EC From DC - August 10, 2012

16,298 SENIORS PARTICIPATE IN TELE-TOWHNALL

It was my pleasure to speak with more than 16,000 of you this week during a Tele-Townhall. This was an opportunity to talk directly with constituents in Missouri’s Fifth District about issues they are concerned, confused or curious about. This telephone discussion began with a focus on issues like Social Security and Medicare. As you know, I will continue to fight any efforts to cut Social Security benefits. This is money you have earned. It is not a handout. It does not add a penny to the deficit and when these benefits are taken from seniors, it is taking money they have earned from the middle-class.

We just celebrated the 47th Anniversary of Medicare. Right now, virtually all Americans who are 65 years and older have health care coverage. Medicare provides coverage to 48 million Americans, including 40 million seniors and 8 million people with disabilities who are under 65 years of age.

There were also a number of questions about the level of vitriol and dysfunction in Washington. The issue of civility is of critical importance to me. I do not believe we can govern the way you want us to govern, if people are fighting and calling each other names. I will continue to work to bring down the volume of the conversation in Washington, to facilitate working together, and to get things done, so all constituents of Missouri’s Fifth District are served.
 

CONGRESSMAN CLEAVER AND CAMPERS VISIT FEDERAL RESERVE

There is nothing like having breakfast with kids from Kansas City’s Operation Breakthrough, all while getting a tour and hearing about the Federal Reserve. I got the chance to talk with the campers, counselors and others this week as they attended a day-long session on financial responsibility. It’s a part of summer programming at the Fed and the kids asked a lot of good and very insightful questions.

GREEN IMPACT ZONE

Big changes continue to take place in Kansas City’s Green Impact Zone (GIZ). EnergyWorks KC is in the process of deconstructing 20 homes in the Zone. Those homes are no longer fit to live in and are a blight to the neighborhood. Not only does this energy efficient program help beautify and clean up the community, it puts people to work.

In July, GIZ hosted its 3rd annual housing tour. This offered attendees the opportunity to tour all of the neighborhoods in the Zone, get information from banks, and talk with representatives from housing organizations about owning a home.

A door to door campaign is currently underway to let residents know about improvements in the Zone. The information includes facts about the source of funding, the amount of new sidewalks, infrastructure improvements and updates on future projects.

The Manheim Neighborhood is holding a Back to School Rally for students going into 7th through 12th grades. This is an opportunity for young people to get assistance with school supplies, groceries and health screenings. The Rally is Saturday, August 11th, at the Emmanuel Community Center, 3510 Prospect, from 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM. Students must be present to get supplies.

MOBILE OFFICE

As you may know, I don’t have a vehicle for my private use—instead, I lease a vehicle for constituent service and assistance. Unlike most other Members, I have a mobile office that brings our office and all its capabilities to you, in your neighborhood, at schools, businesses, nursing homes, libraries, fairs, and more. Because the expense of a mobile office is considerably less than the rent for another district office, it saves taxpayers money. This week the Mobile Office visited the Blue Ridge Mid-Continent Library. Last week, the Red Bridge Mid-Continent Library and next week we’ll be in Grandview.

Would you like to see the Mobile Office come to your neighborhood or view the schedule of visits? Please feel free to call the office at (816) 842-4545 to request a visit or go to: http://cleaver.house.gov/visit-mobile-office.

CIVILITY CORNER

Earlier this week, I called my sister Loris McNeel at her home in Houston, Texas to check my recollection on the name of her favorite cow. For some reason, I was stuck on the name Mary. My sister, unsure, called our father in Wichita Falls, Texas. He explained to her that every cow our grandmother owned had the name June.

As I have said previously, my sister and I loved spending time at our grandmother’s home. Although the early rising was not particularly a fun filled event, I nevertheless accompanied my grandma when she collected the eggs from the chicken coup and milked June. She would always pat and stroke June and say, “June is a good cow.”

While I liked June as a pet, I did not share my grandmother’s appreciation of her. I mean, if June was such a good and sweet cow, why didn’t she stay milked? Why should we have to get up early in the morning to milk her if she is so good? Any dignified or considerate cow would stay milked, I thought.

It took me a while to get it, but June won’t stay milked, the car will not stay washed, the house will not stay cleaned, and Congressional relations will not remain civil. Immediately after 9-11, and for some time afterward, there was a new and serene nation of unity. One reason that esprit de corps or peaceful glow did not remain on the Hill or around the country was that the milking must take place each day. In other words, there was no passionate maintenance of our oneness.

There were several other moments when the unity level was raised, but fell because there were no maintenance engineers on the job.

Although we don’t know this as a law of human conduct, I believe it is safe to assume that an ideological diverse Congress can remain elevated indefinitely.

It is true that most people don’t want to be romantically connected to an individual who is “high maintenance.” However, the needs of our citizenry and state engender an exalted and functional institution that is high maintenance, and I learned long ago that June will not stay milked.

Emanuel Cleaver, II Member of Congress