REGION VI NEWS
April, 20, 2011
By Jerome S. Smith
Vice President, Region VI
Arkansas - Louisiana - Oklahoma - Panama - Texas
Phone: 903- 534- 5849
This Article will be a “good news, bad news,” piece, so you have a
choice, read the good, the bad, all of it, or none of it.
Your call!
The “good news” is the NARFE Chapter Service Officer Award winners for
2011 have been announced.
The Region VI Service officer Award winner is Bobbie Guillory
from Chapter 1397 in Gretna, Louisiana.. Bobbie is also the Immediate
Past President of the Louisiana Federation as well as the Federation’s
Membership Chair. The Texas
Federation’s winner is Charles Dechert, Chapter 778 in Boerne,
Texas. Charles is also the
Texas Federation’s Service Officer and has almost singlehandedly held
together the San Antonio NARFE Service Center for many years. Both of
these dedicated NARFE members deserve a lot of credit for helping people
who need help.
I know there are a lot of deserving NARFE Service Officers in Region VI
that spend a whole lot of time helping people. Therefore, Federation and
Chapter Officers of the Region, I challenge you to identify these most
important people and submit their names and accomplishments to either
David Snell in NARFE Headquarters or me.
If you send them to me, I will get the applications submitted in
plenty of time for next year’s selection.
More “good news.” You can
now renew your membership on line at the
www.NARFE.org
web site. This will not only
ensure your valuable NARFE membership will not lapse but save a stamp
and the need to write a check.
All you need to do is go to the web site, sign in as a member,
using your membership number.
Then go to the left hand margin and find the “Membership Renewal”
spot, click on it and follow the instructions.
It only takes about a minute or so.
While you are there, download the ‘dues withholding’ form and
send in your request to be placed on dues withholding so you don’t have
to worry about renewals again.
Now the “bad news.”
Congress, in its infinite wisdom, finally passed the FY 2011 budget for
running our Country. Forget
the fact it was supposed to have been passed by October 1, 2010.
Better late than never! You can also forget the fact that our
elected officials finally got their heads together and did not
even have to shut down the Government.
However, the biggest battle still awaits…the battle of whether to
increase the “Debt Limit” or not.
Why is the debt limit even an issue?
We all know that the US has never defaulted on its debt. Our
elected officials have always understood that by defaulting on our debt,
we could “plunge the world economy into recession.” So what is
the problem? This is really a no-brainer.
The problem lies with the newly elected 112th Congress.
Of the more than 90 freshmen in this Congress, more than ½ of
them have NEVER held an elected office, not even as an elected dog
catcher. Why is that of
interest? Compromise,
compromise, compromise! Our Congress is supposed to function
as a body of folks whose only interest is ultimately doing what is right
for the people of the United States. They are supposed to work with
those of opposing views and reach a compromise in order to do the
work the people need done to allow our Country to function as a World
leader. However, many knowledgeable individuals believe the last
Congress, the 111,th was the most polarized Congress in the
History of the US. It seems
as if that record has been tossed out the window because from all
actions and reports, the current Congress is worse.
It is my concern, and that of many people far more knowledgeable than I,
that this Congress will be paying more attention to their own ideology
than what is good for the People.
If this happens, the unthinkable may very well occur.
So, what to do? Contact your
Members of Congress and tell them you expect them to act in favor of the
people of the United States and not allow us to Default on our Debt.
If the US goes into Default, the price will be simply too high.
There will be plenty of time to work on the cuts needed to reign
in our enormous debt without jeopardizing, not only the economy of the
US, but possibly the entire world.
So, take off your Democrat, Independent, Republican, or Tea Party
hats and put on your AMERICAN hat and get the job done!
YES, IT REALLY IS THAT IMPORTANT!
Thank you and Good Luck!