Jim Tyler: My Letter to Senator Tom Harkin
- Tuesday, September 15, 2009, 4:32
- Iowa, News Center, Top Story
- 1,346 views
- 7 comments
On Sunday, I penned an open letter to Senator Tom Harkin. I wanted to explain why I chose to write that letter. I also want to point out that despite headlines, I never “condemned” Mr. Harkin personally, just the job he performs in representing us.
It’s pretty simple. I’m fed up.
I watched with amazement as Americans from all walks of life engaged their elected representatives in Congress during the August recess. They attended town hall meetings, met with their Congressman or Senator, wrote letters, sent emails and made phone calls. Many of them had trembling hands, their voices cracking with emotion. But they conjured the strength to voice their opinions in the hope that their elected officials would listen.
While the debate over health care dominated the headlines, there were many driving forces that made people engage.
Iowans, and Americans, are frustrated. This frustration stems from monumental federal “bailouts”, including those that poured hundreds of millions of dollars into bonuses for Wall Street executives and that helped foreign automakers more than US automakers. It stems from an almost trillion dollar “stimulus” plan that Americans feel spent too much and has produced too little. It stems from continued support for the “public option” in health care reform, which would explode the cost of real reform. And it stems from the continued push by Senator Harkin and others to deny a secret ballot in union elections for Iowa workers, including me and everyone in my workplace.
In short, our frustration stems from a government that has grown out of touch. It is out of touch because of career politicians like Senator Harkin who have worked in government virtually their entire adult lives.
Like so many of his colleagues, Senator Harkin has never managed a business in the private sector. He’s never had to worry about turning a profit so he could offer his employees better pay, benefits or health care. And he’s never once had to make a living under the crushing burden of the rules and regulations he’s passed on the rest of us.
What has made us great is the strength and determination of our people, not the size of government. We prosper when we work together, like our pioneer ancestors did, rather than relying on handouts and government programs.
Like other Iowans and Americans, I may be fed up, but I will never give up. Rather, I will stand up and respectfully argue for the principles and values that have made America and Iowa great.
I served with many great men and women as a B-38 combat pilot in Germany and Austria during WWII. Many of them gave their lives for the sake of our country. I can think of no higher calling, and no better way to honor their sacrifice, than to challenge a government none of them would even recognize.
Written by Jim Tyler of Atlantic, Iowa.
Below is the the full page ad that Tyler took out in Sunday’s Des Moines Register.
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The Iowa Republican has written 548 stories on this site.
7 Comments on “Jim Tyler: My Letter to Senator Tom Harkin”
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Thanks for posting this for those of us who have long ago cancelled our subscriptions to the DMR and don’t even buy it on Sunday. This is a very heartfelt letter expressing the concerns of many Iowans of all stripes.
I strongly agree with this and thank Jim Tyler for penning this letter, placing the ad. I too am frustrated at the career politicians. It is very clear recently that the politicians have a stronger affiliation with their party and Obama than they do the constituents who elected them. I find that deplorable that they have the audacity to believe they know much better than the majority of people what is best for the people and the country. We elected them to do a job based on OUR beliefs, not their own desires.
I hope you don’t end up getting one of those response letters from Sen. Harking that are filled with tone-deaf platitudes, where he is trying to preach at you rather than respond to you. I have all but given up on trying to communicate with him because of this. I attended a Boswell town-hall meeting and I saw a crowd stacked with Obama supporters and union members. There was a large representation of folks who weren’t drinking the HR 3200 Kool-aid too, but Boswell came away from that meeting and others “hearing” support for the public option and tuning out the voices of dissent. He’s long ago made up his mind. And sadly, Sen. Harkin effectively ran unopposed in 2008, winning reelection by a landslide 63-37 percent.
P2c sez:”I hope you don’t end up getting one of those response letters from Sen. Harking that are filled with tone-deaf platitudes, where he is trying to preach at you rather than respond to you”
Yeah it’s a shame that those are a way of life now in responseds from our electeds. I recently got three of those for my efforts at writing to Harkin, my US Rep, and Grassley.
Wish I could say I even got a response from the letter I wrote Grassley back in July. Still waiting…
That you Jim. I took you full page letter and wrote in big black letters ” I AGREE”, signed my name and mailing address then mail it to Harkin. Thanks again
PS. I had my 18 year daughter read it as she has been to several town hall meetings with her dad. At one where Harkin was talking I asked a question about social security. On the way home she said she had never seen so many people get so mad at one person {me} for a question. She thought one old lady was going to hit me with her walker. All i said was if I had the money I had put into SS I could retire now and not have to wait for the government to give me back my own money in ten years.
JBJ sez: “All i said was if I had the money I had put into SS I could retire now and not have to wait for the government to give me back my own money in ten years.”
Might be interesting to think about, JB, just where you might’ve been “stashing” that same money had you been in charge of it; the stock market maybe?