks down its noses at those who serve, and doesn't hesitate to adopt policies which demean and endanger the nation's defense."
Givens continues to observe, "We should remember that we, the electorate, reelect about 95% of our Representatives who stand for reelection. We should also remember that Congress critters today are career politicians, many of whom are lawyers, and only a few of which have owned a business and have had to meet a payroll. Also troublesome is that Congress writes laws, which are general in nature, and leaves it up to unelected bureaucrats to write the rules to implement these laws. Those bureaucrats are generally without experience as business owners. Considering the condition, we have the blind leading the blind as they adversely affect our businesses and their employees. In this recession, the only growth sector in the economy is Government. That bodes ill for us all."
A note from a self-announced "civilian", Donald Hank is harshly to the point. "I can say the following about the ruling elite: They are a bunch of lying, hypocritical, sneaky, lazy, stupid, treacherous, un-American SOBs, mostly to a man and woman."
Elaine Kolodziej is the publisher of the Wilson County News, which runs many of my political commentaries. She writes, "Unfortunately, this proposed health care reform bill is not about reform and it is not about health. It does not address tort reform. It is a power grab in the biggest sense, and it is payback to those who put him (Obama) in office.
"Tell me again why we must go along with this 1000-plus page monstrosity without asking questions? And why is it that when we ask questions, this most scripted man in the world, Mr. Teleprompter himself, accuses us moms and pops, small business owners, grandparents, and other conservatives of being scripted? This is the ultimate irony."
Colonel Harry Riley writing from Crestview, Florida is very concerned about the lack of attention the current Administration is paying to national security. "At home, four of five terrorist attempts across American in just one week clearly indicate another priority failure...a great catch by intelligence/law enforcement but ‘no thanks' to the Obama Administration lack of emphasis on stopping the ever growing jihadist movement in America."
He continues, "Mr. Obama has been focused on leftist campaign promises while neglecting the security of the United States, a clear signal; that the White House priorities reflect a grave danger to America. Inattention to national security is an impeachable offense by a pro-American House of Representatives and conviction by a loyal American Senate.... there is no other word...treason."
Retired Marine Master Gunnery Sergeant Larry McCartney holds both major political parties in distain. He says, "The sad fact of the matter is that since the early 1980s at the very least, both major political parties have continued to ignore, marginalize and disenfranchise ‘Joe Six-Pack' and the working class of America. With few exceptions, national political figures, Bush, Chaney, Clinton, Gore, McCain, Obama, etc. - reflect the agenda of their party; reelection, power, control, and raping the national treasury for their personal advantage, despite what is best for this great nation of ours. The time is long past due for a viable third party which will force a coalition government in which a broader cross section of America is represented instead of the special interests who currently buy influence".
Still Airborne after all these years, George Goetzke says he is not eloquent either with the spoken or written word. "As the years have passed since the formation of this country we have seen the transition from a group of patriots to the present rabble of Washington D. C., who are primarily motivated by providing for themselves and those who contribute to them. The politicians of today are almost without exception a group of lying, cheating, thieving miscreants! The quality of members of Congress appears to reach an unmatched low, only to get worse each two/four/six years. They vote themselves more undeserved privilege and remuneration each year! They are driven and supported by a huge group of Carpetbaggers, clinging to them!"
John Kutzenberger is a well-traveled farm insurance salesman. At lunch today he made an interesting comment. "I've asked around", he said, "but I have yet to find anybody who admits voting for Obama. He also noted we live in an area where 75% of the people vote the Democrat ticket.
The glow and warm fuzzy feeling about this new Administration seems to have worn thin. Not only are locals denying their vote, but more than 250 individuals from across all political lines answered our call for comment. Not a single person writing in had anything good to say about politics or Washington.
The most heated comments came from veterans and military retirees. This is understandable. They, above the vast majority of citizens, have given abundantly of themselves on behalf of the Nation. They cannot abide those who hold their many sacrifices to be of little value.
Semper Fidelis
Thomas D. Segel
tomsegel@sbcglobal.net
