Incentive Program

Dear Madame L,

I heard on the news that Pres. Obama's proposals for creating jobs to help the American people has very little chance of succeeding because ... get this:

"The Republicans in Congress have no incentive to help the plan succeed."

No incentive? Not even the welfare of the American people and the economy?

So I'm wondering how we can get our country's economy going again --- or do these people really only care about politics, not about the people who voted them into office?

Sincerely,

Unemployed and Anti-Politician

Dear Anti-Politician,

Madame L can't blame you for becoming cynical and even bitter about the lack of responsibility being displayed lately in Congress. Of course you've read about Sen. McConnell (R-KY) proclaiming over and over again that his primary goal, and the primary goal of all Republicans in Congress, is to get Obama out of the White House in 2012. He admits it, proclaims it, is proud of it, while the people of his state endure a 9.5% unemployment rate. And so do all the Republican leaders in the both houses of Congress.

Moving right along, since you already know all about that:

Madame L would like to propose an incentive program for Republicans in both the House and the Senate:

You and I, we, the voters, vote them out of office since they won't take us seriously otherwise. This will take some effort, some time, and some writing of letters.

Madame L has already, for instance, promised her member of Congress that she will do everything she can to vote that person out in 2012. She only did it after repeated calls, letters, and e-mail messages to that person's office brought no meaningful response.

Madame L suggests that you do the same. Here's the information you need, from an earlier post, to get started:

---How to write a letter to a member of Congress

---Contact information for senators

---Contact information for representatives

---Bias-free information on issues currently before Congress

Other things you can do include writing letters to the editor of your local paper, calling in to talk shows to express your views, visiting your representative's and senators' offices in person, and attending meetings of your local Democratic and/or Republican parties (they have monthly meetings and welcome new members).

Please, put your outrage into action by providing your local, state, and national political representatives with strong incentives to do what they are supposed to be doing, instead of wasting their time and our money on political brinkmanship.

God help us all,

Madame L