Washington Panorama
June 2005
It’s over for now. The “Nuclear Solution” has been avoided. But, what direction will the Senate take now? 14 Republicans and Democrats have been compromised. Have the parties too? And how will all this be reflected in the ’06 elections when the entire House stands for election? Stand by.
Other issues the congress must tackle (besides the much talked about Social Security and Personal Accounts) is Medicare. The Congress took it up in the last session, but they certainly didn’t fix it, Senator Carl Levin says. (See his web site for details. he reports his position regularly and keeps it updated.)
After all the hullabaloo it appears that it’s the same old stuff again. Senate stops short of completing work when two senators are miffed, takes long holiday weekend. And don’t expect your senators to work all summer either. They never seem to.
All we have from the congress at this time are promises. No accomplishments yet on Social Security, Medicare, or much else. What are these people doing for us. It is becoming clear that there is a malaise in Washington that will circumnavigate any meaningful action as our representatives begin to posture for the next run for election. Already talk is circulating about which Republican will be in the running against Hillary. As though that has been decided by the press.
Debbie Stabenow and Carl Levin are bent on keeping Canadian trash out of our landfills, even though the ability to do so may be out of their purview. I wonder if they have as much concern for the citizens of the two countries who cross the border each day and who will have to purchase passports at nearly a hundred dollars a pop to do so in a very short time. Oh, (and it seems that this is strictly a UP problem that has just come to my attention) neither Levin nor Stabenow, not even Stupak can get the department of Homeland Security and Customs to free up enough inspectors to allow a Finnair plane with two hundred aboard to fly directly from Finland to Marquette’s K.I. Sawyer “international” airport later this summer for Finn Grand Fest which will be an ethnic celebration of Finnish descendants who are American, Canadian and, if they can find a way to fly in, Finnish citizens.
So, what can we watch for from our representatives in the nation’s capitol?
Look for them to collect even more money for their next political races. (The money would be less impressive if you and I, the citizens, would be more active participants in the governing.)
Look for them to be off on some wonderful junkets during the summer. And look for posturing on the elimination of armed forces bases in Michigan. No action, but lots of posturing.
Here is the call to action for fellow State of Michigan Retirees. Join SERA. Get active in a political movement. Work for candidates you like, work for issues you favor. You and I have the time, talent and energy to make a change in the nothing that is currently happening.
Write to:
Senator Levin
269 Senate Office Building
Washington, DC
Phone: (202) 224-6221Senator Stabenow
133 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, DC
Phone (202) 224-4822
If you are an internet user, look them up at www.first.gov and email them.
Editor’s note: “Tony” Grudnoski is President of the Marquette SERA hapter and SERA’s Washington “Reporter.” He may be reached at 216 W. Hewitt Ave., Marquette 49855; Ph. 906/228-8670; e-mail tonyg25@hotmail.com.
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