Wrong priorities

Representative Chris Carney's constituent e-mail urges us to join him in honoring Americorps members during National Americorps Week this week for the time and energy they devote to making Pennsylvania – and America – a better place to live. No doubt AmeriCorps participants make positive, important contributions to bettering our way of life. That's one of America's strengths – in fact, a basic quality among Americans not found in all societies – citizens who roll up their sleeves and work hard to help others.

Unfortunately, Chris doesn't have say anything in his e-mail about serious issues too many Americans face daily. Iraq. A crumbling economy in which upwards of 1.5 million Americans face foreclosure on their homes this year. Lack of health care coverage. Soaring debt. Chris seems to have become like many we send to Washington. Lately he spends great energy trying to capture headlines and personal attention to help bolster his re-election. This disappointing situation prompted my reply to his email:

"I've got a suggestion about how you can further honor AmeriCorps volunteers. How about re-orienting your attention to focus at least 75 percent of your time and effort toward bringing the troops home from Iraq? It's called living up to your responsibility. You pledged you would do everything you could to make this happen. But somewhere along the line you seem to have lost your way. You seem to spend enormous amounts of time trying to grab headlines and promote yourself. Why don't you focus and try to accomplish something substantial and worthwhile for the families whose sons, daughters, fathers, mothers etc. have paid the real price for President Bush's Blunders, and concentrate on Iraq?

Grant Berry Jr.

Hughesville

Submitted by Virtual Newsroom