Kit Bond - Late, Lame and Stupid

Way back in mid-September, I wrote to my Congressman (Emanuel Cleaver) and my senators (Kit Bond and Jim Talent) voicing my concern about a proposal to eliminate the Estate Tax. In a nutshell, repealing the Estate Tax is an expensive tax break for dead millionaires, and one of the most foolish and obnoxious policy proposals so far in the 21st century. My note (read it if you like) was polite, respectful and it was sent on Sunday, September 18. I received a nice note in response from Emanuel Cleaver within a couple days, but did not hear from either of my elected Republican Senators (one of whom I have actually voted for), except for a fundraising solicitation sent by Bond in support of Jim (no) Talent.

That changed this week. Finally, a month and week after I sent my note, Kit Bond responded with the following piece of idiocy:

Thank you for contacting my office with your views on the estate tax. I appreciate you taking the time to share your views with me.

I have heard from other individuals, like yourself, who have an interest in this issue. Since there are so many tax proposals and concerns currently on the table, I have asked my staff to give me a thorough analysis of all tax legislation as we begin this important debate.

You may be assured that I will give this issue my close attention. Again, thank you for your correspondence. If you have further questions or comments, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Sincerely,
Christopher S. Bond
United States Senator

CSB:jdm

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WHAT THE HELL IS THIS?!?!

Have I really waited over a month to have the Senior Senator from the great state of Missouri - a man who was first elected to the Senate since 1986 - tell me that after nearly 20 years in Washington, he is so stupid and uninformed that he is only NOW going to have his staff (not himself, mind you) analyze tax legislation? In almost 20 years in the Senate, he has never thought about or formulated a position on the Estate Tax?

I hoped, but was not optimistic, that Bond would respond with a substantive position. I knew that he would probably be in favor of a tax break for dead millionaires, since he's a spoiled rich kid who has always sucked off the tit of family money instead of making a living for himself, but I thought I would at least get a reasonable response.

This colossal failure of Kit Bond (exceeded only by Jim Talent's utter no-show on the issue) is also an embarrassing demonstration of Republican incompetence. Any political neophyte knows that job one is keeping the people at home happy. Every small town city councilman knows that you don't ignore correspondence from constituents. Only the most bloated, disconnected and arrogant of legislators would let a constituent wait more than a month for a response like this.

This makes me very optimistic. The republicans aren't doing even the basic things right. Jim Talent's operation is in such utter disarray that they haven't even dashed off a say-nothing response like Bond sent me. The republicans have been in office too long, and they have forgotten the fundamentals of how to serve. They're going down, starting with the mid-term elections in 2006. Say hello to Senator McCaskill.