We need to take advantage of a rare opportunity to end the corruption in Congress.
Rep. Vern Buchanan has introduced a resolution in the House of Representatives (H.R. 847) which is long overdue. Like most states (including Florida) and many municipalities, “Sunshine Laws” have been enacted to require legislators to do “our” business out in the open and not in secret, behind closed doors. Such restrictions do not currently apply to our representatives in the U.S. House.
Buchanan’s resolution, if passed, would forever put an end to this House practice and go a long way to ending much of the corruption that already exists. Then we need the same kind of legislation in the Senate.
At this very moment secret committee meetings are taking place in Washington to fashion your health care destiny. It will be quite unlikely that you will ever have a chance to see the bill before its passed into law.
Now is the time to take step one to end this corruption! Contact your representative in the House and demand that they support this resolution.
H.R. 847 currently has more than 100 sponsors but that’s less than half to pass the measure.
Step two to end the corruption will take place next year when every member of the House and many Senators will be up for re-election. It’s time to send them home.
William Challburg
Bradenton
Economy, not lending, led to failure of bank
As a long standing employee of financial institutions in Manatee County, since 1970, I read with great interest the article in Tuesday’s Bradenton Herald written by Grace Gagliano regarding the closing of Flagship National Bank. Ms. Gagliano used the term “closed due to poor lending practices.” I protest this statement.
Are we not in a very bad recession? Is the economy not in bad shape? Is unemployment in Manatee County not at a very high level?
Along with Bill Sedgeman, I, too, know the officers and board members of this bank. They are all high-level business people, all community minded, who strived to have the best bank in town and to give the best possible services to anyone who came through their doors.
The bank’s lending practices did not fail them; rather, the recession and local downturn in the economy failed the bank.
Ned I. Cobb
Bradenton
In defense of Web site and accuracy of research
I write with hopes that people will think and hopefully get involved with how they are governed. It has never been the responsibility of our government to protect our Constitution. It is we the people, and we have failed.
I started researching issues from the newspaper, i.e., teachers unions, double dippers. It was time to get involved. To get politicians’ attention requires a group approach.
A Homeland Security director suggested using “petitions” of issues citizens found relevant, i.e. immigration enforcement.
A verifiable method for petitioning became this Web site: www.togetheronevoice.com. I built this site for the citizens of Manatee County.
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