My letter to my Congressman today -

[MrMickeysMom]

Okay, it's long, but it's my way of calling everyone to do something. I apparently bother my congressman's staffers. They use snide remarks and talk over me, I don't take any crap, and yes, I'm involved at the local level.

Congressman,

On the advice of your legislative aid, I'm putt my conversation in writing. First, some formalities out of the way, because frankly, I've been most offended in the manner in which my phone calls have been handled by your staff. They tend to talk over, and switch topics when the questions are very tough. In addition, when interacting with your staff, please note I am one of your 18th congressional constituents. Anything else is either my business or the municipality of Monroeville's. Twice (including today) I was surveyed as to how the 3rd Ward of Monroeville feels about the issue I was addressing. This is an improper question. I don't speak to your office on behalf of anyone other than myself. The fact that I don't suffer fools easily is no different now than it was prior to my serving in a local government capacity. Second, if I mispronounce House Speaker Bohner's name (which my lifetime experience tells me has three different pronunciations, I wonder - why should this offended one of your staffers? Today I was informed that she was highly offended and thought one pronounced version sounded "pornographic". I am dumbfounded over that one. I feel your staff is very concerned about names and historical references than they might be over the issues I am voicing. I hope this staffer was not so shocked that she might have forgotten to get explanation of "the details" of your recent vote to me. It regards Bohner's "bipartisan" solution that include cuts to programs and why debt ceilings have any connection to the budget (they never have). My concern is why you would have voted "yes" when you tried, in pervious language to protect so-called entitlement programs such as Medicare and Social Security.

Today, my concern issued to you is the very, very BAD idea of a balanced budget amendment. Your staffer did not want to hear reasons verbally, but in writing. He also referenced my comment with a connection to Ross Perot. I was highly insulted and wasted no time in demanding that he explain himself, which he never did. Your staff needs to learn how to listen to your constituents. I tried to explain an example with this concern about balanced budget amendments as evidenced in the past, administrations (I tried to use the example of the Hoover and the GW Bush) who run up deficits, However, if that was too offensive for you or your staff, I'll use another example - Let's take a natural disaster as recently happened in Japan. Due to a tremendous expenditure (instead of off the books examples such as the Iraq war) where an entire state would be exposed to radiation, and tremendous state, federal and local resourced emergency management would exceed the budget to respond.

Now, I ask you, who decides where this budget adjustment comes from? Does a 12 member "super-congress" decide? What we have here is a failure to work as an elected body. Every time I tried to talk about this, your legislative aid talked over me, and prodded me to explain how Monroeville did it. I finally suggested that you have a REAL town hall meeting without Altmire in Monroeville to address this. Did you get that message? I never voted for a super-congress, and I don't think one was ever intended constitutionally. I feel that the system by this last introduction of legislation, is broken. I voted for representation. I paid and continue to pay into so-called "entitlements" such as Social Security, which all told would represent perhaps 4 trillion of the 14 plus trillion dollar deficit. Wasn't it not long ago that some Republican said, "deficits don't matter"? Wasn't there an AP article not long ago that broke down this 14 plus trillion dollar deficit so that we could see who owns the securities and what programs stand to fall? Of the 14 trillion, I believe China and Japan may own the small portion of the kinds of securities that can't be "called". The rest of us are stakeholders, and here's the kicker.. we have a rating agency like Moody's who most definitely caused the current economic crisis deciding what the United States credit rating should be? How ridiculous is THAT?

Now, I await your personal answer to the above, as I no longer can get answers by form letters. Don't bother sending me anything like a form letter, and please instruct your staff to rid themselves of preconceived notions of who they are talking to. Tell them they are answerable to every single person calling you because YOU REPRESENT THE DISTRICT.

Thank you.

[Divernan]

1. Good letter but I doubt Murphy will ever see it.

My experience in working with elected reps of both parties is that staff are there to keep the constituents at arms' length. Now if you were a lobbyist with a checkbook, you would be having regular in person meetings with the congressman. And if you telephoned his office, you would immediately be put through to the most senior staff member on the premises, who would suck up to you like a Hoover vacuum.

Murphy & Altmire must get along famously, although Altmire's a bit more conservative. I had not realized that the despicable Blue Dogs had gone over to the dark side to the extent of holding joint town meetings with GOP reps. Wonder if Altmire's struck a deal that the GOP won't fund a primary opponent. That would make sense since he delivers his votes for the GOP, and they'll spend their campaign funds against real democrats like Doyle.

Murphy's district is already so outrageously gerrymandered. The GOP has complete control of the upcoming redistricting. I have very few hopes left re US politics, but I do harbor a fantasy that in the next redistricting, I'll be back in Doyle's district. I have an even fainter hope that someone will primary Altmire. But he has to have a huge war chest, being UPMC's personal congressman, and having sold his Blue Dog vote to so many special interests. My opinion, given that UPMC got Sean Logan to give up a state senatorship to take what was pretty much Altmire's old job as a lobbyist, is that Altmire wants to run for US Senate, & Logan is being positioned as UPMC's replacement congressman. Of course either Logan would have to move into Altmire's district, or the new districts will have been drawn so that Logan's home will be in Altmire's newly redrawn district.

Murphy's staffers sound off the scale arrogant and rude. I've always gottem polite treatment (if sometimes hurried) from Arlen Specter's local and DC staffs, and even from Altmire's staff the few times I've called there. But then I never challenged them - only called to state my support for or opposition to a particular bill.

[MrMickeysMom]

5. I've always gotten at least professional responses elsewhere...

... with the exception of one time with Specter's office, but certainly, nothing like this.

I think it's an interesting observation what you say about UPMC's newest boy who probably is following on the heels of that ever Jesus quoting Blue Dog, Altmire... I'm seeing it shape right before my eyes.

I'd love to be able to do what those comedian DJs did, like pretending they WERE someone important (Wisconsin governor and Koch brothers!) They probably WOULD fall all over themselves because that's what greedy snot nosed staffers are like to do when they work for a child psychologist. Reward time, kiddies...

sigh...

[mh74562]

7. +1

[livetohike]

2. That staff and others need to either be let go, or lose a few

paychecks. My niece, while a student at GWU interned in Senator Casey's office. He would never permit his staff to speak that way to constituents. My own Congressman's staff is pretty stupid, just like him.

I'm so frustrated. Three e-mails to my Rep. and not even the courtesy of a reply. Hopefully, they were swamped in that office.

What do we do now? Unresponsive and rude staff and Congresspersons who could care less.

[Divernan]

3. I had some work w/Casey & his staff when he was Auditor General

He is the finest, most ethical politician in the US today, in my opinion. And he surrounded himself with very loyal staff who were equally ethical. Bob Casey would make an excellent president.

[livetohike]

4. My niece just loved him

:-) That's great you had some professional experience with him and his staff. I think his time will come.

[MrMickeysMom]

6. plus a gazillion

Strangely, he reminds me a little of Al Gore. Maybe it's the cadence?

[Divernan]

8. 1 of my kids got her Master's of Public Administration at GW

Excellent professors & great alumni networking throughout the federal government agencies. With her experience in counter-terrorism and disaster relief, she could have gone the consultant route and made big bucks, but she has a commitment to public service - which has not been easy during the Bush years. Even under the current administration, there have been cut backs across the board to federal programs, which are quietly and administratively executed - no votes required - so do not make the news.