Call me a tin-hat if you want but

[Nordmadr]

I will be going to see Senator Clinton speak today and with the hopes that she will be taking questions I have prepared the following. Input is welcome.


Senator Clinton, it is a pleasure to meet you and thank you for taking my question.

You see before you a citizen that has become increasingly concerned about the state of affairs in our Nation, and in fact, the rest of the world. I sincerely hope that our nation is still being run by officials that believe in the concept of “by the people and for the people” despite alarming evidence to the contrary. Current positioning and posturing by our nation and others is certainly enough to make any discerning citizen stand up and take notice. It seems clear to me that we have entangled ourselves in a resource war in Iraq that is further complicated by the veil of secrecy, deception, and propaganda utilized by the current administration that is eerily similar to a not so popular World War II empire.

My question is:

As a United States Senator and a member of both the Armed Services Committee and the Environment and Public Works Committee I am sure that you are far more informed than I. However, it seems clear to me that the world is very quickly running out of cheap and readily available energy resources. What are you and your constituents doing, or planning to do, about the currently developing energy crisis, commonly referred to as “Peak Oil” or “Peak Energy” which I see as the single greatest threat to society as we know it?

[Norquist Nemesis]

1. One minor editorial change suggested...

Did you intend to use 'constituents' or 'colleagues in Congress'?

Other than that, sounds good! :)

[HereSince1628]

2. Check the meaning of constituent to be sure it is what you want.

[Nordmadr]

4. Ahhhh...good call

I guess my grammar is not as good as I thought.:dunce: "Colleagues in Congress" would be the better choice of words. Thanks!

[DustMolecule]

3. Nice question.....one comment

I think you mean to say "collegues" here instead of 'constituents'

As a United States Senator and a member of both the Armed Services Committee and the Environment and Public Works Committee I am sure that you are far more informed than I. However, it seems clear to me that the world is very quickly running out of cheap and readily available energy resources. What are you and your constituents doing, or planning to do, about the currently developing energy crisis, commonly referred to as “Peak Oil” or “Peak Energy” which I see as the single greatest threat to society as we know it?

[Demit]

5. I'd lose the first part entirely and just get to the question.

It strikes me that that's a lot of talking and is a bit of an imposition on the senator's time.

Start with "it seems clear to me that..."

[lukasahero]

6. I hate to say it but I agree

Primarily because, as I was reading it, I was thinking you were going to go for the vote fraud question.

This sentence:

"I sincerely hope that our nation is still being run by officials that believe in the concept of “by the people and for the people” despite alarming evidence to the contrary."

in particular, while being a great statement to make and have heard, seems to offer little support for what eventually becomes your question.

[Nordmadr]

10. Part of the problem is that

I have so many things I would like to say or ask. Makes it difficult to focus it to one specific thing.

[lukasahero]

11. I understand

I should have said that I admire you for having the courage to stand up and ask the question as well as compliment you on the formulation of the question. Didn't mean to make you feel bad but I did want to encourage you to stay on topic if you really want to be heard. Good luck and thanks for speaking up!

[Stevepol]

7. Your point is well taken, but if you leave out the voting machines

the question is meaningless. There's nothing that Clinton or anybody else can do with the kind of Repub majority and Repub control of every other facet of the government. As long as the voting machines are rigged to elect Repubs, none of this talk means anything.

[Nordmadr]

8. Point taken...

Here is version 2:

Senator Clinton, it is a pleasure to meet you and thank you for taking my question.

It seems clear to me that we have entangled ourselves in a resource war in Iraq that is further complicated by the veil of secrecy, deception, and propaganda utilized by the current administration that is eerily similar to a not so popular World War II empire.

My question is:

As a United States Senator and a member of both the Armed Services Committee and the Environment and Public Works Committee I am sure that you are far more informed than I. However, it seems clear to me that the world is very quickly running out of cheap and readily available energy resources, for which we have not developed feasible substitutes. What are you and your colleagues in Congress doing, or planning to do, about the currently developing energy crisis, commonly referred to as “Peak Oil” or “Peak Energy” which I see as the single greatest threat to society as we know it?


I have reduced the intro and added the "for which we have not developed substitutes" in an attempt to limit the ability to avoid the meat of the question.

[Eloriel]

9. Much better

And I'd say anything you can do to further cut down the verbiage will be good.

[PaganPreacher]

14. Off topic, steve.

If Olaf wants to ask Hillary about Peak Oil, then voting machines are off-topic.

"Senator, since voting machines are evil, what are you going to do about Peak Oil?"

Doesn't work.


For sale: voting machine- slightly used. First $100 takes.

The Pagan Preacher
I don't turn the other cheek.

[theboss]

12. Don't editorialize

I've been to dozens of these types of things and there is nothing more annoying than the person who instead of asking a question gives a speech. Here is all you should say:

"Some research indicates that the world is quickly running out of cheap and readily available energy resources. What are you and your colleagues doing, or planning to do, about the developing energy crisis, commonly referred to as “Peak Oil” or “Peak Energy?”

Also, colleagues and constituents are two very different things.

[PaganPreacher]

13. You have laid several landmines for yourself, olaf.

1. Stay focused. If you want to ask the Senator about Peak Oil, then don't go all over the map (Bush=Nazis, "by the people, for the people, etc.", "resource war in Iraq", "veil of deception"...) Limit all of your words to the issue of Peak Oil.

2. Do not start your question with "You see before you..." You are not Thomas a' Becket on trial.

3. In the same vein, do not waste time telling Hilary your opinions ("the single greatest threat to society as we know it...") Her interest in you is limited to garnering your vote in her next election, and avoiding a statement that can be used against her by the press.

which leads to...

4. Just asked the damned question! Unless you are running for office, there is no need to offer a preamble to a simple question, staking out your position and seeking affirmation from her. If it takes more than two pauses for breath before you actually ask your question, you are asking for a brushoff (remember, time is money). If she disagrees with your priorities, she will brush you off like dandruff.

5. Don't presume that she has knowledge of the issue, or that she will provide an answer. If Hillary has not been thinking about Peak Oil, the best you can expect is "I'll look into it." If her committee is currently studying Peak Oil, you'll get nothing better than "That is something we're looking into."


"Brevity is the soul of wit", or "Keep it simple, stupid!"

The Pagan Preacher
I don't turn the other cheek.

[Nordmadr]

15. Ok, for those of you interested

I just got back from the luncheon where Senator Clinton spoke. I have to say I am a little taken aback at what at least seems a bit of hostility from some of the posters here, but such is life.

The Senator spoke primarily about some local issues including economic development, which is almost always one of the primary topics of discussion around here. She also briefly talked about Social Security (doesn't need immediate fixing) and Medicaid and Health care (does need immediate fixing).

She did take questions (4 to be exact), and I did get to VERY nervously ask mine.

I did however, tone it down as many of you suggested and did not go on a large rant or speech. The question as asked left out the entire first section where I complained about the actions of the administration and got directly to the question itself.

Did I mention I live in a HEAVILY Republican area, and that I work for County Government? The City Mayor (Repub.), the County Executive (Repub.), and 3 House Representatives (2 Repub, 1 Dem.) were also in attendance. So I was a little intimidated.

As I am sure many of you suspect, she skirted the issue a bit. She touched briefly on hydrogen and ethanol as alternatives and expressed the need for a comprehensive energy plan, sticking a bit of a dig at the current administration in the process. She expressed that no one really seems to have an answer for the energy problems and indicated that she welcomes ideas.

All said and done, however, I guess I accomplished what it was that I intended. I got the issue that I care about out there, and did it, I believe, in such a way that did not make me appear overly zealous or extreme. If nothing else, the issue has now, if only momentarily, been brought to more people's attention.

It was actually funny because I was the last person to get to ask a question and many people around me could see that I was trying to get to say something and actually applauded when I finally got up to ask my question. I jokingly said, "Wait you haven't heard my question yet"!

Anyway, several people congratulated me for having asked a good question which I found very encouraging.

That is all there is.

Oh, by the way, I do now understand the definition of 'constituent'.:)

[PaganPreacher]

16. Way to go, Olaf!

I hope it gets some of the audience to think about energy conservation.


Oil-soaked duck, following a spill in Prince William Sound, 1989.

The Pagan Preacher
I don't turn the other cheek.

[lukasahero]

17. Congratulations Olaf!

And good job. You've got more guts than I.

[Zhade]

18. Let me also congratulate you. Too few people are asking this question.

Kudos for bringing it to the table! :toast:

[Nordmadr]

19. Thanks all...

don't know if it will make a bit of a difference, but it felt DAMN GOOD to stand up and say it!!!!

Olaf