Letter to the Editor

Posted: Friday, January 14, 2011 8:01 pm

Dear Editor,

Thirty years ago I was encouraged by a dear friend to vote for a certain senator because “he will bring back a piece of the pie.” Evidently that has been and continues to be the thinking of people throughout the United States. Everyone hates the federal deficit and the debt ceiling is repulsive but, when it comes to our own area, we want someone to go and come back with a piece of the “pie.”

I recently heard that a favorite saying of “Fats” Everett was “people want to send a wagon load of manure and want it to come back as a wagon load of gold.” 

I was actually saddened last week when I heard one of our newly elected officials suggest he hopes to have an impact on bills to favor our area. 

The reason for my sadness was not that I don’t want our area to succeed but, if every elected official from every state goes to Washington seeking money for “their area”, as well may be the case, we will all suffer because it will be Washington as usual and the “pie” is gone! 

It amazed me for years how Congress had such low approval ratings but members were continually re-elected year after year. I finally realized that everyone detests the spending patterns of Congress in general but appreciates the grants and programs coming to their states and cities from their elected officials. 

In other words, “Let’s quit spending in every area but mine.” The sad thing is all other people in all other states are thinking the same way and the “pie” is gone. 

It is time for all to say enough is enough. My plea to our newly elected officials is that I voted for you to go to Washington and create a fiscally strong America we can all be proud of, not to seek slivers and crumbs from a previously ravished plate. 

We, the people, can be the problem or the cure.

Ken Reynolds

Martin

wcp 1/13/11

None