Becoming Entrenched
April, 16. 2019
Dear President Truman and Mr. Mason
Welcome to Pen Pals from the Past President Truman, I hope you will find it enlightening. Some might find it odd that I am writing to two gentleman that were born about 160 years apart, but I hope they will see how your thoughts are related.
I’ll begin with a quote by you Mr. Mason and your concerns about how elected officials will lose their way.
“Those gentlemen, who will be elected senators, will fix themselves in the federal town, and become citizens of that town more than of your state.”
George Mason, speech in the Virginia Ratifying Convention, June 14, 1778
Your greatest fear seems to be that once entrenched in their positions in our U.S. Capital, their concerns about those they represent at home would become an issue, in that they would care less about their needs. Today it has and many of our elected officials on both sides of the aisle seem to be totally out of touch with their constituents and are only concerned with their party and their own political survival. This is something that President Washington had warned us about. In addition, this “fixing” of themselves has led to stalemates and deadlocks which have not benefitted the people they represent.
Their concerns about party and not allowing one or the other to claim victory have led to not resolving important issues of today which can and should be solved. Issues such as immigration, health care and the economy are issues which regardless of party most of their constituents want resolved. It is as thought they don’t have the time to really listen to the people, because of their entrenchment in petty squabbles in Washington.
President Truman, my research has shown that this quote is also attributed to Coach John Wooden but since you were on the scene before he was, I think he probably got it from you so I will give you the credit.
“It is amazing what you can accomplish if you do not care who gets the credit.”
Harry S Truman
President Truman, if our politicians today had this attitude and stopped all the petty quarreling and worked together, they could get the previously mentioned issues done. The funny thing is they wouldn’t have to care who gets the credit because all sides would find a way to take the credit but they are too dense to realize this, which further proves that Mr. Mason was right. Maybe our politicians today should have this quote of yours President Truman on their desk as a constant reminder much like you had, “The Buck Stops Here!” on your desk. If they followed your advice, then we the people they represent no matter what side we are on would feel that finally they have our concerns at the top of their lists. If they were to listen to us more,) they would not be so fixed in that federal town. Gentlemen thank you for your time.
Sincerely,
Andrew DeMarco
Pen Pals from the Past 