Oh wow, look at me, day one of the Ultimate Blog Challenge and already a second post. I’ll burn out at this rate. LOL Anyway, I just got an interesting letter in the mail. Dated today, so obviously mailed earlier. I’ll comment below.
- Serve? This is the United States Government. How long has it been since they were actually there to serve us?
- A study on health related issues? Why? Does this have to do with the whole Obama health thing? Because guess what – I am not getting any health insurance I have to pay for. I can’t afford it. Fine me? Have fun with that. You can’t get blood from a stone. If I could pay the fine, I could afford health insurance, dummies. (Mind you, I am a liberal Democrat but Obama is all wrong on the healthcare. We should have socialized medicine. Aha, idea for another post.)
- Contracted out. Sure. Another level of cost to the taxpayer. Why not just have the existing government employees do it. If you need more just hire temps. Doing it this way, the workers are getting paid and this RTI is getting a big chunk of change. Cut RTI out.
- $30? I ain’t that cheap baby. You are offering money because you know people will resist, as I am. But people forget their principles for money. 30. Interesting. Like 30 pieces of silver. How biblical of the government. Well sorry, I just can’t be bought that cheap. In the words of the late Princess Diana, “I’m a luxury few can afford.”
- Confidential? Snort.
- Assured by federal law? Laughing out loud at that. Anyone named Snowden work in that department?
- You don’t know my name? You know I just got off the phone with my sister and that we emailed some recipes back and forth this morning. Give me a break. Even before the internet we had reverse directories. Not to mention I am a registered voter and you are the government. You don’t know my name. Don’t insult my intelligence.
So here I am with my mail, wondering what my government is up to now. I suppose we will all find out when someone leaks it to the press. Sad way to have to find things out, isn’t it?
Kate Eileen Shannon 
It is interesting how ‘big brother’ is watching over us and trying to ‘get into’ our lives. Everything is a choice, if we choose to sell ourselves for $30 then we are the ones that have to live with it. Thanks for sharing.
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I am just insulted they think I would sell myself so cheaply 😉
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You would be astonished at what the government contracts out! Once upon a time I was a Real Estate consultant and I used to do some work for the US Agency for International Development – I discovered them through the Commerce Business Daily (which used to get delivered to my library weekly) – this was in the days before the internet – and in going through the CBD I discovered that our government funds the most extraordinary and unusual studies and activities and contracts most of it out to “government approved” contractors. We had to go through some hoops to get approved – most of the approved contractors are in the DC area and since we were from NH it was a pretty big deal to actually get a contract! – I remember one of the contracts was the study of the mating habits of the titular field mouse in the Great Plains or something bizarre like that – it was right in the same CBD as “retrofit 10,000 latrines on US Army Bases”
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Our tax dollars at work.
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Followup:
Well aren’t RTI uber efficient? Their initial contact person was already out to see me.(What if the mail was late and I didn’t get the letter or it was lost?) I kept her standing outside my patio in the wet mulch. After the initial questions they decided I was not eligible for the survey or the thirty pieces of silver. The study is for SAMHSA which is the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. I did not know we had that agency.
Why did I not qualify? Well… perhaps they thought at 56 I do not “Smoke, Drink or Use Illegal Drugs”. Excuse me while I compose myself. Fell off my chair laughing. Let’s see. I’m Irish. I came of age in the 70s. (Once, when someone asked why I ever married my first husband, my then 10 year old son piped in with, “It was the 70s. There were a lot of drugs around.” Smart boy, smarter than RTI it seems.) And as for the smoking… well I just throw that in for the hell of it. They should know I am also highly addicted to a good cuppa. My current favorite is Bigelow’s Constant Comment which is a big change for someone who stuck to Earl Gray or Irish Breakfast Tea for years. As for the mental health aspect, well, I’m as crazy as they come.
For the record, “Both SAMSHA and RTI are committed to assuring complete confidentiality of responses.”
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You know, I really did enjoy reading this-I guess that’s the word I would use. It was actually interesting to read your post, and I am truly not amazed that this is going on. How can I be when I realize that EVERYTHING is known to the government now anyway. My mom and I constantly “joke” about the fact that we did this or that and now we’re going to be audited or worse. I also find it interesting that me, a conservative, can actually agree with a democrat on this!! In fact, I have been surprised at how many liberals and conservatives are coming together on a regular basis because of Obamacare and more.
Thanks for stopping by my blog. I think I may need to follow your blog now just to keep up with things.
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I think all people, liberal and conservative, would agree with each other more if they actually, really listened to each other. As to EVERYTHING being known now, mystery writers joke about it all the time. The things we research… one look at the stuff on our computers and we would all be locked up!
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Kate, so well said. Accurate, inspiring & motivating. I’ll be writing my Senators and congressmen about this. Taking some action to put pressure back on them. Thank you!
Heman Smith
Simplicity IQ
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