Dear Representative Jeff Denham (Again)

I have contacted your office by phone call, text, email, and fax.  And although your staff have been considerate, I have not received a response from you.  And I fail to understand your continued support for this tax reform legislation.  The only thing with regard to this bill that seems of any value to me and my friends and family is the label of "tax reform."  I agree that our nation desperately needs such a thing.   But this bill does not do the job.  It is a boondoggle for the very rich, and at the expense of everybody else-- an overwhelming majority of people that you purport to represent.

I cannot justify supporting this bill.  I have not met someone in my community who can justify supporting this bill.  How can you?  I want to hear your words.  Please carefully explain to me your justification for supporting this bill.

How much do you stand to benefit from the passage of this package?  I can tell you that I do not feel represented by you.  You are failing me and my family and friends.  Does that matter to you?

You have a job to do, and so do I.   I'm interested to hear your rationale.  And you must make your vote as you see fit.  But do not forget,  Mr. Denham, for whom you are voting.  As there will soon be a time for me to vote as well.

What of This Stone Mountain?

Some thoughts to develop... Why did my relatives want to visit Stone Mountain?  Did they have a deeper understanding of what it represents?  Did they just want to see it because it was a monument in their home state of Georgia?  Were they impressed with the monument itself?  What did they think of the mountain that had been carved into?  Was there any talk of plantation life and/or slavery, or the contributions of slaves to the culture that the monument celebrates?  What were they most impressed by in visiting the monument, and taking the tour of the Stone Mountain Memorial?  What do they recall of the history of our nation with regards to this monument and the events and accounts surrounding it?

My intent here is not to drag anybody out into the open and ridicule their views or beliefs.  I am trying to understand.  That's all anybody wants-- to understand, and be understood.  But I can remember my relatives going on a trip to Stone Mountain, and when they returned, they had much praise for the experience.  But this movie puts it in a much different context.  It speaks to the defiance of failed movement (at least, one that was conquered and surrendered to end the Civil War) that continues to the present day, insidiously, cached in the argument of "history" and "fond remembrance of a forgotten way of life."  Not everyone sees it this way.  But I do.  I see the white supremacy movements as hateful.  I see people championing a history that is washed "clean" of all negroes, and casts them as shadows, relegated to the background.

But there is middle ground, I believe.  We don't have to disintegrate each other to attain it.  We need to integrate ourselves, and own our history.  Together.  We have to embrace each other, smile, and get on with understanding ourselves and each other.

I cannot do this alone.  I cannot know what you are thinking unless you tell me.  Write to me.  Comment on the blog, or send me a post card.


Check out the link to the movie below...

Stone Mountain (Shaun King Videos)

Reform Your Tax Reform

Dear Mr. Denham:

Thank you for considering my input.  As I understand it, the tax plan which you will be voting on soon has a provision to dismantle or undo or repeal the Affordable Care Act.  Please do not accept this provision.  It has nothing to do with the tax code and should not be attached to a tax reform bill.  In addition, it seems that the tax reform that this bill is proposing will benefit primarily the extremely wealthy and corporations, while actually diminishing the benefits and services for citizens like me and my friends and family.  I do not think this bill would improve conditions for the majority of Americans,  and should not move forward.   Any tax cuts should go to what remains of the middle class and the poor.  Study upon study has shown that over the last several decades there has been a saturation of wealth at the very top of the income brackets, as money and services have been bled from most Americans and earmarked for a precious few.  This is a trend that must stop.  It is suffocating our nation, and we are losing our direction.  Please scrap this bill.  Vote no.  And work harder to make all of America great again.

Sincerely,

Michael J. Andrade