The Unlocked Lock Box

Written on July 13, 2011

Dear Congressman Connolly (and Senators Webb and Warner),

I was shocked to hear the President say in a TV interview last night that he could not guarantee Social Security benefits would be paid if the debt ceiling was not raised. This begs 2 questions. First, how can the Social Security Trust Fund be dependent upon raising the debt ceiling and borrowing money to pay these benefits when the trust fund is supposed to be in a "lock box" and contributions are not intended to be put into a general spending pot? The second question is, if in fact the Social Security Trust Fund is bankrupt why are democrats opposed to reforming the SS program and acting like the republicans want to throw granny off a cliff when the talk about reform? The Citizens of Virginia and the United States deserve to hear the truth and not some mumbo jumbo scare tactics. This President has become the most divisive President in recent history pitting rich against poor, old against young and black against white. I would appreciate a direct response to these 2 questions. Thanks.

Sincerely,

Palma Hutchinson

Here is Senator Warner's response:

Dear Mrs. Hutchinson,

Thank you for contacting me about Social Security, the primary source of retirement income for many Americans. I appreciate hearing from you on this important topic.

Since 1935, Social Security has provided income to and reduced poverty among seniors, dependent survivors, and disabled Americans. Over 50 million Americans currently receive monthly benefit checks. I believe that Social Security should continue to provide retirement security to all those who have paid into the system. Honoring that commitment, however, will involve developing solutions to steer the Social Security program from its current unsustainable course back toward long-term solvency.

As of May 13th, the Social Security Board of Trustees report projected that without changes, the Trust Funds for seniors, dependent survivors and disabled Americans will be depleted by 2036. This means if nothing is done, all beneficiaries will be subject to a 22 percent cut across the board. Factors including the recent economic crisis, the oncoming retirement of the Baby Boomer generation, and Americans' growing life spans have intensified the strain on the system.

I have worked for the last six months with a bipartisan group of Senators to craft a solution to our debt and deficit problem. On July 19, 2011, we put forward our plan in hopes that it would provide a solid basis for a bipartisan, comprehensive, and balanced solution. The plan we put forward would slash our deficits by $3.7 trillion over ten years and stabilize our publicly-held debt by 2014.

Apart from deficit reduction, our plan would ensure Social Security's solvency for the next 75 years. Any savings created by changes to Social Security would go back into the Social Security system, not to deficit reduction. It is important that Social Security reform remain separate from other budget efforts, but we should strive to restore long-term solvency to Social Security while providing seniors with the benefits they need.

Sincerely,
MARK R. WARNER
United States Senator

My reaction: So, the President was lying about not knowing if Social Security payments could be made (according to Senator Warner the system is solvent through 2036) come August 3. AND the system does need to be reformed despite Pelosi and other radical democrats (including the President) accusing Republicans of wanting to send Granny off a cliff by discussing social security/entitlement reform. I wonder what else they're lying about.

The Big Labor Letter

These letters are not being posted in any sort of order. I wrote this one on 17 Jun 2011, but it is still an ongoing issue:

Dear Senator Warner (also sent to Senator Webb), 17 Jun 2011
I’m writing today to voice my support for the Boeing Company in their effort to build a manufacturing plant in South Carolina. I am once again disappointed and dismayed in the Obama Administration. Their seeking to thwart Boeing appears to be based on political reasons. As you know, South Carolina, like Virginia, is a Right-to-Work State. As such, I would hope you would support the State of South Carolina in trying to create jobs while at the same time supporting Boeing’s right to build a plant wherever it wants to. For goodness sake! These are jobs are being created in the U.S. – if only this administration would oppose creating overseas jobs so violently! Boeing added 2,000 jobs to its plant in Washington State as it was making plans to expand to SC. Please do what you can to stop the NLRB from preventing Boeing from expanding its operations to SC, and support SC in its quest to create jobs for its citizens. Not doing so, signals to me that you and President Obama are putting politics before common sense solutions to our economic problems and the lack of promised job creation continues. If the President is serious about creating jobs, this is a no-brainer.

Sincerely,
Palma Hutchinson


In response to my email, Senator Warner wrote:

Dear Mrs. Hutchinson,

Thank you for contacting me regarding the National Labor Relations Board. As we work in the Senate to meet the enormous challenges facing this country, including efforts to strengthen our economy, create new private sector jobs, reduce the federal deficit and establish energy independence, your views and those of your fellow Virginians are very important to me.

I am honored to serve Virginia as your United States Senator. My top priority in the Senate is to provide efficient and effective constituent service to all Virginians. Please be sure that my office will review your comments carefully as I consider and vote on relevant legislation.

Again, thank you for contacting me. For further information or to sign up for my newsletter please visit my website at http://warner.senate.gov.

Sincerely,
MARK R. WARNER
United States Senator

My reaction: In other words, Senator Warner, if you don't have to vote on it, you are not getting involved and don't really have an opinion.

Senator Webb's response:

Dear Ms. Hutchinson:

Thank you for contacting my office regarding a National Labor Relations Board complaint issued against the Boeing Company. I appreciate your taking the time to share your views with me.

Based on reports to date, I have concerns regarding this case. As the National Labor Relations Board proceeds, my staff and I will continue to monitor this situation closely. In addition, I support Virginia's right-to-work laws and believe they should be protected.

As the Senate continues to address labor issues, please be assured that your views will be helpful to me and my staff. I hope that you will continue to share your thoughts with us in the years ahead.

I would also invite you to visit my website at www.webb.senate.gov for regular updates about my activities and positions on matters that are important to Virginia and our nation.
Thank you once again for contacting my office.

Sincerely,

Jim Webb
United States Senator

My reaction: Well, that's more like it! At least Senator Webb took a stand and voiced an opinion and he is concerned.

Today is the Day

I've been thinking about starting this blog for a couple of months now and decided to take the plunge. I write to my Congressman and Senators fairly regularly and have started saving the letters to them as well as their responses. I'll start with the last email I wrote to my Congressman Gerry Connolly and his response. I don't normally write in such a rant, but I was really so agitated that I couldn't help myself:

On July 6th I wrote:

Dear Congressman Connolly,

I listened, with dismay, to your colleague Jim Longevin (RI) in an interview last night. Two statements in particular were quite upsetting. First, like many in his (your) party, is the assertion that failure to raise taxes will somehow kill old folks, close schools and starve children. If any of these things happen it's because the "Party of Boo" (did I scare you democrats) have failed to get our economy moving and their obscene spending have failed to generate growth. The second offensive thing he said was he hoped the "grownups" would be in the room during budget talks. I guess that leaves him and all his fellow democrats out since they weren't capable of passing a budget over the last 2 years. We need REAL entitlement reform, REAL spending reductions and REAL tax reform. We don't need the government playing favorites and deciding who gets to take advantage of loopholes and subsidies and who doesn't. The American people are not buying into the scare tactics being used by our democratic representatives. Let's have a dialogue without the "Boo Factor".

Sincerely,

Palma

Palma Hutchinson

P.S. Please don't answer this email with another one of your party line responses.



Damn it Congressman, I asked you not to respond!! His response a couple of days later:

"Dear Mrs. Hutchinson,

Thank you for contacting me with respect to tax reform. I appreciate your interest in this issue, and your views are important to me.

The federal tax system, both for individuals and corporations, needs to be modernized. For example, while individual tax rates are at their lowest levels in decades, the Alternative Minimum Tax continues to threaten millions of middle class families every year. Similarly, the nation's top corporate tax rate is among the highest in the world; however, the tax code provides a number of credits that allow many corporations to effectively lower their tax rate, in some cases quite significantly. There is an effort underway in Congress to simplify the tax code. As the Co-Chair of the New Democrat Coalition's Innovation, Competitiveness and Tax Reform Task Force, I remain committed to exploring how best to reform the nation's tax code in a manner that will encourage economic growth and promote fiscal responsibility. As Congress continues to deliberate tax reform, I will keep your views in mind.

Once again, thank you for expressing your concern on this very important issue. I enjoyed hearing from you. For more information on my views on other issues, please feel free to visit my website at http://connolly.house.gov. I also encourage you to visit the website to sign up for my e-newsletter.

Sincerely,

Gerald E. Connolly"

This really sounds so good, doesn't it? I'm certainly glad he is so committed to exploring tax reform. I looked up this New Democratic Committee and the Task force is titled the Innovation and Competitiveness Task Force. He must have thrown in the "Tax Reform" part to make me feel better. Co-chairing a "New" democratic committee in a republican controlled house, while commendable, will probably not have much of an impact. Surely there must be a bi-partisan committee? But please, keep exploring and let me know how that works out. I'd really like it if you explored how the government can create an environment for growth rather than working on a committee to create more bureaucracy and spend more money. The website is www.ndc.crowley.house.gov
The primary tenets of this committee:

1. Funding the Innovation Agenda (aka doubling "our" research investment
2. Creating an equitable tax code to spur innovation (aka let the government decide who gets tax loopholes)
3. Achieving Universal Broadband Access (aka the government wants to spend taxpayer dollars so everyone has internet access)
4. Strengthen Small Innovative Businesses- (aka the government investing in small business. Again, they decide in which small businesses to invest)
5. Educating and Expanding STEM Workforce- The Science, Tech, Engineering, and Mathematics. (This is no aka. This is copied from their website: "Our immigration laws should be updated to allow highly skilled foreign students with degrees in STEM fields to stay here when they graduate to supplement the domestic workforce;" I guess this is AFTER the government using taxpayer dollars to educate.
6. Reform the Patent System- (I'm not sure what the aka is for this one: more bureaucracy or less?) Letting the patent office keep the application fees seems to be the main point of the legislation associated with this.