Well whoever my congressman represents, it clearly isn't me. I suspect this is true for many. If the goal was to create fear of government, the Republicans have won the war. I know now I have no voice and worse I am fearful too. Can you write a reasoned argument to most members of Congress and get a reasoned response ? What effect would a letter to your congress person have: any, some or none ? Reasoned arguments and discourse have no place in the "new" America.
Dear Congressman xxxxxxx,
You recently wrote an e mail to your constituents about the lagging creation of small business. An honest politician would acknowledge that this is the result of congress changing the bankruptcy laws a decade or so ago (2005, just before hurricane Katrina in fact), meting out draconian punishment to those who go bankrupt. This sort of legislation makes people risk averse, and starting a new business is a risky proposition. Of course, before the legislation passed, you and your colleagues were warned. Leading economists predicted this very outcome. At the time, I wrote and called your office and predicted this outcome. It was a give-away to the banking industry, and not in the best interests of the country or your constituents. Time has proved me right.
This is the type of problem that occurs when congress gives large campaign contributors, like the big banks, what they want. Instead you should have counted the costs of a poor decision - too late to complain now and assign to another cause. You voted to deregulate the banks and those very same banks then gambled and lost 20% of America’s patrimony in the period 2005-2008, requiring many banks to be bailed out to save the US economy. Now you have voted again to allow the banks to gamble with other people’s money. None of this is in the best interests of your constituents either.
This all smacks of a quid-pro-quo. Big campaign donors get what they want and the country suffers. And to make it easier for the bribes to continue, you have voted to increase the allowed campaign contributions, so in the campaign of words, I have no voice. My voice is drowned out.
You think because you won an election you represent America. You have failed to hear the words of the populist “Occupy Wall Street” and indeed the very people your policies effect. Your congress has been the most reviled in the history of the United States. The next congress will be worse. Why do I write, when you refuse to listen ? Because I am frightened, so very frightened you cannot even imagine.