I just called my two Republican Congressional Reps for the fourth day in a row.
Senator Toomey's office, for the first time, is not answering the phones in his Pittsburgh office, and his mail box is full.
I asked Rep Scott Perry's office the same daily question:
Has Rep Perry changed his position on voting for a clean c.r.?
The woman in his office said she wasn't in yesterday, and so doesn't know.
I said well then I would presume he has not, since you were not left information saying he changed.
She concurred with a murmur indicating most likely.
On my first day call, I said that tying up the c.r with anything else was unreasonable, irresponsible, immature, and threating the lives of millions of Americans.
On my second day, I mentioned the individuals I know who are suffering from worry over lost child care, lost health insurance, and the crushing out of existence of their small business.
On my third day, I said "This is a lifelong Democrat calling you, saying she is in despair that the Republican Party has backed itself into a corner, painted itself as the party that robs children of food, and pushes misogyny, homophobia and racism, and cares nothing for the Average Joe. I remember the 60s, when the party was not this way at all. We need more than one party in the USA, and I am very concerned and upset.
Today, I began to lose it. I tried to speak calmly, but I think the tone in my voice upset her.
I said please tell Rep Perry that I pray to God every night that Rep Perry will go to sleep tonight and feel the pain he is causing to my niece, who may lose health care for her children if she can't earn the money as a contractor at NASA to pay for her children's health care in a few weeks. I pray that when he goes to bed at night, God will put in his heart the anguish of my daughter, a Federal Police person who puts her life on the line for all of us and who has even made the front pages of the Washington Post, who doesn't know where she will get the money for her day care. I pray that he will feel the pain of my friend whose small family business is already being crushed out of existence. I pray that he will feel that pain for as long as they will...and how long will that be, once he destroys their business. And for what? FOR NOTHING.
I clearly rocked her world a bit; could almost hear her sucking in her breath. She said she would take down my opinions and asked for my name. I said okay, but your office has it already as I call every day, and will continue to do so until he changes his mind.
Then we hung up.
I am really getting incensed. My niece is bipolar, and her meds are no longer helping her; her anxiety is going through the roof, bless her heart. And she has TWO jobs. And now, may lose health care for her babies. Tough enough she gets so little time with them just trying to make ends meet. And you know what? Why IS she on 'contractor' status for someone who earns so little she still needs a second job, and is married with a modest home (and two children from her husband's first marriage.) Twenty years ago, I bet she would have been a government employee.
= new reply since forum marked as read
