Sadly, my Florida congressman and senators always send the same response to my pleas. In short, I'm an idiot and they know best. Its remarkable how equally it applies to every policy.
It's not that difficult. Goggle them and at their website you can click on d4nd message to your congresdman. Also at website are phone numbers of the Congress person's multiply locations:
Last fall, we were in Portugal and had two wonderful guides--one out of Lisbon and the other from Porto, who drove us to many smaller cities and villages--both with an incredible grasp of their country's history. One line from the Lisbon guide has really stuck with me. Speaking of the Carnation Revolution he said, "The dictatorship ended. The same people run the country." Such a succinct and pertinent description of our own "democracy."
We just returned from a trip to Ecuador. They are in the midst of their own political crisis (of a kind) as the president dissolved the legislature forcing new election. (And he has decided not to seek re-election.) I can only imagine the behind the scenes meddling going on from our government at this moment. We were already in the mode of persuading the last president that working with China would not go well for their country. I told some friends, "The difference between their corrupt government and ours is that we have made legal the corruptive bribery we call lobbying and we export our corruption and coercion around the world. At least the Portuguese and Ecuadorians (and virtually every other country) don't go around the world "seeking [imaginary] monsters to destroy,"
which just happen to be profitable for global capital and the military industrial complex.
We were in Cuenca, Ecuador for the last couple weeks, and I confess, my preconceived notion was we would be inundated with begging and definitely feel like were were in a third world country. Instead we felt completely safe and found a clean, beautiful city and people who seem to exude dignity. Yes, many are poor and will try to sell just about anything on the streets, but if you say, "No, gracias," they politely move on. We were amused that with every rain, however brief, men would be on the sidewalks with umbrellas for sale, shouting, "Por agua!"
We met a young man who paid a heavy fee to a "mule" to help get him into the US. He spent six years here and found the American dream more illusion than reality. He returned home, and is now raising his family. He said he was determined to bring his children up so that they see their future in Ecuador and not go chasing a "better life" in the US.
Not surprisingly, the largest influx into the country is not US expats, of which there are many, but Venezuelans fleeing the desperation we have created. Every "border surge" has our fingerprints all over it. Oh when will we ever learn!
Hope many folks will read your article and agree and write or Text their Congress persons and express similar views
Cheers
Sadly, my Florida congressman and senators always send the same response to my pleas. In short, I'm an idiot and they know best. Its remarkable how equally it applies to every policy.
It's not that difficult. Goggle them and at their website you can click on d4nd message to your congresdman. Also at website are phone numbers of the Congress person's multiply locations:
Usually 3 or more.
Last fall, we were in Portugal and had two wonderful guides--one out of Lisbon and the other from Porto, who drove us to many smaller cities and villages--both with an incredible grasp of their country's history. One line from the Lisbon guide has really stuck with me. Speaking of the Carnation Revolution he said, "The dictatorship ended. The same people run the country." Such a succinct and pertinent description of our own "democracy."
We just returned from a trip to Ecuador. They are in the midst of their own political crisis (of a kind) as the president dissolved the legislature forcing new election. (And he has decided not to seek re-election.) I can only imagine the behind the scenes meddling going on from our government at this moment. We were already in the mode of persuading the last president that working with China would not go well for their country. I told some friends, "The difference between their corrupt government and ours is that we have made legal the corruptive bribery we call lobbying and we export our corruption and coercion around the world. At least the Portuguese and Ecuadorians (and virtually every other country) don't go around the world "seeking [imaginary] monsters to destroy,"
which just happen to be profitable for global capital and the military industrial complex.
We were in Cuenca, Ecuador for the last couple weeks, and I confess, my preconceived notion was we would be inundated with begging and definitely feel like were were in a third world country. Instead we felt completely safe and found a clean, beautiful city and people who seem to exude dignity. Yes, many are poor and will try to sell just about anything on the streets, but if you say, "No, gracias," they politely move on. We were amused that with every rain, however brief, men would be on the sidewalks with umbrellas for sale, shouting, "Por agua!"
We met a young man who paid a heavy fee to a "mule" to help get him into the US. He spent six years here and found the American dream more illusion than reality. He returned home, and is now raising his family. He said he was determined to bring his children up so that they see their future in Ecuador and not go chasing a "better life" in the US.
Not surprisingly, the largest influx into the country is not US expats, of which there are many, but Venezuelans fleeing the desperation we have created. Every "border surge" has our fingerprints all over it. Oh when will we ever learn!