When I graduated from U.T.’s Political Science program more than four decades ago, I never imagined that I’d have an U.S. Representative who could be compared to the wizard-man behind the curtain in the much-loved film classic, “The Wizard of Oz,” but here we are.
U.S. Congressman Robert Latta has consistently avoided meeting his constituents in town hall situations, unless they are heavily curated to contain only his most loyal followers in outlying conservative areas, or in tele-town halls, where the questions and callers are vetted by him in advance. Much like the “Wizard of Oz,” he stays behind the curtain so that voters only see the giant mythical apparition who knows it all.
We are living in arguably one of the most perilous, complicated and significant transformations of our country in its history. Agencies such as FEMA and NOAA, which predict and deal with catastrophes like tornados and massive fires, are being defunded. The Department of Education is being virtually, if not already eliminated. Funding for libraries, the arts, and social programs like Medicaid, Medicare, WIC and SNAP, not to mention the IRS and FBI is disappearing from the federal budget. And unless we live in a state of denial, we must admit that Social Security, as well as our area’s beloved farm subsidies, will be on the cutting block soon.
In the movie, Toto the dog pulled the curtain back and revealed the wizard imposter. The citizens of Bowling Green deserve a leader who comes out from behind and will address their concerns and fears, and provide information on the rapid-fire dismantling of their government and rights.
We all know that we can go to his office at 1045 N. Main St, Suite 6 in Bowling Green, with its tiny sign at the street, and knock on its locked doors, or call 419-354-8700. We also know that we can write him at 2470 Rayburn Home Office Building, Washington D.C. 20515 and we’ll receive a letter back thanking us for our concerns with simply an assurance that he will keep them in mind. We could, finally, call him at 202-225-6405, but with the deluge of calls sent to Washington these days, it’s lucky if we do not get to leave a voice mail in the void.
Bowling Green’s citizens mostly know they can see their representative serving juice at a pancake breakfast, at the fair, riding on parade floats, or on a bike. But they deserve face-to-face time with an opportunity to glean information, have their concerns heard, and know that an elected official in Washington is carrying a message for them.
Right now, U.S. citizens are all Dorothy and Toto, avoiding the flying monkeys and Wicked Witch of the West. We deserve a congressman who will help us get to our cherished homes in a well-funded democracy. Please call or write U.S. Congressman Latta at the aforementioned addresses and numbers about setting up a town hall meeting for all of us.
Karen Wood
Bowling Green
