Clarksville Now publishes opinion pieces representing both sides of a variety of topics. Opinions presented do not necessarily reflect those of the newsroom or management. To join the conversation, email your opinion piece to news@clarksvillenow.com.
Contributed commentary by James Barth of Clarksville:
I wanted to first state that I am a conservative and have voted Republican, but first and foremost I identify as a conservative. What I have found most amusing is that, across both sides of the aisle Republican and Democrat alike, our elected representatives have forgotten who they work for: we the people. Congressman Mark Green is a veteran, and one would think that he would remember not only that oath he took, to defend and protect the Constitution so help him God, but also to stand for veterans.
Recently, I was having a passing conversation with Congressman Tim Burchett (who is a rock-solid conservative in my opinion), and I mentioned that I truly needed some guidance on whom to speak to about the bad service that veterans receive at the hand of the Veterans Administration. I have attempted in the past to contact Congressman Green’s office as I am a constituent, and it simply goes nowhere with the VA.
I received a letter shortly after speaking with Congressman Burchett from Congressman Green’s office, and it was a little bit of a corrective action letter on their behalf to remind me that I am a constituent of Congressman Green and to fill out a form releasing my information so they could investigate the VA claim I have. Not being one for being scolded by a servant of we the people, I decided to go to the website and fill out the request there. But in the letter, I was strongly wording the request to the congressman’s office that I “require” assistance and need that help with the VA.
You see, Congress will get all into sending funding to Ukraine, or keeping the purse strings open for the cash flow to the Mexican border and to make sure the illegal immigrants have what they need. Let veterans though try to get supplies that they desperately need or the medical care they need, and we also need to fight and jump through hoops that there is no excuse for. I outlined that in my letter to the congressman’s office and that I don’t request help; I don’t desire help; I require his help. So here I am waiting for a week so far for a response from one of my elected public servants and no reply from the Congressman’s office.
The politicians have forgotten whom they work for and whom they represent. They simply believe we serve them, and how dare a constituent require anything of an elected official. Let me just go on to say, our founding fathers would be mortified at what this country has become and what our elected allowed it to become. And lastly, as a veteran, Mark Green should have always remembered that brotherhood, but he simply forgot his background, his history within the military, and now turned his back on his veteran brothers and sisters and made sure instead that he supported funding Ukraine.
He is like the rest up in Washington that simply forgot who they work for, like Dan Crenshaw, Mitch McConnell, Nancy Pelosi, Chuck Schumer and so many more. Here is a heads up for the elected: We don’t serve you; you serve a country of Americans who work daily to keep you all in your fancy offices, and your lifetime benefits for health care, and the retirements that you can take to the bank. Shame on you all. It is time for we the people to fire you all and take this country back.
James Barth