My eLetter To Congressman Jim Gerlach

February 21, 2008
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To The Honorable Jim Gerlach
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Hello Congressman Gerlach:
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I want to start out by saying thank you for your time.
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I am writing to you to ask a question concerning a bill that passed a House and Senate vote to go on to be passed. The bill is Global Poverty Act S. 2433 sponsored by Senator Obama.
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I am troubled by the extremely swift passage of this bill without, I believe, having adequate discussion prior to it being passed.
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I am not a fan of this bill that I read about, and the idea of Americans being forced to pay a global tax which would send massive funding into the United Nations.
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Believe me when I say that I do believe in helping the poor. I believe in the good stewardship and generosity of the American people who have shown from the founding of our Nation what they can do in the aiding of the community and also abroad. I believe it should be a spirit filled and motivated decision - not in a forced one which would only bring about a harmful cynicism.
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My question is to ask you about your opinion of this bill, if you did indeed support this bill, and why you would support it.
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Since I do not, I also have to ask if there is any recourse in arguing against the forced global tax that would only benefit the United Nations in reality - and in the interpretations of the nations in the world, if any received any of this money, of how they would interpret who would be in reality in need.
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Many people I know - including myself - are struggling in paying extremely high heating costs, gas prices at the gas pump, being burdened to high credit card debt and so on, and to now have to start to pay a global tax as well to fund endeavors elsewhere other than in the U.S.A is just unreasonable. The money proposed by this bill in a short time could mostly rebuild New Orleans I believe.
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(My mom has quite a bit to say about this, and gets highly upset. My dad is a vet who served in Korea, and received a Purple Heart.)
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You have always been gracious in answering my questions to you in the past in a timely and thoughtful way. I want to thank you for that.
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I was so troubled by this bill when I found out about it yesterday that I could not sleep. I didn't find out soon enough to argue against it I am sorry to say.
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I appreciate your time, and I look forward to your response.
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Many blessings of peace to you,
Assuredly in faith,
Mrs. Rev. Marguerite Earhart
Spring City, PA 19475