Wasting taxpayer money...

This is Dave Reichert. He's my Representative to the United States Congress.

Today I visited his website to share my opinion about funding CPB.

(See http://www.170millionamericans.org/)

He has a link on his website to take a survey.

Always interested in sharing my opinion, I went to the survey.

This is what I found:

In the past two years, we’ve seen a $700 billion bailout of banks and financial institutions, an $862 billion economic “stimulus” package, and a $1 trillion health care overhaul bill. I voted against each of these measures, but Congress continues to authorize massive amounts of taxpayer dollars that are adding to our nearly $1.5 trillion budget deficit.

This spending is unsustainable, and threatens to saddle our children and grandchildren with a mountain of IOU’s. Which of the following reforms would be most effective in reining in out-of-control spending by this Congress?

Which of the following reforms would be most effective in reining in out of control spending by this Congress?

Reclaiming bailout money for taxpayers?

Ensuring government is accountable to taxpayers

Ensuring government is transparent

Stopping government overreaching

Comprehensive Reform for a broken earmark system

Other

At first I thought I didn't like the survey because the question and options were framed so that a particular point of view was the only option. As I thought about it a little more I realized I was being manipulated to create Mr. Reichert's next campaign talking points.

I sent the following e-mail:

"I just took your survey and I thought the options you provided were an indication of why we're having problems in Washington - misinformation, manipulation of facts, and willfully misleading the public.

If you would stop that kind of nonsense, we could have productive discussions and make tough choices to solve everyone's problems.

I appreciate you have opinions and a preference for how our nation's problems are addressed, but if you're soliciting constituent opinions, then shouldn't your questions/options be more objective?

You're presenting yourself as the kind of politician who would rather win than govern.

And you know what? THAT'S a waste of taxpayer money!!

Your "survey" is a way for you to figure out what your next campaign talking points should be; you're trying to figure out what message - with no specifics - will get you elected.

THAT'S a waste of taxpayer money!

(And, you created negative energy for yourself from me because I thought you really wanted to know. How disappointing.)"

Link to Dave Reichert's website

Link to Survey

(I just realized the link to the survey is ...GUIDEDSURVEY/Sep2010.html.

Geez - they're not even hiding the fact that it's a 'guided' survey? And what's with the date? Don't they keep up to date? I'm even MORE disappointed now. I guess I'm a little naive.)

Maybe a more important website I should link to is Washington State Democrats