The Gum Tree for 2005 February 1 (entry 0)

(4) Tue Feb 01 16:22:49 MST Capitol Hill :

It has been difficult to write because of all the activities that we have been cramming into our schedules. Friday we came here to Washington D.C., and it being my birthday, we went to cheesecake factory. I do love that place. I got the white chocolate rasberry truffle cheesecake.

Sunday was a day to go to the monuments. We saw the new WW2 memorial, and went with a friend to the vietnam war memorial to etch his uncle's name from the stone. Then it was meetings, meetings, meetings.

Today was spent with Congressman Matheson, as well as Senators Orrin Hatch, and Bob Bennet. Hatch was on the Senate floor earlier speaking on the confirmation of A.G. Alberto Gonzales. While we were in his office, he had to go and watch, on the senate Closed Circuit TV, his good friend Teddy Kennedy give his speech so that he could go back on the floor and "rip him" or something like that. We also saw the president pass by in his motorcade. It must have been about 12 motorcycle policemen, three identical bulletproof limos, and about eight large Vans filled with Secret Service guys, an armored special forces truck, an ambulance, and three Washington D.C. police cars. It took about 2 min for all of them to pass by. Tommorrow we will tour the Capital building before we finish up with meetings and fly home before the State of the Union address.

Louise is having a good time as well.

Comments:

Posted by John at Tue Feb 01 18:33:24

How neat. I haven't been to DC since I was 16. I won this competition in High School and got to go for free. Unfortunately, I don't think I fully appreciated the experience, but I did learn a lot and have a lot of fun. That was my first time on a plane, first time back east, etc. It was quite the eye-opening experience for me.

What are you there for? Lobbying something?

Posted by Joe Walch at Thu Feb 03 11:36:28

We were talking with our representatives about important issues to Blind individuals in America. The big one's were Social Security and Higher Education reform. I certainly learned a whole lot about these programs and different sides of the arguments.

I wonder what you think John about Private Accounts in Social Security. It was interesting to talk with Democratic as well as Republican Congressmen about these issues.

I never realized also that Social Security is really three programs in one. It is Life Insurance, Disability Insurance and a Retirement Plan.

I also think of my Grandpa, who worked hard all his life--granted, who is making more than 80 K a year by sitting on his couch and reading all day, and who still collects his SS check from people like me and my generation. He is also a dyed in the wool southern Republican so I wonder what he thinks about SS reform.

Posted by John at Thu Feb 03 13:47:33

So why do blind people get an additional standard deduction that other disabled people don't get? Do you know?

Posted by Joe Walch at Fri Feb 04 20:35:16

I don't know why, only that it must be some kind of concession to blind people. Blind people are also traditionaly unemployed as well, and they are considered an underpriviliaged group. It is nice for us, though. We can make up to $15,000 or something like that, but Louise sometimes gets irritated about that.

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