Congressional Reps

As I'm known to do from time to time, I wrote my congressmen to whine about stuff. The last time I wrote, it was to complain about Republican theatrics and symbolic bullshit that gets us nowhere. As an example, I used Steve Womack's pathetic suggestion that Congress de-fund the President's teleprompter.

My letters were concise, polite, and to the point: Please get to work on substantive, sensible initiatives. In response I got letters like this:

Thank you for contacting me and letting me know of your support for the Continuing Resolution. I always appreciate hearing from you!

I was proud to vote for the recent Continuing Resolution to fund the government for the remaining seven months of the fiscal year at $100 billion less than the President’s 2011 budget request. This resolution is not only a step in the direction of fiscal responsibility; it is a step toward the much needed economic recovery. With our nation facing a fiscal crisis, we cannot afford for the government to irresponsibly spend taxpayer dollars we don’t have, as we are borrowing approximately 40 cents of every dollar we spend. One of my top priorities in Congress is to put our nation back on a sustainable fiscal path by cutting spending and reigning in the size and scope of the Federal government. Like you, I believe we must get federal spending under control. That is why I introduced two amendments to the Continuing Resolution that would eliminate wasteful government spending, and saving taxpayers approximately $15 million. Both amendments were ultimately adop! ted.

This resolution is not only a step in the direction of fiscal responsibility; it is a step toward the much needed economic recovery. Right now, we are borrowing almost 40 cents of every dollar the Federal government spends. As a share of the economy, federal spending is at the highest levels seen since World War II. With our nation in a financial crisis, we cannot afford for the government to irresponsibly spend taxpayer dollars. One of my top priorities in Congress is to put our nation back on a sustainable fiscal path by cutting spending and reigning in the size and scope of the Federal government.

Again, thank you for contacting me. In the future, if there is anything else with which I may assist you, please feel free to contact me. To keep track of what is happening in Congress, I encourage you to visit my website at http://canseco.house.gov/, my Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/RepCanseco, or follow me on my twitter site http://twitter.com/RepCanseco.

(sigh)

I got another response From Mr. Canseco to a letter I wrote urging Congress to censure JPMorgan Chase for defrauding military families by violating the Servicemembes Civil Relief Act:

Thank you for taking the time to contact me regarding the urgent need for Congress to cut spending and not raise the debt ceiling. Like you I am very concerned about our national debt and I recognize the danger it poses to our economic future.

As you know, Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner recently formally requested on behalf of the Obama Administration that Congress increase the amount of debt we can borrow. For too long, both Democrats and Republicans have borrowed from future generations to pay for spending today by simply increasing the amount of debt the Federal government can borrow, and kicked the can down the road. Should Congress take a vote to increase our nation’s debt limit in response to this request, I will not vote for it. The only way we’re going to solve our fiscal crisis is to stop spending in Washington. In order to do that, we must cut up the nation’s credit card and begin living within our own means.

Our nation is facing a fiscal crisis. Right now, we are borrowing almost 40 cents of every dollar the Federal government spends. As a share of the economy, federal spending is at the highest levels seen since World War II. According to Congressional Budget Office estimates, debt held by the public is set to grow as a share of the economy from 62% in 2010 to 100% by 2023, and continue growing after that. As the debt grows, it will grow into a tsunami of debt that will crash down onto our children and grandchildren, leaving them with less opportunity and freedom.
Like you, I find our nation’s fiscal health absolutely unacceptable. One of my top priorities in Congress is to put our nation back on a sustainable fiscal path by cutting spending and reigning in the size and scope of the Federal government. To that end, I have proudly voted for several pieces of legislation that have already passed the House of Representatives.

To lead by example, the House passed the “Reducing the amount authorized for salaries and expenses of Member, committee, and leadership offices in 2011 and 2012” (H. Res. 22) on January 6, 2011. This legislation cut the budget of the House of Representatives by 5% and will save taxpayers $35 million. While this legislation alone will not solve our fiscal crisis, at a time when American families and small businesses have tightened their belts, Congress should also have to tighten its belt as well. The House has also passed “Reducing non-security spending to fiscal year 2008 levels or less” H. Res. 38, which sets the budget for the rest of 2011 and cuts non-security spending back to the 2008 levels or lower. This would take government spending back to levels that existed before the bailouts, the stimulus, and the Obama-Pelosi-Reid spending spree. You may be interested to know that the House of Representatives is continuing the YouCut initiative! begun in the 111th congress by House Republicans. YouCut is an effort to highlight wasteful government spending and give the American people an opportunity to vote on which wasteful spending program will get put up for a vote on the House floor to be cut. Already, the house has voted to end duplicative government printing that will save taxpayers $7 million this year alone, and to eliminate taxpayer funding of presidential campaigns that will save taxpayers $520 million over ten years.

As the 112th Congress progresses, these are just a few of the example’s of the efforts I will work on to cut wasteful spending in Washington.

Again, thank you for contacting me. In the future, if there is anything else with which I may assist you, please feel free to contact me. To keep track of what is happening in Congress, I encourage you to visit my website at http://canseco.house.gov/, my Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/RepCanseco, or follow me on my twitter site http://twitter.com/RepCanseco.

(double sigh)