The real question...

[Ackatack]

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Thats pretty much exactly what you said ack.

If that's the way that you want to interpret it Rocky, then go ahead but that's not how I meant it.

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Or maybe it is the negative perception of "politics" that gets in his way

It very well could be but that's not why I started this thread.

[VorLonUK]

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Originally posted by: eze
i do more for mankind than all of you fools put together.  you guys/girls couldn't handle a job like mine.  i have 3 letters for you to describe my current job... A.L.F.

I thought you were a porter/orderly Eze?

[Rocky]

You could explain what you meant then.

"These both politically motivated, a.k.a. don't count."
"Working for a Congressman is cool but doesn't actually solve any of the problems of the world around you."

Not sure how else to interpret those comments.  Until you say something somewhat knowledgable and respectful of all the work thats been done by staffers, Ill consider pretty much all your posts in this thread a huge insult.  

[Ackatack]

I don't care if you're insulted or not, but I did say this complement earlier that you happend to miss:

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I know that without a good staff a Congressman would get nothing done.

[Rocky]

" I don't care if you're insulted or not"

Thats respectful of you.  I thought this thread was about good deeds.  Ill explain to you the good deeds staffers do, that are more than helping the congressman if you are willing to listen and admit its not all bloated beauracy and that working there counts as great service to this country as much as other things listed by you me and rugged and others.

[Ackatack]

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Thats respectful of you.

Yeah, that was kind of off base.  Sorry about that, it's been a stressful day at work.

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I thought this thread was about good deeds.

Kind of the point but I meant it more as a way of saying, "Instead of agruing and complaining so much why don't you guys go out and do something about it."

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...if you are willing to listen...

I'm always willing to listen.

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admit its not all bloated beauracy

I didn't say that it was all bloated bureaucracy just that such a thing exists.  My tax dollars go to support it and I'm not terribly happy about it; just like I'm not terribly happy that my tax dollars support the poorly organized Department of Motor Vehicles.

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working there counts as great service to this country as much as other things listed by you me and rugged and others

I think that's kind of a strech but for the sake of argument I'll agree with you for now.  I don't think that just because one is a staffer for a Congressman that they are doing a "great service to this country", but since it's you doing the work I'll give you the benefit of the doubt.

[Rocky]

You should see the letters of the tradegies people are going through that come into offices across the country.  Staffers dont make a lot of money, but many of them spend their whole days trying to help the people that need help the most.  Theres not much of a greater service that you can do.  Volunteering after work is great, but spending your whole day at work doing it should be something people respect and honor. Yet you hardly ever  see them recognized.  Mainly because "people" dont know they do it

[fall-apart]

Woohoo - staff against staff... this is the kind of fight we mere mortals like to see - lightning bolts, explosions, the whole works.

Scut - regarding donating to charities that may fritter away your money - if they are registered charities, then they have to give an accounting for every dollar.  You can request copies of these statements.  For instance, I give money to World Vision to support a boy named Yunior in the Dominican Republic.  15% of what I give to World Vision goes to administrative overhead (processing, salary, mail-outs, etc), but the other 85% goes to Yunior.

[Zut50]

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Originally posted by: ric
Or maybe it is the negative perception of "politics" that gets in his way

Here here.

Lets not forget running the country is not an easy task. The way I see it, it the governments job to run the country, and a damn fine job they do too. I have enough soul-crushing stress and misery of my own to deal with; I dont see why I should consider it my personal responsibility to help others. I do my bit (voting, tax, etc...) and Ive donated to charities on the odd occasion, I dont see why this should be suddenly expected of me.

Personally I can't abide charities and the like clawing at my heels: pushy adverts for charities, awful TV begathons, and charity shops quite literally taking over our streets (and pushing out small shops and businesses; a well documented problem I understand). Its not as if life is perfectly rosy for those of us who dont have cancer, or live in destitution, or who have been dumped in the gutter.

I probably come accross as heartless after that, but it felt really good to get that out!!

[ScutMonkey]

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Originally posted by: fall-apart
Woohoo - staff against staff... this is the kind of fight we mere mortals like to see - lightning bolts, explosions, the whole works.

Scut - regarding donating to charities that may fritter away your money - if they are registered charities, then they have to give an accounting for every dollar.  You can request copies of these statements.  For instance, I give money to World Vision to support a boy named Yunior in the Dominican Republic.  15% of what I give to World Vision goes to administrative overhead (processing, salary, mail-outs, etc), but the other 85% goes to Yunior.

Yeah, my parents do that as well.  I'm not sure how many children they support at this point.  I remember being stunned that they did it when I found out, but I really shouldn't be.  My brother's adopted from Korea for the same reasons.  It's kinda sad, but I'd actually be more inclined to support a charity in Africa or Asia than one here in the US.  I just don't think people that live in the US are lacking opportunity like people in poorer areas of the world are.