Letter to Sen. Durbin. Dear Dick,

(11AM EST – promoted by Nightprowlkitty)

Dear Dick,

As you may remember, when last I wrote – I told you I would keep you informed of my sacrifices.  This is, of course, in the spirit of your exhortation to me to make such sacrifices as an American.  As a teaching moment, on Halloween, I gave the working class kids in this area one (I repeat one) piece of candy, and not the 2 or 3 I sometimes bountifully passed out in past years.  After all, these are mostly working class kids and in the future they will be the ones called to the sacrificial altar again and again.  You will agree that Halloween is a good time to begin the lessons of austerity. I couldn’t bring myself to buy the cheapest candy but as you know, some of us must ease ourselves into the spirit of austerity.  Next year I will do better.

To that end, duly noted that most of the candy is made in America.  Surely we can do something about that.  Frankly, I am surprised.  Why have these jobs not been outsourced?  And I don’t mean Belgian chocolate for instance.  LOL.  What is this  –Kenilworth?  (I presume the children of Kenilworth, Illinois are exempt from the call for sacrifices as their parents’ median income is $237,7l7.  It was $200,000 in 2000 – so they are doing something right unlike my own suburb.)

Yes, they were disappointed.  Their little faces lit up when I opened the door soon darkened.  They will learn, of course.  

Also, accept my condolences for your recent loss.  As the leading Democrat here, you must feel quite down.  I did not vote for a Democratic Senator because look here, I take your call to sacrifice seriously.  How could I not vote for the Green candidate who spent $5,000 in campaigning.  His name is Lealan Jones.  It is shorter than the Democratic candidate which is appropos.  And he knows how to scale down.  Unfortunately, the 3 or 4% he garnered seemed to be a factor in the Democrat’s loss.  Ah well, austerity has consequences!  LOL.

As a Chicago winter is approaching, there will be many occasions for sacrifices.  The heat will be turned as low as possible without harming my critters.  I can wear several layers of clothing and go to bed early.  Better for me actually – I won’t watch TV – I’ll read – am currently reading Thorstein Veblen’s The Theory of the Leisure Class. You don’t want too many of your constitutents to read this book btw (LOL).  However, you must consider that long, cold winters are just the right setting for this kind of reading.  I love that he is Norwegian – I am Norwegian and have been to Norway.  They know how to live thru cold weather there for sure.  Though I think the state coddles them.  (LOL)

You may also remember that I asked you to list your and your family’s sacrifices on your webpage.  Where is it?  I haven’t seen it.  I saw the many requests for donations and your sterling list of accomplishments but not the sacrificial list.  Please consider informing your constituents of your own efforts here.

You may remember me as Xanthe.  I have shortened it to Xan in the spirit of austerity.  I am working up to plain old X.  Many of my fellow Illinoisans may do the same.  After all, what’s more important – identity or austerity.

Also, do we really need two senators.  One of you should sacrifice your job to cut costs in the Senate.  Think about it.

Yours Truly,

Xan  

PS – Dick, I see you’re going to be at a bi-partisan dinner tomorrow with a bunch of pols – Nancy, Boehner, McConnell, and someone else ?? (oh yeah, the president).  Perhaps you could ask them for a list of their sacrifices and put it on your webpage.  You know, to inspire the Americans who still believe in Tinkerbell.