Some Unsolicited Advice for Republican Congress Reps Facing Hostile Crowds

I sent this email to Joni Ernst but it's good advice for all Republican Congress people facing hostile crowds:

Dear Senator Ernst

I understand you have had some frustrating experiences at your meetings with the public. I am sure it is unpleasant and a little disconcerting to meet with unruly crowds who are shouting things at you.

I wish people at these meetings would settle down and speak to you calmly. 

I read an article where you said they were not interested in listening to you.

(Ernst: Protesters 'not really there to listen')

That's true, people don't come to these meetings to listen to you.  

You have many opportunities to get your message out to the public and have them listen to you. 

These meetings are for YOU to listen to them.

I am a pastor and I have run into hostile angry people. In many ways, my position is similar to yours in that those of us that represent the church take the hostility that people have for the whole church, especially when the church as hurt them. 

In many ways, you are taking the brunt of the anger people have toward all of what they see the government doing to them since President Trump has been elected.

This is what I have found in 30 years of serving the church to be helpful. It may seem counter-intuitive, but avoiding people only makes it worse. 

If you can just keep showing up, let them shout and when you can get a word in don't tell them to listen, Say "I want to listen but I can't when you all talk at once" (Yes just like grade school) I think eventually they will calm down and tell you what they want you to know. 

But you have to listen.

I notice your colleague Senator Grassley has had better experiences at his meetings. People are still angry. They are going to be angry. Because they don't like what you are doing. But they are calmer because he listens.

Also, nobody is paying these people. 

These are not outside agitators. People in Iowa like the ACA. People in Iowa are happy with Planned Parenthood providing health care for women. People in Iowa think our public schools are pretty good. And they are.

I think if Republicans continue to tell themselves these people are not serious, you are going to be in for a surprise at midterms.

Also, I have to say I always enjoy speaking to your assistants when I call. Which is often. Because I don't like what's going on either. But as a fellow woman in the public, I thought I'd share this advice. For what it's worth.

Let's End Hunger in America. AGAIN

 You need to see A Place at the Table.*  And then you need to show it at your churches.  And then we need to mobilize to convince our worthless congress to do something that has proven to solve hunger (or "food insecurity" which is the new word for it) in our country.  We've done it before, we can do it again.

Back in the 70s I was pretty into World Hunger and especially Bread for the World.  I was always organizing Offerings of Letters.  And this is the thing I didn't realize but was pointed out in this movie.   We actually pretty much solved the hunger problem in the United States.  I know to hear the Right Wing mantra of what a failure the "welfare state" was and what a waste the war of poverty was, you problably didn't realize this.  But between food stamps, WIC and school lunches, people stopped being hungry.  We still had poverty and unemployment and drugs and racism and all kinds of problems that are harder to solve.  But at least people were not hungry.  And you have eat before you can do anything else.

And then the 80s.  And Reagan who everyone thinks was such a hero.  And complaints about "big government".  And food stamps and school lunches were defunded.  And now people, children, go to bed hungry.  In this country.

And now the popular thing is to say "Let the private sector take care of it"  Let the churches feed people.  This is the thing, churches ARE feeding people.  Churches and charities are making a herculean effort.  If churches and charities could solve the problem, they would have.  People are not hungry because Christians don't care.  This is what solves hunger in America - Government programs like food stamps, WIC and school lunches (funded at more than 90 cents a meal)  That's the truth.

Yes there are more complicated and difficult issues like our Agriculture polices.  But I think we can start by making people understand what a difference we can do by funding food stamps and school lunches.  It's a start.  Let's go back to offerings of letters.  Let's sponsor more Lutheran, Catholic, Presbyterian, Episcopalian, Jewish, whatever, Day on the Hill, where we all advocate for doing what we did before, ending hunger in America.  We did it before.  We can do it again.  Or least we can try.

* Information on public screenings of A Place at the Table here.

Iowa Lutheran Day at the Hill

I think this is a great idea and think every synod should do something like this.

So basically a bunch of Lutherans are bussed into the state capitol to talk to their representatives about important issues.  They handed out blue T shirts for everyone to wear.  It was cool to see all the blue shirts around the capitol but my mama didn't raise me to meet my representative at the Capitol wearing a T shirt.  To me this was a collar day. 

Ours was sponsored by Lutheran Services in Iowa, and funded by a grant from the ELCA World Hunger Appeal.

Monday we were asking our legislators to increase funding for Human Services by 5%.  Which isn't much to ask, considering it was defunded by 5% in 2009 during recession and now we have a budget surplus.

We got a little pep talk before hand and were encouraged to talk about how we are doing this because of our faith.  I took a little different tact.  Yes my faith compels me to care for my neighbor but I don't know that is a good reason to convince my government to take care of my neighbor.

I argue that it is in our best interests as a country and state, city, community to take care of the most vulnerable in our society.  We are all better off when nobody goes hungry.  It is good for us when addicted people get treatment, troubled youth get counseling, dysfunctional families have resources, disabled get job training, refugees get help adjusting to a new country.  This seems really obvious to  me.  You don't have to be a Christian, Jew, Muslim or Wiccan to see how this is a good thing.  Yes it is costly, but not addressing these concerns ends up costing us a lot more, if not in prison costs, but potential loss of contributions by people who just needed some help. 

So I got to see my state senator and I didn't have to do much convincing.  "Oh I absolutely agree" she concurrs.  Then she points across the room - the the State House.  "That's your problem.  We put together a budget including increases for human services.  They have a different budget"  Need a say the Iowa Senate, like our Congress is mostly Democrat and our House is Republican. 

There was at time when this was NOT a partisan issue.  When everyone agreed it was good provide human services.  Now even though we can afford it in Iowa anyway, partisan ideology is getting in the way of helping people.  That sucks.  It also sucks that my Republican representative did not answer my email when I told him I was coming, nor was he available.  A lot of representatives were not available.

Anyway I think this was a great experience for people.  Very educational to learn how our government works.  To have an opportunity to speak for people who don't have lobbyists to represent their interests.  To let representatives know there is another Christian lobby that is interested in something other than abortion and gays. 


For more information about Lutheran Day at the Hill.

Presidential Election Memories

My father was a union organizer.  I feel like that's all I have to say to explain why I have always voted a straight Democratic Party ticket.   He was crazy liberal.  Hated Nixon.  Broke my heart that he died before he could see him have to resign. 

I voted in my first election when I was 19 and I voted for Jimmy Carter in 1976.  Yea go ahead and do the math to figure out how old I am.  I don't care.  Pretty sure I voted for Teddy Kennedy in the primary.  I rarely vote for the winner in a primary.  In fact, I don't think I ever have.  

Four years later everyone was pretty disappointed in Carter, including me, but really REAGAN???  I do not understand all this love and remembrance of him as this great president.  I think he was a disaster for the country and those of us who lived in California remembered him as such as a governor.  Much of the problems with the homeless mentally ill can be credited with his dumping of them on the streets when he was governor.  So I registered as a Republican in order vote for John Anderson.  I don't remember much about him other than he was not Carter or Reagan.  Then he went independent and to me, a vote for him would be just as good as a vote for Reagan.

So a cool evening in San Francisco, those of us waiting outside in line after work to vote got the word that Carter had already conceded.  I was so pissed off.  We all knew he was going to lose and we were still going to vote for him and the least he freaking could have done was waited until the polls closed.

I am pretty sure that the outcry from that (many people on the west coast just decided not to vote and that was very bad for local elections) is the reason why news outlets cannot call races at least until polls close.

For some reason, I remember being even more devastated when Reagan one again in 1984.  I really thought people would realize how horrible he was for the country.  But that was really the last time I was crushed at not having an election go my way.  Life goes on.

I did not vote for Bill Clinton in the primary.  Too conservative for my taste.  Seems like I was always voting for Jerry Brown or Jesse Jackson in those days.  And he was a dog.  But he's grown on me.  Like Carter, like him a lot more as an ex-president.

I went to see Bill Clinton in Waterloo Iowa last week.  Sharp as a tack.  Knew exactly what the issues are in Iowa.  Considering how many states he's been to stumping for Obama and how he is probably just on point there, he's really amazing.  If he could run again, I'd vote for him.

I remember going to bed thinking Al Gore had wrapped it up and waking up thinking "Oh crap".  I went to a rally for John Kerry but geesh! he was boring and I knew he never had a chance.

And then there was Hillary.  I'm sorry but I still think Hillary should have been president.  I never was seduced by the great speeches of Obama.  Too inexperienced, and I did not think he would be able to forge the necessary relationships with the congress to accomplish all he was promising.  I believe I was right about that and I still believe Hillary would have done a better job.  But she's a damn good secretary of state.  And Obama surrounded himself with good people to advise him.  And he got a lot of people not usually excited about politics involved and that is always a good thing.  And its nice to have a young couple and children in the White House. 

So here we wait.  I'd like Obama to win because I'm a straight party girl, and it would be sad to have the first African-American president only be one term.  And Romney is well, who knows what he would do.  Does he even know?

The country survives.  It will never be as liberal as I'd like so I've learned not to cry in my beer.   History ebbs and flows.  Things get better, things get worse.  People love, live, get married, have children.  And the God is here. 

Just Vote

 
Lord God, you call your people to honor those in authority. Help us elect trustworthy leaders, participate in wise decisions for our common life, and serve our neighbors in local communities. Bless the leaders of our land, that we may be at peace among ourselves and a blessing to other nations of the earth; through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen.

“I met those of our society who had votes in the ensuing election, and advised them, 1. To vote, without fee or reward, for the person they judged most worthy: 2. To speak no evil of the person they voted against: And, 3. To take care their spirits were not sharpened against those that voted on the other side.”                             –John Wesley, October  6, 1774

Sure I'd like you to vote for my guy.  But just vote.  And know that it won't be the end of the world if your guy doesn't win.  We are a country of checks and balances.  And ultimately, God is in charge.  In the words of Julian of Norwich

All shall be well, and all shall be well, and all manner of thing shall be well"

So just go vote and get on with your life.

If you are in the US VOTE

I know there is good reason for cynicism.   I know there is a lot of corruption.  I know we little folk don't have a whole lot of power.  But I still believe my vote counts.  Call me naive.  Call me idealistic.

Women in this country were arrested, locked up in insane asylums, beat up, force fed and lost their children so that I can vote.  People of color in this country were terrorized, tortured and killed so that all people could vote.

 Women in other countries risk acid thrown into their faces in order to vote. When Blacks obtained the right to vote in South Africa they would walk miles to polling places and wait hours in order to vote.

Vote, if for no other reason than to honor the people who sacrificed so much for this precious right.

Could we have a little civility and respect in our congress???

Dear South Carolina Republican Rep. Joe Wilson - this is not a bar where people heckle the karaoke singers and throw peanuts on the floor. This is the United State Congress and you do not heckle the President of the United States. You putz.

Obama heckled by GOP during speech to Congress

He's not the Messiah, He's not the Anti-Christ - He's just the President of the United States of America

So get over it.

Upfront disclaimer. I was for Hillary. To the very end. I was happy she did not give up when she was being pressured to "for the sake of the party". She hung in there, not, I believe because of her ego, but because of the many women like me, who wanted some acknowledgment of her hard fought battle. I was pleased with how it all got worked out at the convention. I laughed my you know what off at the idea that women like me were going to support Sarah Palin because our girl didn't get picked. Oh puleeze. I've never picked the winner in primaries. Remember Jerry Brown? Jessie Jackson? Teddy Kennedy?

It wasn't just that it was a real chance for a woman to be president, although that was part of it. I thought Hillary had more experience and had a better grip on the issues. I thought Obama, frankly was a lot of pretty speeches and a lot of people were jumping on his bandwagon because they were just following the winner. I was a little concerned at what seemed like hero worship to me.

But he's turned out to be better than I gave him credit for. He's been good at picking folks to help him out. Giving Hillary Secretary of State didn't hurt either.

If I thought some of his supporters were giving him a super-human status, that's nothing compared to the super villain status that his opponents are giving him now. It's really frightening. I mean we hated Bush but I don't think anyone seriously compared him to Hitler. The fear and paranoia I hear on talk radio and the internet is just mind boggling. And now they are upset because he wants to talk to school kids about staying in school? Really?? I think it's very nice for kids to be shown they are thought of as important enough to be addressed by the president and I'd say that even if it was a Republican prez doing it.

"Yea, well that's what Hitler did...he went after the youth!"

Really? Hitler also probably peed standing up. And so?

RIP Edward M. Kennedy, February 22, 1932 – August 25, 2009)

Love him or hate him, idolize or demonize him, Ted Kennedy was a giant and legend and his impact on American politics and the country will continue for some time.

Ted Kennedy was supposed tos follow in his brother's footsteps and become president. Instead he became the third longest serving senator in US History and probably achieved far more for this country than he ever would have as president.

Memories of Kennedy will always be linked with the 1969 Chappaquiddick incident when he drove off a bridge and the young woman who was with him was killed. He pleaded guilty to leaving the scene of an accident and was given a suspended sentence. No politician would get away with that today and rightfully so.

In as much as it is possible to atone for such an act, Ted Kennedy's tireless work to improve life for the least of these in this country certainly at least, adds another side to the his story. Some would argue there is no atonement for such an act, and I note those who do not approve of his politics are particularly unforgiving, while those who agree with his politics are more likely to gloss over this terrible incident.

Ted Kennedy, like all of us, was a mixed bag. It is the whole of our lives, the good and the bad, that makes us who we are. Who knows if it was not the guilt of the results of the act of a reckless young man that helped fuel his devotion to his work? It would not be the first time God has made something good out of something very bad.

I for one, believe we have lost a treasure.

Steve King, Idiot Congressman from Iowa

I used to live near Sioux City, Iowa and it really seemed like those people were not the type to elect Steve King. 

He is really unbelievable. 

He's the one who warned us that terrorists will be dancing in the street if Obama is elected because of his middle name. 

No really, he said that. 

That's kind of the reaction to most of his quotes..."He didn't really say THAT, did he?" 

He wanted to put an electric fence on the border between US and Mexico so that people who tried to cross would be shocked. "We do this with our livestock all the time". 

He called McCarthy a hero. 

When al-Zarqawi was killed he said "There probably are not 72 virgins in the hell he's at. And if there are, they probably all look like Helen Thomas." 

He said he prayed that Justices Steven and Ginsberg would fall in love and elope to Cuba. 

He called the torture of Iraqi prisoners "hazing"

I could go on and on and on. He's always being an idiot...what's got me ranting about it now? 

The House just voted 399-1 to recognize the work of slaves in building the Capitol. Guess who voted no? His reason? 

"This is just the latest example of a several year effort by liberals in Congress to scrub references to America’s Christian heritage from our nation’s Capitol." 

WTF? Something about ignoring Christian abolitionists who died...I dunno...

Sioux City WHY WHY WHY Do you keep electing this geitbok????

"Right Side of History"? Oh Please!

I joined Twitter just in time to get in on the Twitter protest in Iran. It really was quite exciting. You felt you were actually part of it. I changed my avatar to green and everything. I felt like Neda was my best friend. Power to the People!

But the reality is that I am not part of it. This is a fight for the Iranian people. And I'm getting a little weary of the pompous rantings of the Republicans against Obama for not taking this opportunity to "be on the right side of history" When you ask these people just what EXACTLY do they expect him to do, I have yet to hear an clear answer. We don't have a really good track record when it comes to US interference in the Middle East. Or South America. Or Southeast Asia. Or central America.

Of course we should support free elections. But the way the Republicans are going on you would think Mousavi was a western loving Baptist! Um. No. And frankly recent news of the country's clerics joining the protest makes me fear the whole thing is being co-opted and even if Ahmadinejad is toppled, we will not see much difference in US-Iran relations or even human rights in Iran.

The Republican cry for American support in this annoys me too because why now and why Iran? What about Darfur and the reluctance to use the G word? What about China? I cannot tell you how pissed off I was when China was chosen to host the Olympics and I thought AT LEAST Bush should NOT be at the opening ceremonies. Oh no. We can't offend China. They might stop buying our debt. Oh the hypocracy!

So I think we need to just shut up about this right side of history crap.

Two Very Different Men who Need to SHUT UP...

Dick Cheney and Rev. Jeremiah Wright.

Rev. Wright - "Them Jews" keep me from Obama

I'm sure I don't need to explain why Cheney needs to shut up.

President's "Date Night"

Really the Republicans just can't find much of substance to fault President Obama. Now they are ticked off he took his wife out to dinner and a show in New York?

According to the New York Times:

“As President Obama prepares to wing into Manhattan’s theater district on Air Force One to take in a Broadway show, GM is preparing to file bankruptcy and families across America continue to struggle to pay their bills,” RNC spokeswoman Gail Gitcho said in an email this afternoon.

Apparently some people have the same expectations of their president as they do of their pastor. No personal life. Pour yourself into the problems and troubles of your people. Neglect your family for your job. Considering how I've seen that work out for pastors who do that and thier congregations, that is the LAST thing I want my president to do.

Frankly I am happy that the president is attending to his marriage. You know the saying, "If Mama ain't happy, ain't nobody happy" And he's taking care of himself. So he can do what he needs to do for the country. I find that reassuring. Plus I just love see what Michelle wears to these things!

"Fire Fighter Case" is more Complicated

I listen to NPR's Morning Edition when I drive to the skating rink early mornings (5:30 am). A few weeks ago before anyone heard of Sonia Sotomayer, they had this interesting piece by Nina Totenburg on the infamous "firefighter case". Supreme Court Hears Firefighter Promotion Case You know, the one the Right is touting as proof that Sotomayer is "racist" and just summarily dismissed this "obvious case" of discrimination against whites and will "surely" be overturned by the Supreme Court?

Just read the article and you will see that the case is much more complicated. And if it will "surely" be overturned, that's just more proof how much we need more Sonia Sotomayers on the bench!

100 Days and the World Hasn't Come to an End

This cracked me up --the Vatican felt it necesary to release a statement that the first 100 days of Obama's administration hasn't turned out as bad as they'd feared.

Vatican Newspaper- No Radical Changes in Obama's First 100 Days.

I think taxing them is harsh enough

My Republican Senator Charles Grassley wants to go farther.

Not a Bad idea

Rep. Carolyn Maloney has come up with a solution to the AIG bonus conundrum: Tax them into oblivion.

Limbaugh is only a threat to the Republicans

Is anyone else disturbed by the way any Republican leader who has dared to say anything remotely critical of Rush Limbaugh has felt compelled to crawl to him and beg absolution? Now the latest one to don ash clothe is Republican National Chairman Micheal Steele.
For calling Limbaugh an "entertainer". Really?

Democrats are loving this obviously but I am creeped out by this. I know there were those put off by the overwhelming public adulation of President Obama (actually it did give me pause, but then you know, I was a Hillary supporter) but I think this is far more ominous. It is perceived that Limbaugh can make or break political careers and is the man to please. And yet he is not in public office, was not elected and has no accountablity. The fact that he has a lot of listeners does not mean they all agree with him. I listen to him on occasion. To know what nonsense he's spouting and because, after all, he is entertaining.

I Agree with this guy!

Op-Ed Columnist
The Destructive Center

"One of the best features of the original plan was aid to cash-strapped state governments, which would have provided a quick boost to the economy while preserving essential services. But the centrists insisted on a $40 billion cut in that spending."

The Democrats just need to man-up and pass this sucker --then take the blame or the credit.
Just do it.