WHAT DOES YOUR CONGRESSMAN DO TO EARN HIS PAY

On January 4, 2013 I sent Congressman Rick Crawford the following email at the address shown on his official web site—rick.crawford@mail.house.gov

WHAT DOES YOUR CONGRESSMAN DO TO EARN HIS PAY

As a voter and taxpayer I am interested in how Congress votes and spends my tax dollars and am requesting Congressman Rick Crawford to answer the following questions.

Do you and each member of your staff keep a daily record of your activities along with the names of all people contacted or who contacted you which records voters may view?

If not would you agree to keep such records in the future?

What was your Congressional expense allowance for the year 2012?

How many staff members did you have in 2012 and what was the job description for each? What was the expenses for your staff in 2012?

Please give the title and bill number for all bills you sponsored or co-sponsored in 2012 and how many of those became law.

What were the reasons that caused you to sign the Grover Norquist pledge never to raise taxes and will you continue to honor that pledge?

Would you sign a pledge never to cut benefits for Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid or Food Stamps and give the reasons for your answer.

How much will you reduce your expense allowance and how much will you reduce the salary allowance of your staff in 2013?

Are you voters and taxpayers in Cleburne County interested enough in what Congress does and how much Congress costs taxpayers to write Congressman Crawford about these concerns and based on his record decide if he is earning his pay?

Congressman Crawford has not responded to my email sent him more than a year ago.

However Congressman Crawford sent me a two page letter dated October 31, 2013 containing these statements:

“The people who elected our government—throughout our country and right here in Arkansas –deserve better than this.”

“The major problems facing America require, real urgent action, not the kind of delays and frustrations that are becoming “standard operating procedure” in our nation’s capital.”

“And we deserve better than a Congress that refuses to work together on issues affecting workers, businesses, and families in the real world.”

“I went to Washington to fix these problems, not to play the “insiders’ game.”

“Paul with the election less than a year away, I need to start rebuilding my grassroots campaign for r-election. Your immediate contribution of $150, $75, or $50 would put our campaign in the strongest possible position for re-election and send a message to potential challengers that we’re ready to fight in 2014.”

“We can’t continue like this. We must find real solutions that don’t just delay problems we need to deal with now.”

“Paul, I know taking back our country is a tough road, but we cannot afford to give up now. Knowing that I can count on your generous support of $150, $75, or $50 would help our campaign for re-election hit the ground running as we approach 2014.”

/s/rick

“P.S. Paul Nancy Pelosi and her liberal allies are deciding which races to target, and your strongest support will show them that Arkansas votes its conscience. Your urgent contribution of $150, $75, or $50 will help send the message loud and clear that we deserve better. Thanks again for your support—Rick”

Congressman Crawford said he went to Washington to “fix problems.”

His letter has three paragraphs requesting a contribution of $150, $75, or $50 BUT DOES NOT LIST ONE THING HE HAS DONE IN THREE YEARS TO “FIX THOSE PROBLEMS.” ---

Has Congressman Crawford become a “Washington Insider” who spends up to 70% of his time raising money, thinking about raising money or planning to raise money but does not have time to respond to emails from voters in his district?

The Republican controlled House in 2012 was so busy raising campaign money it passed 90 bills---a record low number.

I LOVE BILL CLINTON ---JANUARY 16, 2014

 

How refreshing a Republican on January 16, 2014 would say “I love Bill Clinton.”  Bill Clinton a Democrat.  Bill Clinton who defeated two different Republicans for the White House in 1992 and 1996.

 

Shocking that the Republican who said that was the mother of the 43d President of the U. S. and a cousin of the 14^th President of the U.S.

 

Unbelievable that the Republican who said that was the wife of the 41^st President of the U.S. the man that Bill Clinton defeated for a second term in 1992.

 

Yes, Barbara Bush Wife of Republican President George H. W. Bush, Mother of Republican President George W. Bush, mother of Republican Governor Jeb Bush of Florida and distant cousin of Franklin Pierce President of the U.S  said in an interview on C-SPAN for its First Lady Series:   “I love Bill Clinton.  My husband, Bill Clinton, and I have become great friends.  And Bill visits us every summer.”   Barbara, the mother of six children said in the same interview her children referred to Bill Clinton as “My brother by another mother.”

 

Thank you Barbara Bush.  Thank you for having the good judgment to know that you can disagree with Bill Clinton on politics and yet be good friends.  Thank you for having the courage to say publicly “I love Bill Clinton.”

 

Thank you George H. W Bush for having the good judgment to be friends with Bill Clinton who in years past was your worst political enemy.

 

Thanks to the Bush children for accepting Bill Clinton as their brother by another mother.

 

Thanks to the entire Bush family for demonstrating how Christians should treat other people—even those with different political views.

 

Any discussion of Bush family politics would be incomplete without mention of Lee Atwater his 1968 Presidential campaign manager and Chairman of the Republican National Committee in 1989-91 when G.W.H. Bush was President. 

 

Atwater was a Republican consultant who began his career of “fear and hate” “win at all cost” in South Carolina and took dirty politics to a new level with the G.H.W Bush “Willie Horton” campaign against Mike Dukakis in 1968.  Many say Atwater’s  dirty trick politics was what elected Reagan and G.H.W. Bush president.  The movie “Boogie Man” is about the life of Lee Atwater.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In 1990 Lee Atwater was found to have terminal brain cancer and died March 29, 1991.

When he realized his brain cancer was terminal Atwater stated: “ I was wrong to follow the meanness of Conservatism.  I should have been trying to help people instead of taking advantage of them.  I don’t hate anyone anymore.  For the First time in my life I don’t hate somebody. I have nothing but good feelings toward people.”  Atwater issued a number of public apologies and wrote letters to Dukakis and others against whom he had waged campaigns of fear and hate.  In an article in the February issue of Life magazine Atwater wrote:  “My illness has taught me something about the nature of humanity, love, brotherhood and relationships that I never understood and helped me to see what was missing in society was missing in me: a little heart, a lot of brotherhood.”

 

Hopefully the good judgment and courage which the Bush family has shown Bill Clinton will cause politicians both Republican and Democrats and for all Americans to look deep in their souls and examine their relationship with other people—even those who do not vote as they do—those whose skin is a different color—those who do not worship at the same place they do on Sunday—those who do not agree with them on abortion, same sex marriage, guns, taxes, health care or food stamps or other issues.

 

Pray for the wisdom to know if love and brotherhood is missing in America and in particular if it is missing in our personal and political lives and ask for the courage and strength to help all people instead of hating or taking advantage of them.

 

How refreshing it would be to read editorials by Paul Greenberg in the Arkansas Democrat Gazette saying “I love Bill Clinton” and we have  become good friends who visit and speak frequently on the phone.

 

America would be a better place to live if the media could one day proclaim:

 

Congresses concluded its business with a party sponsored by Mitch McConnell and John Boehner under a banner entitled “I love Barack Obama,”  

 

For the first time in history  Congress passed legislation on poverty, unemployment, minimum wages, taxes, immigration, abortion, guns, the national debt, and approved the president’s nominees for cabinet positions and court appointments without a single filibuster and all legislation passed by a bi-partisan vote of 90 to 10 in the Senate and a non-partisan vote of 400 to 35 in the House

 

I love Barbara Bush

MEET ARKANSAS’S MAN IN THE SENATE 

 

On November 2, 2010, 451,617  Arkansas voters elected John Boozman their U.S. Senator and to be their voice in the U.S. Senate for the  next 6 years.

 

The name Mitch McConnell has never been on the ballot in Arkansas.

 

According to the U.S.  Congress Voters Database for his first two years as Arkansas’s voice in the U.S Senate Boozman said the same thing Mitch McConnell the Republican Senate leader said 91% of the time.

 

Please meet Arkansas’s man in the Senate--Mitch McConnell

 

 Mitch McConnell entered politics in 1967 as an intern for Republican Senator John Cooper.  Later, he was an assistant to Republican Senator Marlow Cook, Deputy Assistant Attorney General under President Gerald Ford, Jefferson County Judge, of Jefferson County, Kentucky and United States Senator from Kentucky since January 3, 1985. From January 3, 2003 to January 3, 2007 McConnell was the Senate Republican Whip and since January 3, 2007 he has served as Republican Senate Leader and is regarded as one of the most politically powerful men in Washington.

 

Mitch never worked in the private sector but he has done well financially by maintaining himself on the BIG GOVERNMENT payroll  going from a Senate intern’s salary in 1967 to a net worth of  $9,946,049.00 to $44,667,000. 00. in 2011 according to the financial report he filed as required by law.

 

When Mitch was elected to the Senate in 1985 a U.S Senator’s salary was $75,100. and  has more than doubled to $193,400. 

 

Mitch has received $4,146, 400. from U.S taxpayers in salary for his 28 years service in the U.S Senate

 

Millionaire Mitch has done much better financially than American workers whose pay increased 5.7% from 1978 to 2013.

 

Millionaire Mitch is opposed to increasing minimum wages for American workers from $7.25 an hour to $9.80 per hour.

 

While Mitch was leading Republicans the number of millionaires increased 200,000 in 2011 to 8.2 million.

 

While Mitch was accumulating his millions the number of Americans living in poverty increased to 50 million in 2011

 

Mitch with a Republican majority in the Senate led the U.S into the second greatest economic disaster in history when corporate profits were the highest in history-- Exxon $82,561.00 per minute  and corporate CEO’S pay skyrocketed --David Simon of Simon Property Group received CEO pay of $137 million.

 

When Mitch was elected to the Senate the national debt was 4 trillion dollars and has increased more than four times to over 16 trillion dollars during his 28 years as a senator.

 

Mitch if the national debt increased four times on your  28 year watch in the senate what would you do different in the next 6 years that you didn’t do during the last 28 years concerning the national debt?

 

If government is too big and taxes are too high since you have been and active participant in government in some capacity for all your adult working life--more than 45 years—do you accept some responsibility for government  being too “big” and taxes being too “high?”

 

What would you do different in the next 6 years from what you did for the last 28 years on taxes and big government?

 

If taxes are too high: How did you accumulate assets worth $9,946,049.00 to $44,667,000.00 and Congressman Issa accumulate assets worth more than $464 million?

 

For the first time in history more than half the current members of Congress have assets worth more than 1 million dollars.

 

How many bills have you sponsored in your 28 years in the U.S Senate that became law—in other words what have you done to earn the $4,146,400.00 salary you received as a U.S. Senator?

 

Will history record the gridlock you created by filing 137 cloture motions in 2009-2010 and the 88 cloture motions you filed in 2011-2012 as your greatest contributions to Americans for your 28 years of service in the U.S Senate? 

 

From 1939 to 1960 government operated with 0 cloture motions being invoked and for the 46 year period 1939 to1985 only 69 cloture motions were invoked—about half the number you filed in two years.

 

In the next 6 years will you continue the gridlock by filing cloture motions?

 

Did Eric Cantor, Republican House Leader accurately described McConnell’s Republican leadership when he said:  “Look we know we screwed up in the majority.  We fell in love with power. We spent way too much money—especially on earmarks.  There was too much corruption when we ran this place.  We were guilty.” 

 

Although Mitch calls the shot for Arkansas 9 out of 10 times when there is a vote in the U.S Senate Arkansas voters are not eligible to vote on him in November and must rely on the judgment of the voters in Kentucky.

SHOCKING, ALARMING, GREATLY DISAPPOINTING—SOMETIME

                                       

“Today’s developments regarding Paul Bookout are shocking, alarming, and greatly disappointing.  This represents a very serious breach of the public’s trust.  It is sad that this type of behavior is all too common among Arkansas Democrats, who have controlled the state for the last 130 years.  We hope that our state’s leaders and the justice system will hold Senator Bookout Accountable, just as they have in the cases of Martha Shoffner and Hudson Hallum.”  David Ray Spokesman for the Republican Party of Arkansas  

 

“Today, I am calling on Treasurer Martha Shoffner to resign her office as Treasurer of the State of Arkansas.  While our justice system provides for her presumed innocence until proven guilt, the wrongful acts that are alleged are very serious in nature and are directly related to her official duties as State Treasurer.  The incompetence that has been uncovered, the criminal charges that are pending, and the distraction from her office that due process will involve make her unfit to continue in her service as State Treasurer.  For these reasons she should resign.”  Doyle Webb Chairman Arkansas Republican Party

 

Republican OUTRAGE at Democrats “shocking” “alarming” “greatly disappointing” conduct.

 

“DARR’S MILEAGE EXPENSES RULED IMPROPER IN AUDIT”---Headline Arkansas Democrat Gazette December 13, 2013.

 

This article states The Legislative Joint Audit Committee found Mark Darr, the Republican Lt. Governor since January 2011, improperly received $9,298.00 in state funds for mileage reimbursement between January 2011 and September 2013 and recommended he reimburse the state $9,298.00. 

 

Darr told reporters  “I apologize for any mistakes that I made or my office made” and said he would pay back the amount the auditors recommended as soon as possible.

 

Darr and the state Republican Party did not respond to the newspaper’s requests to respond to state Democratic Party Vince Insalaco’s statement that “Mark Darr’s blatant abuse of government resources is deplorable.”

 

The State Ethics Commision is currently investigating the ethics complaint Darr filed against himself on August 23, 2013 in which he acknowledged there were problems with his campaign finance reports  and the Commission is also investigating  two complaints filed against Darr by attorney Matt Campbell alleging Darr violated the state’s ethics laws.

 

The Legislative Joint Audit Committee found Darr filed a false claim against the State of Arkansas for travel expenses the first month he was in office and continued to file such claims for more than 2 ½ years and until he had improperly collected a total of $9,298.00 from the taxpayers of Arkansas which amount he promised to repay as soon as possible.  

 

A copy of the Legislative Joint Audit Committee’s report has been referred to Pulaski County Prosecuting Attorney, Larry Jegley.

 

Not one Republican has expressed OUTRAGE at Republican Darr’s conduct or found it “shocking” “alarming” “greatly disappointing” or a “serious breach of the public’s trust”  making him “unfit  to continue in his service as Lt. Governor.”

 

Why haven’t Republicans expressed the same OUTRAGE for Darr they expressed many times over a long period of time for the conduct of Bookout, Hallum and Shoffner?”

Could it be Republicans have one standard of conduct for Democrats and another for Republicans.

 

Stephen Meeks a two term Republican Arkansas legislator’s response to Darr’s  false claims for travel expense:  “lawmakers might look in the future at reimbursing constitutional officers for travel expenses from their home to Little Rock and back as well as lodging expenses.”

 

Is Meek’s OUTRAGE that Arkansas’s constitutional officers are not paid travel expense for driving their cars from their homes to the State Capitol and also paid their lodging expenses? 

 

Is paying more taxpayer dollars to Republican elected officials than Democrats were paid for 140 years a part of Meeks Republican plan of  “less government” “lower taxes”  for Arkansas?

 

Will Republicans at the next legislative session CHANGE THE LAW which for 140 years has made it illegal for Democrat to collect travel and lodging expenses and make it legal for Republican Darr to receive travel expenses when he drives his car from Rogers to Little Rock and pay his lodging expenses at the Embassy Suites?

 

*After this article was written but prior to being published the Arkansas Democrat Gazette on 12/19/13 did a follow up article on Darr’s ethics and regulations violations with this headline.  “2 AGREE PANEL STAFF HAS EVIDENCE DARR VIOLATED STATES ETHICHS RULES.” 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

FOOTBALL --- MEDICAL RESEARCH

 

For football fans December 21, 2013 through January 6, 2014 are the best of times. Millions will crowd into 35 college football stadiums to watch thousands of the most talented athletes from 70 colleges compete in America’s favorite sport—football.  Millions more will be watching the bowl games on their TV sets.

 

The top 5 games are referred to as the Bowl Championship Series (BCS) in which the top ranked 10 college teams in America compete for the national championship..

 

$94 million is the expected total payout from these 5 BCS Bowl games 

 

94,000 spectators will attend the 2014 championship game.

 

The end zone seats at the championship game sell for $325.00 to $385.00.

 

A 4 day 3 night package for single occupancy is advertised for $6,799.00 and $5,849.00 per person for double occupancy. 

 

Businesses for this year’s championship game will pay as high as $10 million for a 30 second TV commercial

 

Last year’s revenue from the 5 BCS games--$202.5 million.

 

The average cost of purchasing a ticket online last year was $3,398.00. 

 

Bowl games are directed by coaches who are paid some of the highest salaries in America.  Nick Saban Alabama $5,545,852 and Mack Brown Texas $5,453,750.

 

College football is big business which involve millions of Americans and billions of their dollars.

 

“There are those who fight disease day and night, who assist mankind in times of despair and agony and who preside over the awesome events of life and death. Others work in the quiet detachment of the laboratory; their names are often unknown to the general public,  but their research may have momentous consequences.”  Wisdom Magazine 195

 

In 1952 3,145 Americans died and 21,269 suffered disabling paralysis from polio.  Millions of people are alive today, perhaps some who are reading this article, because Dr Salk developed the polio vaccine.

 

 

 

 

 

Dr Jonas Salk dedicated his life to finding a cure for polio.  Dr. Salk did medical research, at the University of Pittsburg in a cramped basement poorly equipped laboratory, funded by the National Infantile Paralysis Foundation.  School children all over America collected coins for this foundation-- known as The March of Dimes.  The vaccine Dr Salk developed had “momentous consequences”---- the dreaded disease polio was eradicated in the U.S and only a few cases exist in the world --where the vaccine for various reasons is not given to people.

 

In the U.S in 2010 597,689 people died of heart disease, 574,743 died from cancer, 138,080 died from respiratory disease, and 129,476 died from stroke. 

 

SHOULD FINDING A CURE FOR HEART DISEASE, AMERICA’S NUMBER ONE KILLER, AND FINDING THE CURE FOR OTHER DEADLY DISEASES BE AS IMPORTANT TO AMERICANS AS COLLEGE FOOTBALL AND THE 35 BOWL GAMES?

 

How many of the 70 colleges participating in the 35 bowl game series  devote as much space to medical laboratories as they devote to football stadiums; hire medical scientists to find the cure for deadly diseases at a salary of more than $5 million dollars and spend millions of dollars on medical research.

 

How many of the businesses that pay $10 million for a 30 second commercial at a bowl game every year have created a foundation to find the cure for heart disease and will contribute $10 million yearly to that foundation?

 

How many individuals who pay $300 for a ticket in the end zone will contribute that amount to a foundation working to find a cure for cancer?

 

How many individuals who spend hundred of hours glued to their TV sets watching football bowl games will spend that many hours collecting funds for foundations working on the cure for diseases?

 

How many football players upon graduation will do medical research at an average wage of $86,710.00 or will play in the NFL where the average salary is $1.9 million a year or become a coach and earn more than $5 million a year?

 

To find the cure for cancer and other deadly diseases are Americans willing to devote as much time and resources to medical research as they devote to football and 35 bowl games?  Your life may depend upon the answer.

 

Will people with the skills of a Nick Saban dedicate their lives to medical research and work for an average wage of $86,710.00?  The lives of your children and grandchildren may depend upon the answer.