Whose Land Did You Say It Was?

Yesterday's Open Letter to Congress certainly got a lot of attention ... from you, Dear Readers, not from Congress. Raquel linked to it from her own blog, I got lots of comments from Real People, and so far I have received one reply from an actual Member of Congress ... sort of. I received an automated reply from the office of Senator Jim Webb, the meat of which was this:

"Thank you for your recent electronic mail message to my office in Washington. I am pleased that because of the Internet, more than 100,000 Virginians will send their ideas directly to me this year. Please be assured that your views are very helpful to me and my staff. As the Senate addresses crucial economic, domestic and foreign policy issues facing our nation, we will be sure to keep your comments and ideas in mind."

Well, I certainly feel confident that my opinion is being heard. If I were rich and well-connected, I might have received a reply that indicated that a human being had actually read my e-mail, but I guess I'll take what I can get.

But enough of all that. Nobody in Congress is going to listen to you or I at this point, anyhow - they're all interested only in counting political coups over your bankrupt body while the well-connected and protected bank puts up the foreclosure sign in your yard.

"So be it," right, Mr Boehner?

I think it's interesting that today is the anniversary of the day in 1940 that Woody Guthrie wrote one of America's most famous and beloved folk songs, "This Land is Your Land..."

The song contains the recurring lyric, "This land was made for you and me." As long as the bank lets you stay there, of course. Oh, and the Supreme Court says your land can be seized for commercial development, so it actually isn't really yours if a developer needs it more than you do.

Sorry about that. I guess this land really isn't your land.

Think about that while the Republicans go about gutting your government of the protections you now enjoy. You didn't need clean air and water, or any of those pesky consumer protections, anyhow.

Have a good day. More thoughts tomorrow.

Bilbo