Words to My Members of Congress

This is what I sent this morning…I hope someone will read it:

Every bit of news I hear about the health care reform bill sounds like taking a chain saw to the task of splinter removal.  To really address the splinter without damaging the surrounding tissue, what’s needed is a magnifying glass–careful scrutiny; a fine needle and tweezers–tools that fit the task with precision; and a steady hand.  Only you, representing Hoosier values, can provide the latter.  We need you to support the “magnifying glass” of taking time to come up with true reform (which I don’t think can happen by Saturday) and to offer the “fine needle and tweezers” of focused change (tort reform, portability, elimination of benefits for illegal aliens, to name a few).

What is being proposed does not seem like the way to deal with needed reforms in health care.  Please vote in such a way as to get the current proposal off the table to make way for true reform  that addresses real needs and preserves freedom and innovation in health care.  There is time to do it right; we cannot afford the time or money or loss of freedom that will come with a “hurry-up” bill.

Your constituents are counting on you to represent us well.  Thank you for serving Indiana.

What have you said to your Senator about this issue?

Obama Claus and His Congressional Elves

Sometimes it’s the questions that aren’t asked that bother me.

There’s been a lot of discussion over the past week about the ongoing fate of the “Cash for Clunkers” program.  Popular sentiment, judging by newscast soundbites from everyone from your congressman to your local car dealer, seems to be that this has been a positive program.  From that, Congress appears to be taking the leap that 2 billion dollars more are merited to keep the program in place longer.

Yesterday, President Obama visited our fair state, bearing funds for the part of Indiana that has been hard-hit by the bottoming out of RV sales, among other economic shifts.  The applause as he announced the funding was enthusiastic and long.

It is a good thing if there is funding that will give a boost to the auto industry and will infuse cash into a geographical area where jobs are desperately needed.

But, I haven’t heard anyone ask, “Where is this money coming from?”

I haven’t heard anyone volunteer the answer, either.

Call me simple.  But I’ve been around the block enough times to know that just saying we’ll spend $XXXXXXXXX doesn’t automatically materialize those funds.

When I go to a giant Kohl’s sale (there is always one going on!), I always have to live with this tension:  If something is on sale for a great price, but I don’t really have the money for it, is it still a good deal?

We need to encourage our lawmakers–and that’s something else that bothers me:  You’d think, from all that is said and done, that it is the President who holds the pursestrings in this country–to ask the Kohl’s sales question…often and loudly and first, not last, after all the promises have been made and the checks have already been written and handed out.

What do we do next?

Someplace New

This all started because I read the Wall Street Journal yesterday.  I don’t subscribe; actually no one in my house has a paid subscription.  But, my young adult son gets it as some kind of freebie perk, so from time to time, since I’m usually the one to bring it in from the front stoop and it is here several hours before he has a chance to see it, I enjoy a read through.  (I’ve never subscribed to a newspaper in my adult life, claiming no time to read one regularly, since I tend to be a cover-to-cover–er, front page to back page–reader.)

There was so much in yesterday’s edition that was simply fascinating!  And there was great deal to which my mind and heart had a response.  I blog in two other places regularly (  http://amyvanhuisen.wordpress.com/ and http://mavan.xanga.com/weblog/ ) , but I have deliberately tried to avoid making much comment in either of those places about politics or other front burner news items.

Here’s the thing, however.  A lot of what’s happening “out there” needs to be talked about.  The people who make up the “Grassroots” in this country need to be having clarifying conversations that will equip them to articulate well the things that need to be said to their elected leaders under our republican (representative) form of government.

Having been a news junkie for a large part of my adult life, my hope is that this blog will be a place to at least make some points and raise some questions in a way that will generate significant, beneficial conversation.

Here are the blog disclaimers and groundrules:

• Inasmuch as I understand what this means, I hold a Biblical worldview.  That means that the foundation and grid for the way I think about life is Bible truth.  Everybody has a worldview.  That is mine.
• Healthy debate is good.  Name-calling and denigration are not.  So, if you ever read something here, either in a post or a comment, that makes you inclined toward the latter set of responses, please take it somewhere else, out of respect for this space and the expressions of those who opt for healthy debate.

I think that’s it for starters.  This should be fun!