I posted the following letter on my two Republican Senators’ websites. If you agree with its theme, please feel free to modify and use.
Dear Senator, as a retired business consultant and manager, I am disappointed in the Republican Party stance on the debt ceiling. I am glad eleven Republicans did the right thing and passed a measure to allow it to be raised for several months, yet I was disappointed you were not one of the eleven.
I have long been concerned with our building debt and annual deficit that has gotten worse. We need to address this issue when we discuss spending and revenue, not with the debt ceiling. Our reputation to our creditors is essential. To be frank, as an independent and former Republican, my former party is only concerned with debt ceiling when they are not in the White House. It did not seem to bother the party when it increased under Trump.
Yet, what also concerns me is the hypocrisy of both parties. The GOP passed a tax reduction in December 2017 that raised the debt by $2 trillion, approximately. And, we passed two pandemic aid bills that to me should have been directed at employers to keep people employed and not furlough them, as well as helping folks not working. We missed opportunity and spent poorly.
We need the infrastructure improvements which are ten years overdue. Yet, we must figure out ways to start bringing the debt down before the interest cost approaches the military spend in our budget.
Solving this problem requires data and effort, not sound bites. I have seen the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget do an exercise in Rotary or college groups that ask tables of people to solve the Social Security deficit. Armed with about two dozen ideas and price tags, these tables can solve the Social Security deficit in 90 minutes.
Solving the bigger problem can be done and will take time, but not if we never start to do so.
musingsofanoldfart 
Keith, if we could also solve the extreme problem of big money infecting our politics, it might go along way toward leveling the playing field and allowing our country to move forward. Until we deal with that issue, I feel nothing will change.
Jeff, well put. Fossil fuel funding of politicians, primarily Republicans, but also some Democrats, have caused them to not act more on climate change action. Keith
Yes, as a Democrat myself, I’m appalled at Dem politicians, like Joe Manchin and Sinema it seems, who go down this road. We’ve got to stop this. And not only that, when they either lose an election or retire, they have plum jobs waiting for them in whatever industry they’ve cozied up too. It’s simply corrupt and shouldn’t be allowed. But they’ll never change the rules because it benefits them. So frustrating.
Jeff, what is interesting about Manchin is his state favors the bill he is fighting and would benefit a great deal. With that said, I don’t mind folks questioning cost of things. Keith
I agree with Jeff: public funding of political campaigns is the only way to quickly change the dynamic in Washington. Obviously, other changes are needed but at least then the politicians wouldn’t be so beholden to corporations and big-money donors.
Agreed. These folks fund politicians for a reason.
Note to Readers: The measure passed to increase the debt ceiling is a temporary one. As per usual, we will have to revisit this issue in December, as God forbid legislators from doing something more substantive without measuring how it looks.
Best wishes with your endeavours Keith.
It would seem more than a few of your politicians need allegorical long-distances glasses.
Roger, thanks. With those glasses should come an interpreter to tell them this is not good to go further down the path. Keith
Or maybe a marine Gunnery Sergeant Major?
Better.
Note to Readers: One of the sad tales about sending emails to Senators or Congressional representatives is once you check the subject box, you will get a form letter response based on the box. If you correspond over time, it is not uncommon to get the same form letter. Talking with staff is good, but I am sure the Senator gets a watered down summary message. We still need to try as one hope is at least the staff may be hearing the message. My guess is there is an increasing prevalence of staff working for a Senator who they respect less than when they started.
Republican don’t care about debt unless the democrats are in office
CBD Oil, that seems to be more true than not. Thanks for stopping by. By the way seeing your handle, before he passed, my brother-in-law switched from opioid medication for his chronic pain to a CBD paste he applied to his skin that worked wonders. He was more coherent his last few years. The only down side, he could not pick up children. Keith