Anyone Have a Derelict Truck?
Ron Leinius writes:
I am pleased to hear that Senator Alexander is now making inquiries to DOE and to the Oak Ridge contractors regarding pension issues and requests made by CORRE. But why has it taken so long for him to understand that DOE IS CHEATING OAK RIDGE RETIREES, and that pension improvements must be made NOW? Many of us have gotten very tired of hearing about the various "politically correct" inquiries and pursuits taken by our congressional representatives, usually in the form of gentle questions to DOE and its Oak Ridge contractors. This approach merely invites DOE and its contractors to respond with another round of contrived statistics (CORRE has done a wonderful job of debunking DOE's claims of fair treatment for Oak Ridge retirees).
It is time for our representatives to show a little backbone, and to demand that fair pension improvements be instituted for retirees. If guidance is needed on how to accomplish this, simply consult with your congressional colleagues who represent the western DOE facilities. With about 12,000 retirees, we represent a voter group of perhaps 50,000 people, and you can bet that this group will make itself heard during the next several congressional elections.
Continuing with the theme of a tougher approach, I think it would be very effective to get an old pickup truck, the more derelict the better, and to install large signs ("DOE IS CHEATING OAK RIDGE RETIREES") above the truck bed. Then park the truck for a day near the entrance to the DOE building in downtown Oak Ridge; the next day, park it near the Solway bridge during commuter traffic periods; follow up by parking in on South Illinois Avenue in Oak Ridge, leading toward the DOE facilities. And wouldn't it be interesting to drive it up and down Cumberland Avenue in Knoxville, on a football game day? The local newspapers would fall all over themselves to print pictures and stories. Maybe the Washington Post would pick up on it, too.
I bet there'd be no trouble getting volunteer drivers for that truck. I'll take the first run.
October 24th, 2007 at 10:40 am
Ron:
I believe that the legislators receive complaints from a bunch of retirees that have a vested interest in improved pensions and they don’t understand the details enough to form an independent opinion of their validity. They ask DOE (a prestigious scientific agency) and, after six months get a nicely packaged response that really doesn’t explain anything but makes it look right. The legislators don’t understand this either. They (legislators) are left in a quandry and ask more questions. It’s a slow process.
I like the truck idea, sort of a one driver parade and rally. I actually thought of placing a 4′ x 8′ plywood on my truck and drive arround with signs on it. I have some car window slogans (poor man’s bumper stickers) I was going to post on the H/B web site.
I’ve seen two bumper stickers: my truck and my wife’s car and heard of two others. Disappointing, yes.
Al
October 24th, 2007 at 6:45 pm
A little drive to Capital Hill might be nice this time of year - I hear the weather is lovely in Iowa and New Hampshire too. Maybe you could borrow Senator Fred’s red truck that he featured on his former website showing himself driving on the Hill while serving the fine folks in TN. It was such a nice down-home folksy photo of the Senator - almost as down home as Lamar’s plaid shirt. ‘Ya think they’d like a couple of bumper stickers to complete that down-home look???? ‘Ya just never know unless ‘ya ask - do ‘ya???