I am a public official, have been for many years.

[Raven]

When I make a decision that people don't like, I hear from them...by phone at home, email, at the grocery store, at church, at my gas station. Sometimes people are civil, sometimes they're not. The fact is that these people pay my salary and I am ultimately accountable to them. I know that, I respect that and, even when I don't like it, I take it. It comes with the territory. If these people can't take it, they should find another line of work.

[lagomorph777]

1. I'd be ok keeping them on the Federal payroll

at $1.00 a day making license plates.

[dameatball]

2. That is a great way to break it down. Valid point.

[trof]

3. There ya go.

[Raven]

5. Hey, Trof! When are you coming back this way?

[trof]

6. Maybe Octoberish?

Helen's birthday is the 21st.
Might come up for that.

[gratuitous]

4. That's the difference between you and anyone in the Trump administration

First, thank you for your service. I know that's usually reserved for people in the military, but there is all kinds of service that can be rendered to the public.

But you feel you're ultimately accountable to voters; from what I can see, nobody in the Trump administration shares that sentiment.

[trof]

7. I know a little about Raven's service. The miitary would be easier.

[mcar]

8. Good observation

Thank you.

[moondust]

9. Would you be okay with

a crowd of RW mouth breathers carrying AR-15s and misspelled signs gathering outside your home to protest? Would you want your family to have to deal with them as they come and go during the day? Would you light up the grill and BBQ something on the patio with them shouting nearby?

[Raven]

11. I've had people at some of my meetings

who were carrying and were pretty nasty but I've never had people physically come to my home. During a pretty acrimonious labor strike years ago I did have a police escort home and a cop who sat outside my house all night. I was in my 30's at the time and, honestly, I figured it was part of the job.

[moondust]

12. I asked because

you may have heard that some protesters went to the home of Kirstjen Nielsen on Friday and loudly played the tape of children crying in the detention center.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/local/wp/2018/06/22/protesters-gather-outside-homeland-security-secretary-kirstjen-nielsens-home-in-virginia/

I don't think I would protest at somebody's home like that but wondered if you thought it acceptable to hold protests at private spaces like homes as opposed to public spaces like restaurants. RW protesters can be menacing and even deadly as they have demonstrated at abortion clinics.

[walkingman]

10. I don't know how you do it. I really do care and this nastiness for the last few decades has

been stressful for me. Not only during the Trump period but also during the Bush and Obama periods and it seems to be getting worse and worse. It is tempting to just stick my head in the sand but you cannot avoid it. Not only are the TV/radio/internet full of it but also even in public. Even my neighbors cannot refrain. As a white person I can only imagine what people of color are going through and have gone through forever. Surely we can do better but I fear it will not get better. Sometimes it makes me wish I used alcohol. Or maybe LSD is the answer?