Congress person invited me to a private meeting! Any questions?

[rainy]

My congressperson, after encountering me at a private event, sent me an invitation to meet with just him/her and myself at Starbucks. He/she is a republican. I don't want to name them as I would not like their goons to know who I am on this forum. Not that I'm paranoid or anything but they play for keeps and Bush and Cheney have already showed up here to support them.

This person was having a meet and greet at a private residential home last week and I went with some friends and although we were very polite we asked some hard hitting questions and it got a little testy. I was sent a personal letter asking for a meeting. I'd love to hear some questions you might like me to ask.

[Donnachaidh]

1. Ask them this

How many of their constituents will benefit from the inheritance tax nonsense they pushed thru at 1am last night? And how many of them contributed to their elections?

[rainy]

2. good one. When I met with X the first time X said we can bring

democracy at the end of a gun just like we did in Japan and Germany. I know why X is wrong but at the time I was unable to come back with an answer. I should have just said Vietnam was a better comparison. At least we let Japan hire the Japanese and use their own businesses and materials to rebuild.

[gratuitous]

3. Oh boy

I presume you want the meeting to remain cordial, but I'm afraid all the questions I have would just make him want to knock your block off. But I'll give it a try:

Sir, the House recently decided to bring up for a vote a bill on increasing the federal minimum wage, which as you know has been set at a ridiculously low $5.15 for a decade. But instead of bringing up a clean bill for an up-or-down vote, your Republican leaders tied it to a repeal of the estate tax and yet another tax cut for the overclass. Tell me, sir, why the least of these our brothers and sisters can't be given a share of the wheat they help thresh without providing even more money for the likes of Paris Hilton and Dick Cheney? Or am I wrong to see this as little more than a cynical election year ploy to make it look like Republicans are in favor of an increase in the minimum wage while painting Democrats as being against it?

A few annotations: The minimum wage is ridiculously low, and has been for a lot longer than people think.

The sacred "up-or-down vote" language of the Republicans turned to an issue they don't much like.

The "least of these our brothers and sisters" is an allusion to a book the Republicans like to brandish, but don't much like to read.

The reference to "the wheat they help thresh," ditto.

And finally, a reference to two rather unpopular people who are extremely rich, and likely to get richer with the bill.

Round it off with a statement that demonstrates you know exactly what's being done here by the Republicans.

[Baselinereality]

6. States Are Taking Minimum Wages Into Their Own Hands

When every state in the union votes for a "living wage," then Congress will get around to raising the federal minimum.

I say wryly.

I really admired your post, especially the bit about the threshing of the wheat. Reminds me that I need to go fix me some Shredded Wheat.

[Name removed]

4. Deleted sub-thread

Sub-thread removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Lars39]

5. No questions...just a concern.

Take someone with you, but have him/her sit at another table facing you, preferably within hearing distance and near the door.

[babylonsister]

7. I'd love to know why the majority of repugs vote party line instead

of in the best interests of this country and their constituents. Can they be that beholden to the lobbyists?
Does this repug "really" agree with what's going on in Iraq, and if not, what is he/she doing about trying to change it?

[acmejack]

8. Ask them a few military related ones

Ask for an explanation of this program without a purpose. What is it built to counter, ask him/her to define the threat this $361 Million aircraft is bought to counter. I just want to know what it is built to do that the $43 Million F-15 can't? It seems to carry the same weapons!

"In April 2006 the cost for each F-22A is assessed by the Government Accountability Office to be $361 million per aircraft. This cost reflects the F-22A total program cost, divided by the number of jets the Air Force is programmed to buy. So far, the Air Force has invested as much as $28 billion in the Raptor's research, development and testing. That money, referred to as a "sunk cost," is already spent and is separate from money used for future decision-making, including procuring a copy of the jet.

By the time all 183 jets have been purchased, around $28 billion will have been spent on research and development. An additional $34 billion will have been spent on actually procuring the aircraft. That's about $62 billion for the total program cost. Divided out, that's comes to about $338 million per aircraft. If the Air Force wanted to buy just one more jet, it would cost less than half that amount. The current cost, or "fly away cost" for a single copy of an F-22 stands at about $137 million."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F-22_Raptor

[Joanne98]

9. Ask it if it knew the e-voting machines were rigged.

[TankLV]

10. Don't forget to keep the blud dress in a safe place when you're done!

This time around...

Video would help, too.

[OregonBlue]

11. Signing Statements. Don't they even care that the President is

usurping their power? Don't they have any pride left that they would allow the President to ignore Congress and do whatever he pleases?

Does he/she know that the voting machines are not secure? Does he/she care? (Bring lots of info from DU regarding insecure voting). Ask him/her if it's okay if their rigged as long as Republicans win?

[butterfly77]

12. When will they start impeachment proceedings...

where are the jobs, healthcare, housing for homeless, help for the disabled and jobs, how much money is too much for their greedy asses, when will they help americans, and why do they hate america?