Right now, any closing of any business in the USA is distressing in these hard economic times, but the loss of our small Food Lion in our small town is particularly distressing because that will leave us with only TWO grocery stores anywhere near us; both "Superstores" with miles of aisles and sky-high prices; both especially difficult for older citizens to use simply because of their high prices and their huge size. Closing 113 Delhaize "units" in our country will literally put thousands of people out of work, including the friendly older people who work at our local store. My wife decided to call Representative Heath Shuler's office to see if there was any way he could help the stores in our state stay open, whether through tax incentives or some other government business assistance program. The phone is a speaker phone and as a woman answered I listened as my wife started explaining her concern about losing our local grocery store, losing jobs, hardships on Senior Citizens, when the woman on the other end of the phone interrupted her in a curt tone to ask why she was calling -- she needed to call that store and complain to them. My wife explained that the local store was being closed by an international super corporation based in Belgium. . . she was then interrupted again and told she needed to call the local town council or county commissioners. Again, my wife explained it was a "global conglomerate" that was closing USA "units" and she thought maybe Representative Shuler would consider looking into it and . . . The woman once again interrupted to say this had nothing to do with the Federal government, so my wife asked, "Well, don't they have to pay Federal taxes or tariffs and couldn't tax incentives be offered to at least keep the rural stores open..." Again, she was interrupted with a curt, "This has nothing to do with the Federal Government!" At that point, my wife asked, "Well aren't you people interested in creating jobs or keeping jobs here in the USA? At our local store they actually hire senior citizens . . ." She was cut off once again and told there was nothing "this office" could do. My wife got so mad she could only spit out, "Oh, excuse me, I thought I was calling my Democratic Representative, let me just hang up and call the Republicans!"
If I had the chance, I would have asked the representative of our duly-elected Representative if she had ever heard of Solyndra? Does billions of dollars spent bailing out General Motors or AIG ring any bells? Then I would have said you need not answer because these are rhetorical questions that obviously have nothing to do with Heath Shuler. Thanks for opening my eyes about how the Democrats really feel about saving jobs and helping Senior Citizens . . . I have to go now and call the Republicans; I know they're interesting in saving jobs and creating jobs and getting our economy out of the toilet. Good-by, have a wonderful day, SEE YOU AT THE NEXT ELECTION!
Man, I'm proud of my wife and I only wish more taxpayers would get involved and start speaking up That's what we all need to do! Got a question, got a concern? Call your elected officials, all of them from Buncombe County to Raleigh to Washington DC and warn the bums, especially Bum # 1, that you've had enough and you will see them at the next election. We'll see all the bums OUT the door!
