[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 194 (Tuesday, December 18, 2007)]
[Senate]
[Page S15901]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                           CONSTITUENT VIEWS

  Mr. SPECTER. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that a letter 
from Mr. Richard Morgan from Shavertown, PA, be printed in the 
Congressional Record.
  There being no objection, the material was ordered to be printed in 
the Record, as follows:

                                                 December 7, 2007.
     Re: Congressional members

     Hon. Arlen Specter,
     Hart Senate Office Building,
     Washington, DC.
       Dear Senator Specter: My name is Richard H. Morgan. I 
     reside at 145 Woodbine Road, Shavertown, PA. I am retired at 
     72 years of age and a military veteran of the U.S. Navy and 
     U.S. Coast Guard. I have been a Republican since 21 years of 
     age.
       On November 20, 2007 at 11 a.m., you returned my phone 
     call. During our conversation I agreed to write a letter 
     stating my views of the job the Senate has done. You agreed 
     to read this letter on the Senate floor. I told you I would 
     really like to stand and talk in front of the Senate.
       I am part of the great generation of people who lived, 
     worked, and died for this country. I often wonder to myself 
     where we as a society let our country go so wrong. We are not 
     safe in our own country. I am not afraid of terrorists from 
     other countries; I have greater fear from my own government. 
     I would like to list a few examples.
       First, congressional personnel do not live their lives as 
     the working average middle class nor our lower class society. 
     They think of us as uneducated. They may be right since we 
     placed our trust in their hands and believed they would do 
     the job right. I question too what has happened to the oath 
     of office they took as a serious promise to us and God. The 
     majority of Congress lacks integrity and humility. They are 
     definitely not role models for our society. I know our 
     country's business can be conducted better. I have no special 
     interest groups to benefit by my vote.
       Second, I have a problem concerning social security and how 
     the word entitlements is used. It makes me feel like they are 
     giving me personally a handout. The social security trust 
     fund is completely funded by the citizens of the United 
     States through payroll tax deductions and collected by the 
     Internal Revenue Service. I must add that they are elected by 
     citizens to manage these funds for us and not to fund other 
     programs. So, I feel the word of entitlements should have 
     reference to congressional perks, which are completely funded 
     by tax paying citizens.
       Finally, my third area of concern is the marriage of 
     congressional members and corporate business. I am not sure 
     if it's illegal, but I do know it's unethical. This has 
     caused so much damage to my country. I have done the research 
     on many programs such as the Bureau of Public Debt, Federal 
     Accounting, and the U.S. Office of Personnel Management.
       The answer to this whole problem is for all elected 
     congressional members to gain a conscience or to resign from 
     office.
           Respectively,
     Richard H. Morgan.

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