[nfb-talk] [Nfbmd] {Disarmed} Fw: Avoiding the Fiscal Cliff and Sequestration

[Ray Foret Jr]

I feel I must back Chris in this matter.  Frankly, we've seen this sort of thing before.  Surely, by now, Ken, you would know that these form type e-mails are not true responses?  
Sincerely,
The Constantly Barefooted Ray
Still a very proud and happy Mac and Iphone user!

On Dec 21, 2012, at 10:49 PM, "Chris Nusbaum" <dotkid.nusbaum at gmail.com> wrote:

> Ken,
> 
> 
> 
>                Thank you for starting the discussion we have been having on
> the NFB Talk list regarding the fiscal cliff issue and how it will effect us
> as blind people. However, I'm afraid that you are getting the wrong
> impression from these emails from Senator Mikulski and other legislators you
> are contacting.
> 
> 
> 
> After reading these notes they purport to have written to you in response to
> your correspondence, it looks to me as though they are nothing but form
> emails which are sent to anybody who writes to the Senator or Congressman
> regarding the fiscal cliff. Granted, I haven't seen your original notes to
> Senator Mikulski, so I can't tell you whether the generality of their
> responses is a result of the generality of your original notes. However,
> what I'm reading suggests that, although it is addressed to you, the
> substance of Senator Mikulski's email letter is prewritten and sent out as a
> form email.
> 
> 
> 
> Please don't misunderstand me here. I am not in any way trying to discourage
> you from contacting your legislators; quite the contrary. After all,
> advocacy is one of the most important things we in the Federation do. I am
> just pointing out that these emails you are sending with your comments at
> the beginning saying that you got a response from Senator Mikulski might not
> be what they are presumed to be. I hope she did respond to you directly, but
> I wouldn't count on it. This email you forwarded to us is probably just
> another form email her office automatically sends out. Maybe I'm reading
> between the lines too much here, but I just want to point that out before we
> think we're engaging in direct correspondence with a Senator. <Smile!> I
> hope I'm making sense and that this doesn't offend you in any way. Merry
> Christmas to you, to Carol, and to your entire family!
> 
> 
> 
> Chris Nusbaum
> 
> 
> 
> From: Nfbmd [mailto:nfbmd-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Kenneth Chrane
> Sent: Thursday, December 20, 2012 10:12 PM
> To: NFB Talk Mailing List; NFB of Maryland e-mail list
> Cc: Blind_Democrats at yahoogroups.com
> Subject: [Nfbmd] {Disarmed} Fw: Avoiding the Fiscal Cliff and Sequestratio
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> 
> From: senator at mikulski.senate.gov 
> 
> To: kenneth.chrane at verizon.net 
> 
> Sent: Wednesday, December 19, 2012 8:40 AM
> 
> Subject: Avoiding the Fiscal Cliff and Sequestration
> 
> 
> 
> <http://mikulski.senate.gov> Image removed by sender.
> 
> Dear Mr. Chrane: 
> 
> Thank you for contacting me about the fiscal cliff and the federal deficit.
> It's good to hear from you.  
> 
> Americans need to have a government on their side that is capable of solving
> tough problems.  That's why Congress must act now to avoid the devastating
> impact of the fiscal cliff and across-the-board cuts known as sequester.
> Without swift action to avoid the fiscal cliff, millions of Americans would
> see their taxes go up and face spending cuts that could bring our nation
> back into recession.  The longer we delay the more damage we do to ourselves
> and the economy.  
> 
> My principles for avoiding the fiscal cliff are simple.  We must have a
> combination of spending cuts and new revenue to reduce our debt and still
> grow the economy.  We must also protect the social contract between the
> American people and their government.  Medicare and Medicaid need to be
> reformed and refreshed not gutted or block-granted.  
> 
> I believe there are ways to achieve the savings required to avoid the fiscal
> cliff in a balanced and thoughtful way.  We can start by letting the 2001
> and 2003 tax cuts expire for households making more than $250,000 per year.
> This could save an estimated $700 billion over 10 years.  We can also make
> thoughtful and balanced cuts to spending - both military and domestic - that
> will begin to reduce our deficit.  That's why I supported the Budget Control
> Act passed by Congress in 2011 that would require $900 billion in cuts over
> 10 years.  
> 
> What we can't do, however, is use across-the-board spending cuts to get us
> to a balanced budget.  It would unfairly harm middle-class families and do
> nothing to raise the additional revenue needed to reduce the deficit.  In
> Maryland alone, this could result in the loss of tens of thousands of jobs
> and $3.1 billion to our state economy.  
> 
> I will continue to work with my colleagues in Congress to prevent the fiscal
> cliff and make thoughtful and balanced changes to our spending policy to
> reduce our national debt.   
> 
> Thanks again for getting in touch with me.  Knowing of your views is very
> important to me.  Please let me know if I can be of any assistance to you in
> the future. 
> 
> 
> Sincerely, 
> Barbara A. Mikulski
> United States Senator 
> 
> 
> Please do not respond directly to this e-mail. The originating e-mail
> account is not monitored.
> If you would like to get in touch with me again, please visit the comments
> page of my website here
> <http://mikulski.senate.gov/contact/shareyouropinion.cfm> .
> If you would like to get regular updates, please sign up for my E-Newsletter
> here <http://mikulski.senate.gov/media/enewsletter.cfm> .
> Please follow me on Twitter and Facebook.
> <http://www.facebook.com/senatormikulski> Image removed by sender.
> <http://twitter.com/senatorbarb> Image removed by sender.  
> 
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