I Think This Guy Has It Right

“Members of Congress piously and piteously claim they are struggling public servants, but it is becoming clearer that way too many of them are using their public positions not to serve their constituents, but to enrich themselves and their friends. Here’s what I think they should do: The August recess is scheduled to begin on July 31 and last until September 5. Thirty-seven days. Rather than taking trips to Paris or Rome, or spending nights in five star hotels in Hong Kong or Beijing they should each pledge to spend just four days—about 10 percent of their summer vacation—living with a military unit which has been deployed to Iraq or Afghanistan in the past six months. Not in Iraq or Afghanistan; that would be too hard. I mean live with the enlisted personnel of a unit which is back in the United States. And they shouldn’t live in VIP quarters. They should live in the barracks and eat in the mess halls and spend all day cleaning and repairing the aging equipment. And listen to the stories of young men and women who are truly serving their country. And not getting rich along the way.” —Rich Galen

image_pdfDownload as PDFimage_printPrint Page

By Holly

Novelist, writing teacher, on a mission to reprint my out-of-print books and indie-publish my new ones.

Subscribe
Notify of
guest

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

4 Comments
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
Rick
16 years ago

Word to Holly, word to Shawna, word to Jean. Just word.

TimK
16 years ago

Or even with a middle-class family who works their a** off just to make ends meet.

-TimK

PolarBear
16 years ago

And then they should head to the Gulf Coast and live in a FEMA trailer and help with clean-up efforts.

shawna
shawna
16 years ago

And finish out the week by living with a low-income family that works their a** off just to barely make ends meet.

And just for fun, add a toothache they can’t afford to get fixed, a rude caseworker that assumes they have an IQ of 23, and, oh yes. The car they’re driving absolutely must break down, when they’re on their way to pick up the four kids from childcare.

And the whole time they’re there? They need to believe they’re trapped there, no legal way out that still involves sufficient time spent with the kids, and a halfway decent nights’ sleep most nights.

And… it’s their fault.

🙂

4
0
Would love your thoughts, please comment.x
()
x