A Constituent Visits Their Representative's Office
My representative in Congress is Illeana Ros Lehtinen. She represents the 27th District in Florida. She is a Republican and more or less moderate unless it upsets the more elderly Cuban Americans in her district. She has been in Congress a long time. To some of her Republican Friends in Congress, (not from Florida) I'm sure they think of her as a hair on fire liberal.
I visited her office in support of her support for more comprehensive immigration reform. She is a member of the Gang of Seven members of the House trying to reform the immigration mess that this country is in. If you listen to her staff, her views on the issue are similar to our views on immigration. You would think a Cuban American's relatively enlightened view on the good things that can happen if immigration policies are fair, relatively inexpensive, and understandable would hold some influence on the matter.
Legislatively, Cong. Ros Lehtinen is a good egg and the fact that she only generates token opposition or none at all indicates she ain't no bomb thrower on immigration or other issues for that matter.
I am somewhat disappointed that a staff member of a senior member of the Republican majority in the House would plead for more grassroots support for her boss and the tough fight that exists with the house leadership in getting a reasonable bill on the floor.
There really is something wrong with this picture, when on this issue and many others, the majority is frustrated by a minority that won't allow votes on issues the minority will probably lose and unconditional surrender has replaced compromise as standard legislative practice.
Can't hurt to write to a representative I don't know, in a district far from my home, in an effort to change his mind on an issue that probably doesn't register on his to do list. I'm not sure it will do any good. John Boehner and Eric Cantor may not even read letters, e-mails or other communications unless they are from Tennessee or Virginia or have a campaign donation attached. Sadly, that may the SOP for many Congressional Offices.
I visited her office in support of her support for more comprehensive immigration reform. She is a member of the Gang of Seven members of the House trying to reform the immigration mess that this country is in. If you listen to her staff, her views on the issue are similar to our views on immigration. You would think a Cuban American's relatively enlightened view on the good things that can happen if immigration policies are fair, relatively inexpensive, and understandable would hold some influence on the matter.
Legislatively, Cong. Ros Lehtinen is a good egg and the fact that she only generates token opposition or none at all indicates she ain't no bomb thrower on immigration or other issues for that matter.
I am somewhat disappointed that a staff member of a senior member of the Republican majority in the House would plead for more grassroots support for her boss and the tough fight that exists with the house leadership in getting a reasonable bill on the floor.
There really is something wrong with this picture, when on this issue and many others, the majority is frustrated by a minority that won't allow votes on issues the minority will probably lose and unconditional surrender has replaced compromise as standard legislative practice.
Can't hurt to write to a representative I don't know, in a district far from my home, in an effort to change his mind on an issue that probably doesn't register on his to do list. I'm not sure it will do any good. John Boehner and Eric Cantor may not even read letters, e-mails or other communications unless they are from Tennessee or Virginia or have a campaign donation attached. Sadly, that may the SOP for many Congressional Offices.
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