Dear Editor:
The offices of Senator Blunt and Representative Luetkemeyer have gone dark. We've seen on national television the recent outpouring of rage at congressional offices over a wide range of issues. In a shock and awe campaign by Trump's White House, there have been daily assaults on the nation's sense of well-being. Trump stokes fear and chaos, threatens detractors, and has created non-stop upheaval. The public reacts negatively. Seeing the backlash, Blunt and Luetkemeyer have headed for the bunkers.
Therefore, it has been difficult to get through to either of Blunt's local or national offices On Blunt's Facebook site, he encourages feedback there because of current high call volume.
On Blunt's Facebook page you see glowing support of the outrageous nomination of Betsy DeVos. Her Senate testimony confirmed her incompetence for Education Secretary. She has personally donated tens of thousands of dollars to Senator Blunt and his son over the past five years. On Blunt's Facebook site, there are 14,000 "angry" and 1,500 "sad" denunciations of his DeVos endorsement, compared to only 1,515 "likes". There are hundreds of negative comments and only a few positive. Hundreds of protestors camp outside his Missouri offices. But Blunt Tuesday voted for DeVos. Party and contributors first while avoiding constituent concerns.
Meanwhile, Representative Luetkemeyer voted this week to remove regulations that keep harmful coal mining waste out of streams. In his Bulletin he called this "commonsense". Allowing pollution will bring back coal jobs, he states, which isn't likely.
Many friends have called Luetkemeyer offices to discuss the Stream Protection Rule and the Muslim travel ban. On two occasions that I know of his DC staff have been argumentative and dismissive of the women who called. This is inappropriate but it is happening.
The week of February 20-24 is the first district work period of the new Congress. Normally members of Congress are back in their district holding public events and meeting with constituents. Numerous calls to Blunt's and Luetkemeyer's offices reveal they have no intent of publicly meeting constituents in their districts. Both staffs say their members are just too busy! Staff says the congressmen have full but unpublished agendas.
Huge changes are being rammed through Congress benefitting industry and the wealthy. Our local members of Congress hide from constituents. They say they work for us. Prove it! Put people first. Do no harm! Stop hiding under your desk.
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