General

In my opinion, it’s one of the best songs ever recorded. I’m talking about Aretha Franklin’s hit, “Respect.”  Shall I pause while you sing a few bars?

Respect it’s a mutual thing, something one has to earn, essential to any functioning and successful team, organization, democracy.  Now that it’s defined, we must decide if it is still observed.

I’m one who carries strong opinions and views; yet, I also am open and want to hear another persons views. While a pastor in a local church setting, I often expressed to my flock, “My office door is open. I am willing to listen, talk and discuss with you any topic.  All I ask is that you bring more than hate and rhetoric.”

That standard worked out O.K. and by it I still abide. 

That is why as we are out and about doing legislative visits in our defense of Medicaid and Medicare, I have certain standards I expect to have upheld by our elected officials.

1. Respect your constituents and our time.  As we have been busy scheduling legislative visits, I continue to be amazed that for some offices it has taken multiple phone calls and e-mails just to get an answer. Folks, it should not be that difficult to schedule an appointment.  Especially, when we were looking for a meeting date during the week you were home in the district.
2. Come ready to discuss with us.  We hear enough of the sound bytes and one-liners while watching cable television.  Seek to have an honest conversation with us.  We expect that of those who represent us.
3. Whether we are in agreement or in sharp contrast of opinions, respect us as we respect the office you hold. Don’t label us. Listen to us. And, in mutual respect, we shall do the same.

This season of legislative visits has been heartening. I’m proud of our consumers and their confidence and advocacy. 

Though I would never be considered someone who “waves the flag,” these moments of conversation with our elected officials are foundational to the democracy we share and build and respect.

For many reasons, if you have not yet called or visited your elected officials, pick up the phone and schedule a visit.  Grab a pen and paper (that time honored form of communication) and write a letter.  Join in the conversation.  Respect our democracy enough to engage in its practice.

In the spirit of Andy Rooney, don’t you hate it when a blog starts…goes along….gets some followers… and then disappears much like the vaunted Steelers run defense? 

As for me, yes to both and equally so.

It has been a woefully long time since there has been a blip, a blurb, or a blog on this page.  In fact, when the last blog was posted, the Pirates were still playing and above .500 and the congress was still bitterly divided….O.K. well not everything has changed….sigh.

Well, maybe it was Andy Rooney and his parting episode, or, perhaps it was persons saying they’ve missed the blog; or, it could have been the fact that I not only want to be blogging…I need to be.  I too need to actively respond to my teachers, professors, and congregants who said, “you really need to be writing!” 

Although, there is now nothing left upon which I can vow or promise, I simply commit to do so and will hopefully be joined in the writing by some other bloggers-in-waiting.

Now is the season when thoughts and reflections and insights need to be shared, heard, and responded. 

I am excited to be back in the blog!

I thank you for your grace and will honor your returning with me to many words, wants and wishes…..I believe this particular blog has used all the alliteration I can muster. 

More good ripples to be made….

sj;

This Sunday’s edition of the Post-Gazette featured the following editorial highlighting proposed legislation by Repr. Dan Frankel in regard to the UPMC/Highmark battlefront. Worth a read and even more worth supporting: http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/11268/1177081-192.stm

Advocate extraordinaire, Sue Etters, a graduate of our “Lift Up Your Voice!” Advocacy training, wrote the following letter-to-the-editor that ran in the Post-Gazette.  Here is the letter which was printed on Wednesday, 24 August 2011:

For common good

We live in a time when we are overburdened and concerned about cost. Nothing is more costly than our broken health care system. If we are truly serious about saving money, then a good first step is to develop a health care delivery system that is patient-centered and patient-driven, not profit-driven. This system relies on informed and involved consumers engaged in discussion of treatment options and care. Patients are proactive and aid in the reduction of hospital-acquired infections and preventable medical errors.

Recent articles have reported on formation of the government super-committee, which will work to reduce costs and find savings. With Sen. Pat Toomey selected to the committee, Pennsylvanians have an added incentive to closely follow this work. Committee members must strive to compromise, be fair in cuts and seek new sources of revenue.

In terms of cost savings, reform of the health care delivery system to become more patient-centered is a good place to start. A wise second step is to avoid cuts to Medicaid. Pennsylvania has the second oldest population in the country, with one in every seven residents over the age of 65. Older adults and people with disabilities rely on Medicaid for their long-term living needs. Aging baby boomers want to age in place in the communities that we’ve built and continue to build.

I ask Sen. Toomey and the committee to consider the needs of our shared common good and have the courage to seek a balanced approach.

SUE ETTERS
Sewickley 

It’s the first day of  August. Excellent! I’m one who always likes the beginning of new months — it gives me a chance to renew, to start again, to clean the slate, to get back on the field what had been benched for a while.

Yes, the blog is back. I know….at this point we’ve been to “Return of Blog,” and “Son of Blog,” and now could reasonably do “Distant Third Cousin of Blog;” yet, we are again in the blogging business so let us begin.

This is another major sports week here in our fair city and it has nothing to do with the Pirates (may they find anew their winning ways) nor the Steelers.

I am referring to the 31st National Veterans Wheelchair Games that Pittsburgh will host this week.  Over 600 athletes will compete in 17 different sports.

For we who are long-suffering Pirates fans this has been a gift of a summer as our Buccos are winning and being featured on ESPN where the pundits promote the Pirates grit and grind and heart.  Alas, our boys in black and gold are not even close to the fight, fire, and strength that will be celebrated at this week’s Games.  Make it a point and a “must do” and attend some of the athletic events.

Most of the competition takes place at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center. For a schedule of events visit this link: http://www.va.gov/opa/speceven/wcg/docs/nvwg-schedule.pdf

Game on!

sj;