Same old tap dance
To the editor:
What an interesting evening at Trey Radel’s “Listening Tour” on the Edison State College Campus. I’m finding myself completely bothered by some, no, most of what Trey had to say.
Let me give you a breakdown of the event. After a brief display of charts with numbers of no factual basis that pointed the finger of blame at Social Security, Medicare & Medicaid for the downfall and continuing decline of our economy, Trey opened the floor for a Q&A.
Right out of the gate, when asked about Claims Processing Centers for Veterans, or “lack there of” in Florida and the amount of time it takes for a single claim to be processed, Trey appeared to the crowd (or at least to me) as a doe in the headlights. No clue in regard to this crisis, no concern and absolutely no idea for a possible solution to bring some relief to what our disabled veterans face daily.
When an audience member asked Trey if he supported “Term Limits” recently introduced to the Senate, Trey had no opinion and danced around the question. But what bothered me the most was, he didn’t appear to have a grasp on the definition of or possibility of “Term Limits.”
When Trey began to appear like he was way over his head in his newly appointed position, he attempted to joke and rally his Anti-Obamacare base by breaking the news, “Obamacare is not going to be repealed, then went further to describe the United States as a “Healthcare provider with Guns.”
Ok, so let’s talk about guns. When a constituent asked Mr. Radel about reasonable gun legislation, he was not in support of the suggestions being made by the Obama Administration and attacked the Executive Actions Orders President Obama signed. Followed by saying, there shouldn’t be an office in our country with that type of power and suggested that what President Obama did was not legal, when we know it was.
Trey Radel then said in no uncertain terms, he didn’t care about the polls and refused to be dictated to by them, or how people feel in regard to the gun issues. He used terms such as “There is no such thing as an assault weapon,” “You have the right to protect yourself, home and family” and “Guns don’t kill people, people kill people.”
Cliche’… to say the least!
So we know this… Trey Radel won’t be swayed by polls about Reasonable Gun Legislation or anything for that matter.
But wait a minute. Aren’t the people being polled the same exact people who voted, who are going to have to vote for him again?
Shouldn’t “We the People” matter, at least a little?
Well, apparently not to Trey Radel.
For a Congressman who was quoted in the paper as wanting “Conversation, Debate and Discussion” when things heated up, Trey danced around the questions and issues and deflected the subject, while he had his assistant move and take the microphone away from any constituent posing the tougher questions.
My participation of Trey Radel’s “Listening Tour” ended when he called our government a Republic! And yes, he was very clear, he seriously said it, and he really believes that our government is a Republic. Perhaps instead of walking out, I should have instead pointed out that The United States of America is Democratic Republic! It’s sad and disappointing for me as a constituent of Trey Radel’s district, that our Congressman does not know the difference!!!
You see, We The People have a voice and a say-so on what happens in our country. We obviously need to make our voices louder so we are crystal clear to Congressmen like Trey Radel!!!!
April Freeman
Cape Coral