Earlier this week our President came out and requested a prime time audience to deliver a message. There wasn't much political commentary by the pundits immediately after his speech because it was too important to get back to the interrupted programming. The next morning the assessment of his speech came in and the biggest knock on the message was it didn't really offer anything new. Even many Democratic strategist and pundits stated it seemed "outdated". All along the Republicans have criticized the President for not presenting a plan. Makes you wonder why they walked out on several meetings with him and claimed he "moved the goalposts". What goalposts?
When I listened to the President's speech the thing that resonated with me was the fact he called on people, citizens, to contact their congressmen and voice their opinions. President Obama suggested compromise, but that wasn't anything he hadn't said before. The only thing that seemed new to me, in a speech that was critiqued as offering "nothing new" by most, was his call to the people to let their congressmen know how they felt and how they wanted the situation resolved. I'm sure this has probably been done before but I don't recall anytime too recently where the President requested a national television audience and the crux of his message was to encourage people to get in touch with their representatives.
I followed the news, specifically on this issue about people contacting their representatives, and from most reports I read it seems people actually did this. Many office headquarters reported large amounts of voice mail and email contacts. Many citizens reported receiving busy signals when trying to contact their congressmen all across the land. I have also followed the polls and it seems clear the vast majority of Americans, regardless of their party affiliation, seem to agree that compromise is the only real solution.
This made me wonder if one of our local congressman had received larger than normal contacts from his constituents. I visited his public Facebook page to see if we, right here at home, believed in compromise as the best remedy. Below is what I found. All replies are in order they took place, from newest to oldest, in the last twelve hours on Congressman Devin Nunes' public figure Facebook page. The only thing not included is comments that shared links.
Please vote No on raising the Debt Ceiling!!!!!! I want my Kids to have a Country to be Proud of....... Not one that is Owned by China........
Please Congressman Nunes, NO MORE DEBT. We the People are begging you to listen to us!! We do not want the debt ceiling raised. PLEASE DO NOT VOTE FOR BOEHNER'S BILL. Thank you!!
Congressman Nunes, NO MORE DEBT! I've listened to you. I know you have the guts to do the right thing! DO NOT ALLOW THE DEBT CEILING TO BE RAISED. DO NOT VOTE FOR BOEHNER'S BILL!
politicians will not have the guts to do the right thing unless we hav ethe guts to hold them accountable, regardless of party. if we complain, but then vote them back in, we are to blame. NO MORE DEBT, period. We are watching and those who fail and betray us will be held accountable!
Our country will never be the same based on the insurmountable debt. Voting to increase the debt ceiling is just going to worsen the inevitable pain for what lies ahead. We must stop the spending. Please vote no on raising the ceiling.
Please do not raise the debt!!
The nation is headed for a cliff at 90 mph. If all we do is slow down to 85 mph (the Boehner bill), we're still going over the cliff!!! It may take a short time longer, but it WILL happen! How on earth do we have a party that hasn't passed a budget in 2 1/2 years lecturing us about fiscal responsibility??? How on earth do we allow the party that cut $1/2 trillion out of Medicare to make the numbers work on Obamacare get by with accusing Paul Ryan's plan of destroying Medicare??? Take back the message! Please!
Boehners bill is NOT ecceptable. compromise is how we got into this mess. Call Obama's bluff !
Do not vote to raise the debt ceiling!
NO MORE DEBT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Please don't fold. We need to make some tough choices and it does not seem as though the Republican Leadership has the cohones to make the right ones. Please don't leave this mess for our children. Vote NO on Boehner's plan.
You are one of my favorite congressmen. I honestly do not think the new plan by the speaker will do anything to right the ship. In fact I believe it will hurt far more than doing nothing. I urge you to vote against it and only vote for something that may really keep us from further financial hardship. The cut Cap and balance (I am against it) at least has a chance of helping the situation. what would be the best in my opinion, is to do nothing for now, and as a congress cut funding to all things Obama wants to fund that are unnessary, and do not allow any expendatures that exceed revenues. That would actually help.
Congressman Nunes. No More Debt!
Congressman Nunes, Boehner is not your boss, your constituents are. Listen to us and vote AGAINST Boehner's bill. The Central Valley is hurting big time and this will be another nail in the coffin. Do you want this on your shoulders and in your conscience if you vote with Boehner. I pray you don't. Please vote AGAINST Boehner's bill. Thank you.
This insistence on no reform reinforces the notion that our entitlement state is too big to afford but also too big to change politically. This is how a AAA country becomes AA, the first step on the march to Greece.
Vote No on the Boehner bill. The message that bill sends to conservatives is business as usual inside the Beltway. Be a leader and do the right thing.
STOP THE GAMES! Its time to quit playing games with the people of America, WE said NO to raising the debt ceiling, what is it about NO do you people that we elected NOT understand? Boehners plan is NOT acceptable, we need huge cuts not more available to spend on useless programs and paybacks to UNIONS and left organizations. VOTE NO ON THIS USELESS PIECE OF GARBAGE!
No on the Boehner plan!
Devin, I implore you!!! DO NOT ACCEPT BOENOR'S PROPOSAL!!! THE PEOPLE WILL BACK YOU. BOENOR'S PLAN IS IMPOTENT!!! IT CONTAINS NO ACTUAL CUTS, JUST STAVING OFF FUTURE SPENDING INCREASE. PLEASE, VOTE NO ON BOENOR'S PLAN, DEFAULT IS A MYTH AND A SCARE TACTIC!!!
CUT, CAP AND INITIATE A BALANCE BUDGET AMENDMENT.
If you want to restore the Republic, you will vote against raising the debt ceiling! Stick to your guns!!
Listen to your constituents. Do not raise the debt ceiling!
Listen to your constituents, do not vote to raise the debt ceiling!!
I will borrow some words from a good friend in hopes that you will understand, " Color me stupid. I'm still trying to figure out why you have to borrow more money so you can spend less and how do you owe less after you borrow more??"
Mr. Boehner, YOU need to get YOUR ass in line with what the majority of Americans are telling YOU... NO MORE DEBT! Prioritize your payments like any NORMAL household must do when they live in REALITY! .... you know, where money CAN'T be printed!
The Boehner plan is No deal that is acceptable for the future of America. And Rep. Boehner should be brought up on charges of High Crimes and Misdemeanors for "American Generational Thievery."
And we the people must put an end to your trickery with Baseline Budgeting!
Less than $1 trillion in cut over 10 years for $1 trillion in new debt now is not acceptable. NO MORE DEBT is acceptable, Period. Also, any hustler on the street can tell you that $1 today is worth far more than $1 is the future..you have to account for interest, inflation and devaluation at the very least, so this dollar for dollar nonsense is a sham!
It would seem people did exactly what the President asked them to do in regard to voicing their views. However, not one person suggested their congressman compromise. I have no idea how Mr. Nunes plans on voting but what if he wanted to compromise and this is all he heard from his constituents?
I'm not really that politically savvy, even though I do follow it for my own interest in the psychology of it all. I'm deeply interested in how we interact with one another, in all aspects of life. I can't offer the best policy for our government to enact to solve our debt situation. Most of the stuff these professionals deal with is well beyond me. However, I can tell you one thing with a large degree of certainty, not compromising is very rarely a solution to any problem.
Our attitude toward one another is deeply troubling to me, and not just in the political arena. Somewhere along the way we made a conscientious decision to stick to our guns on every issue, large and small, and dismiss anything that isn't in alignment with our personal belief. We gravitate to people that share our opinion and demonize and vilify everyone that offers a differing view.
Obviously, not everyone that lives in this area believes our congressman shouldn't compromise, it's mathematically nearly impossible. And the polls even suggest the people that believe in compromise are much larger than those who don't. Yet, not one person contacted their representative to voice this opinion.
In the end, we deserve everything our apathy brings us. There is nothing wrong with the people that don't believe we should work together contacting their congressman and letting him know how they feel, in fact they were encouraged to do so by the President. But there is something very wrong with no one contacting him to let him know they simply believe in the idea of compromise. It is shameful and we will no doubt reap the harvest we've sowed.
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