We think things are changing, but history keeps repeating itself

We are constantly being blasted with political ads. Everyone and every party points the finger at problems with the economy, claiming it's the other guy's fault. Let's face it---things aren't great. That is certainly no secret. But is this something new? Absolutely not. It's just worse than it's been in the past.

I got a real surprise this week. I was going through some old papers, and found a copy of a letter my mother wrote to George Bush Sr. on January 27, 1992. Everything had been carefully saved in the yellowed manila White House envelope that contained an answer from Barbara Bush on White House notepaper.The math is easy. It was 18 years ago. Mom died just before turning 97, but she was 82 at the time. After reading the documents contained in that envelope, I thought that it was worth accurately copying  and including both in this blog. I think you will find they have an eerie ring of familiarity.

January 27, 1992

Dear Mr. Bush:

I listen to the news every day and all I can get out of it is that times are very rough. Companies are going out of business daily and workers are out of jobs.

People are in a dilemma, especially the couples with small children. The first thing they do is to apply for welfare, and that doesn't go very far. Between food, rent and clothing it is like "Gone With the Wind."

I am 82 years old and I have lived through the depression years of the 30's, but if I remember right in those days we had the W.P.A. workers. They were put to work repairing roads, bridges and farming and earned their pay that way instead of being given welfare.

Welfare is a degrading way for most people, but working for it gives a person back his self esteem. It really doesn't matter what work you do as long as you earn it. Goodness knows this country can sure use plenty of repair work.

This letter is written in good faith and hopefully with the best of intentions to help improve the economic conditions.

                                                                    Rosetta Lachman

On March 20, 1992 this reply was written on White House notepaper and signed Barbara Bush :

Dear Ms. Lachman,

Thank you so much for your kind message and for your thoughtful comments. I will make sure George knows of your concerns and suggestions.

                                                                   Warmly,

                                                                   Barbara Bush

The point is, I'm sure letters like my Mom's have been written to the White House and Congress for many, many years. It's nothing new. However, I certainly applaud the fact that this woman in her 80's took the steps to write and voice her opinion.

That letter could easily have been written now. Somehow it reminds me of an old-fashioned record with the needle caught in the same groove, calling out the same problems and suggesting a viable solution---at least a partial one---over and over.

Isn't it time for things to really change? Time to cut out the game playing among politicians on both sides of the fence along with conflicting special interest groups and get on with passing plain language legislation that actually gets something done? 

Arliss