Okay, so I’m looking through the mail, and here’s a really nice 5 x 7 “Season’s Greetings” photo postcard with a picture of a fairly nice-looking dark-haired woman on it, with a 5-year-old blond kid, and I’m sitting there holding it and wondering who on earth this woman is, that she’s sending us a card, and I turn it over and start reading the rather squiggly handwriting, and I manage to decipher, “As…this… year…comes…to…a… close,…I…just… wanted…you…to…know… how…much…I…have… enjoyed…serving… as…your… Representative…in…Springfield—”
Oh for heaven’s sake.
Glance down at the bottom, sure enough, under the illegible signature, it’s printed with, “Mildred Pierce Your State Representative”. Glance over at the address, sure enough, it’s printed with, “GOOSE HOUSEHOLD OR CURRENT RESIDENT”
Give me strength.
News flash: I didn’t vote for you, Mildred. Nor am I likely to vote for you in 2002 just because you sent me a Bulk Rate Christmas card. Even if it does say, way, way down at the bottom in itty-bitty print, “Not paid for at taxpayer expense”.
I’d like to see where the money is coming from to send tens of thousands of cards out if it’s not coming from tax payer money. But given that it’s not, I’d have actually enlarged the type on that phrase. If I didn’t bother reading the fine type (and most people don’t) I would be quite pissed that if I thought that I had paid to send a card to myself.
Thank you for the expression of your opinion. You may rest assured that Bp. Polycarp will take it into consideration as he attempts to serve his constituents throughout his diocese. He asked me to express to you his regrets that the volume of mail he receives prohibits him from giving you a personal response directly from him.
Sincerely,
Ima Poorprufer
Secretary to His Grace
Polycarp, Bp. of Smyrna
Actually, if you want to get really technical I think we can almost guarantee that the cards were paid for with taxpayers’ money; just not money paid as taxes.
But yes, I can see why you would be annoyed that a public representative wished you well during this season. I hate it when that happens.
I got a christmas card from the car dealership where I bought my car. What nerve! I mean I pay them 25,000 and they send me a card to wish me well?! What kind of car dealership is nice to their customers? If they keep this up those car salesmen are going to end up with a good rep.
Uh oh… I (personally) paid for and sent out handwritten cards to 19 social service organizations in my riding, wishing them “félicitations à tou(te)s les bénévoles et courage pour le nouvel an”. I included a business-card-type-dealie. I thought it would help them keep me in mind! Ack.
