Foot Schleppen

Madam Speaker,

As I write this note to you, I suspect that you are on your way to Italy, doing the people’s bidding in your capacity as Speaker of the House.  And though I do share your respect for the Pontiff and would generally share your eagerness to own an audience with His Eminence, I do wish your focus was on the business at home.

It is the nations business and how it has been conducted the past few weeks that is the focus of my letter today.

I must congratulate you on garnering the ‘stimulus’ package it seems that you and the President believe is best for us all.

However, I am dismayed as a citizen that I have not been able to share in its content for the forty eight hours prior to its vote, as promised by you.

Now, I do understand the epic economic situation that stands before us that might excuse some haste. However I am still befuddled why you were so eager to rush through a bill that I and the nation it seems was not privileged to read, but even more astonishing was not read in its entirety by a majority of the Senate and House of Representatives.

That is inconceivable to me that a bill with so much monies tied to it has not even been read by every voting member of government.

This can not be right, can it?

It must be right because representatives on both sides of the isle made statements prior to bill’s final vote stating just that exact egregious fact.

Is this not a dangerous use of power? Why is a bill that is so important being voted on by Members of government who have not even read the thing yet?

Are you to tell me Madam Speaker that the people sent to Washington to represent us are signing our monies, not yours Madam but our money away without even having sufficient opportunity to read what they are voting for?

As a child I remember being taught quite clearly that you never sign anything without reading it first, and yet our representatives are running our nation with such a disregard to basic common sense.

Is this how the business of the nation is being run Madam, for it appears a purposed lack of transparency in Washington exists under your watch?

I think I can to continue to be frank with you Madam Speaker. It is clear that my political affiliations would differ from yours and the party you lead. You would expect as much, because I don’t think many political like minded people to you are chiding your efforts these past few weeks. And in regards to the content of the bill I do understand with the success of the Democratic party in the past two elections, there is a level of cart blanch that has been afford, which I can and will accept.

What I will never, never accept is the way this ‘stimulus’ bill has been hurried into law on mass by the Democratic party (and a very few Republican senators it must be noted) under yours and the President’s direction. I am appalled that a bill that apparently is the most important piece of legislature in modern times, (as it has been represented by the Democratic party leadership and by the President himself) has been so recklessly accepted without even the possibility of thorough readership, let alone a dignified time of debate and reflection.

The past week has left me in the gravest of concerns for this nation. Benjamin Franklin once said,  its citizenry must be willing to watch its government daily for freedom to reign. This past week Madam Speaker you have ensured the American people don’t even own this right of participation anymore, and furthermore its members of government can not it seems keep its leadership in check by studying what is being proposed.

Madam Speaker, I hold you responsible for this gross misuse of power. Though you have spent a life time working to serve the people, the past few weeks you have fallen far short of this calling.

I am grossly unconvinced for the justification for this lack of proprietary. I know I am not alone. The opinion polls on this ‘stimulus’ bill are dropping more propitiously than a cinder block, but again that does not seem to be a hindrance to the bill getting to the President’s desk for signature.

I hope on your return from Italy you might be willing to give us the American people an explanation for all of these concerns.

I hope you might be able rebuff these concerns that I laid out. I am quite skeptical. In fact I have never been less convinced of your leadership, is truly representative of the mantra “For the People, and by the People.”

I and America are watching Madam Speaker.

Sincerely

John M. Zurak