THE SUMMER OF OUR DISCONTENT

OR why are Americans sitting inside with their computers rain or shine trying to grapple with health reform issues and “THE BILL” (HR 3200)? There are two reasons really that a piece of proposed legislation has beat out any book on the best seller list. It is important to the lives of all citizens but also it is “in”, it is hip to be able to talk about.

For a large sector of our population, the bill drives their inmost fears of loss of control through having the government or “big brother” running every aspect of their lives. They are acutely aware that what is NOT spelled out in the bill is equally as important as what is.

This object congressional d’art should be straightforward and clear, right? Sadly straightforward and clear have nothing to do with law as practiced in Congress. When our representatives say to us “trust me” we have to because they concoct such inscrutable documents. As a result of congressional “creativity,” representatives have had to set up a series of town hall meetings to explain HR3200. But people, remember: Some members of Congress will be more effective as “teachers” or “guides” to the document than others. One doesn’t know whether to laugh or cry at the results of this effort.

But make no mistake, these congressional representatives do not mean to be comic although the end result often points to this. They know how to get down to serious business in very manipulative and crafty ways. Question: How many of them have been able to effectively deal with a crowd (or mob) in these town hall meetings? Isn’t it hilarious how they don’t do very much bout it except react? They just let everyone do his/her own thing. This is no accident. It’s perfect PR – the kind they want. To control these meetings would be to miss great headlines. Lack of control enables many of them to effectively trash the ENTIRE Republican Party.

Yes, and believe this too: the only disruptive people in the nation are Republican. Well this only makes sense since all trees in the forest are oak. These congressmen have done everything in their power to discredit the opposition short of having DNA tests run to prove Republicans have been genetically altered

The White House recently deemed it imperative to cut the comedy and to take control of “the message.” Enter the infamous Axelrod letter on White House stationery distributed via e-mail both to people who supported Obama whose names and e-mail addresses have been retained by Organizing for America, (the post election Obama machinery over at the DNC) and to people whose information has been gathered by the White House web page, but also to some confused and upset individuals that did not give out their e-mails to anyone for this purpose.

Looks like White House staff focused more on the letter and less on letter of the law written and unwritten about privacy. So did the White House strike a deal for an additional list? OR was it some White House worker’s Christmas list that was mail merged with those from the White House web site and OFA?

Frankly I feel vindicated. For some time I have been complaining that Organizing for America has been guilty of overreaching and using the office of the President inappropriately. Often they distribute letters attributed to the President and created on White House stationery. Having rated my observations of these practices as beyond the fringe, people would pat me on the head and say OK in a dismissive kind of way. That the White House itself is now waxing casual about data and best practices, is not only raising eyebrows but outright anger.

Did we get change we could believe in? No, that would have been a Mid-Summer Night’s Dream. The solstice has passed and we are all now awake. We are back to “what did he know and when did he know it.”

PS Mr. Axelrod, Thomas Wolfe never wrote a novel nor Mahler a symphony as long and in need of editing as that letter of yours.

NOTE: I blog with the best at votingfemale.wordpress.com.

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