Washington Panorama
September 2005
Senators and Representatives have had approximately a month back in their districts during their “Summer Recess”. Did you see your representative? Did you see either of the Senators? Both Senator Levin and Senator Stabenow were in the U. P. for meetings, grant giving and newsmaking. Representative Stupak was also quite visible in a number of areas in his district above the bridge. I do wonder about representatives like … Rogers, Dingell and others. Do they serve your part of the state well? We as citizens need to be aware of how they are serving us at home as well as in Washington.
As we move swiftly into the fall sessions of congress our representatives will be tackling tasks on which they need and actually want our advice. Do not be afraid to let them know how you think on issues. Some of the “biggies” they will be handling will be relief for victims of Katrina. And FEMA. As one boss of mine would have said of the situation, “It was a fiasco- di-gama”. If so many in congress (like Congressman Dingell) knew FEMA would never work as part of Homeland Protection, why did they vote to make it so? Look for better ideas to come out of the recent disaster.
Not only will Senators have one Supreme Court replacement to consider, hold hearings on and vote on, but also now it appears that there will be a second. USA Today lists no fewer than a half dozen possible candidates that they think are possibles. At this writing we must still wait to see whom the President will nominate.
When the Medicare prescription drug program kicks in this fall we must watch our legislators who will be having second thoughts. Those “I knew it wouldn’t work” types will join with Al Sharpton and Rep Rangell in finding blame to place on members of the other party who happen “to be in power.”
All this only to point out that we must be careful to cross check the information we get and the sources from which it comes. Congressmen and Senators are just as inclined to get stories wrong or to have incorrect facts as your neighbor or I.
We need to be better consumers of information, and so I urge you to look for news in more than one outlet … more than the Detroit News, or more than CBS television. Go to your local library and read other news accounts, use the Internet to seek out other information. Go the web sites of our representatives and see what they are saying first hand. Don’t let yourself be duped by listening to someone misquote our leaders and be sure not to let the opinions expressed in the media be the “news” or “facts” on which you base your decisions. Be wise consumers.
That is the lesson for this fall. And I apologize. It is the teacher in me that makes a review and recharging of the “student” in all of us necessary in the autumn of the year. (By the way, you will notice a number of sentences beginning with “and”, something you learned in English class to never do … and don’t split infinitives either.)
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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