Open Letter to the 2013 U.S. Congress

To the Honorable Persons in the 2013 Congress of the United State of America,

I, as a citizen, constituent and taxpayer, understand that we, the People, need to do our part to stabilize the economy and the Federal budget. We, the People, need to go out and spend to get money moving in the system. We need to pay our share of the tax burden. We need to pay our fees. We all need to do our part. Understood.

I, as a former member of the active duty military, also understand the concept of needing that standing uniformed service, that it is not something you can just buy off the shelf when you need it. So that cannot be slashed without repercussions on the international stage.

However, in return, we the People, expect certain things of our elected officials, including minding the general welfare of the citizens of this country. Not only to those that payed to get you into office, but also those that voted. Which I believe should carry considerably more weight.

So. When you go to consider cuts in benefits that we, the working citizenship, have been paying into, how about you go and cut your own benefits accordingly? How about you actually pay into those "for life" benefits programs that you voted for yourselves? When you are stumping to downsize the Executive Branch of the Federal Government, how about downsizing the Congressional Budget by the same percentage? Lead by example, lead from the front. For the "Bible-thumper" crowd, "do unto others." Eat your own fodder. Seems fair, right?

Tie your welfare to the welfare of the People, the mean or the median, your choice. When the People do well, you should do well, too. When the People are suffering, you should suffer, too. As things stand, you feel no pain, you have no skin in the game. Well, your game is to get re-elected. When your constituency is getting reamed, and you're sitting up there, fat and happy, blowing hot air, your next election could be your last. Just saying.

Represent the People. And don't forget your humanity. If we, the People, eat it, so should you.

Thank you.

Signed, Todd Maeda. Citizen of the United States of America.