Birthday Salute

It's happy birthday time for my sister...... the dragon slayer?

She has the dubious pleasure of residing in the congressional district of one Representative Brian Baird, Democrat. You may not recognize the name, but you probably remember his comment:

"What we're seeing right now [referring to town hall protesters] is close to Brown Shirt tactics. I mean that very seriously."

After reversing his refusal to stoop to actually meeting in person with those he represents (see above comment), he held a Town Hall meeting last September. My sister attended and spoke. Let me have her tell it:

They held it in the auditorium at the community college which seats 500. They had an overflow room of about 100 and that maxed out too. We got there 30 minutes early and there was no room. Anyone who wanted to have 3 minutes to ask a question or give a comment signed up and got a number. Then they put the numbers in a lottery and drew them out. I was the 11th one picked. So I actually got to speak. I had to stop 4 times for people clapping too loud to be heard. I told the Congressman it was bigger than health care. It was TARP with increased Government regulations at tax payer expense, followed by the Stimulus, the Energy Bill which no one read because it was rush, rush, rush and this Health Care bill is again rush, rush on a bill that will change our whole country.

His response was he voted for TARP because everyone was told that the whole country would collapse if it wasn't passed immediately. He voted against the Stimulus. He held out against the Energy Bill but when he saw it would pass, he bargained to save the northwest forests and pulp manufacturing in exchange for his votes. And he says he was pushing for waiting on the health care. He actually has introduced an amendment for tort reform and is a cosponsor for the Audit the Fed bill. He has also introduced a bill that would require the bills be on the internet for 10 days before a Congress vote.

Well, I guess we know how all that turned out:

"Weighing the concerns against the benefits of the legislation, and considering that the status quo is unsustainable, I will vote for this legislation," Baird said in a statement.

So, what’s happened since that meeting? He announced his retirement last December, after six terms. Coincidence? You decide.

Congratulations to her and thanks for being willing to actively participate in our democracy. We should all do nothing less.