Visit with Vicky Hartzler's Field Rep at Mexico MO library on Oct. 29

Dear Representative Hartzler,

A few of my friends and I who are members of GRO - Grass Roots Organizing - went to the meeting here in Mexico at the library to talk about the issues we would like you consider. I know Austin Kramer took notes, but I am following up with a few comments.

The people attending had diverse opinions. But I did not hear anyone support decreasing Social Security in anyway, and most objected vociferously. Chained CPI is a loser for average folks too-- most of Congress does not have much reference point personally to being on Social Security of any sort themselves yet. It's a no-brainer, though. It will not get anyone re-elected.

My friends and I are also concerned about just wages for all, and the great divide that exists in this country today between the lower wage workers and the extremely wealthy.

The other point that I personally made in the discussion was that this country needs to return to taxing the wealth. Back in my parent's day, when Ike Eisenhower was President, taxes on the wealthy were much higher than they are today, and Republicans like him believed that appropriate for fairness. The most advantaged citizens ought to pay a larger share. The tax cuts installed under President George Bush as temporary are still in force and benefit the wealthy and the large corporations. Reinstating fair taxes would solve budget concerns and help us all work together rather than some of us having to merely exist day to day.

Also I identify myself as an environmentalist, a member of Sierra Club and the ConservationFederation of Missouri. One of the most imperative measures we must take to slow down global climate change is to stop using fossil fuels. Right now mining for coal has shifted from the Appalachians to the Powder River Basin out West. Warren Buffett has a scheme to start up railroads to cart coal across Native American lands from Powder River Basin mines to the State of Washington so it can be exported to Asia. The amount shipped is likely to raise the global temperature even more, and people in China are already suffering from devastating pollution now. Since most of those mining leases are under the care of the Bureau of Land Management the USA should be considering what is ethical behavior. http://www.wildearthguardians.org/site/PageServer?pagename=priorities_climate_energy_coal_powder_river_global_warming#.UnLNK-LwjIV

In fact the two largest beneficiaries of cheap coal mine leases are Arch Coal and Peabody, both based in St. Louis.

I hope you or your staff can study these issues and let me know how you see a resolution of these problems for your constituents, for all Americans, and for the world. We all need to work together to address the future of the Earth and all its peoples.

Thank you for your interest and taking the time.

Sincerely,

Patricia M. Berg

cc: McCaskill