By Lynn Kellogg
Before retirement, one of my roles at Region IV Area Agency on Aging was non-partisan political advocacy. Serving people 18 and over, the agency develops products, businesses and services to assure people from all walks of life have the support and choices they need to maintain as independent a lifestyle as possible throughout life. Part of that equation includes letting elected officials know how policy and law affect people’s ability to live independently. Encouraging dialogue between elected officials and constituents and recommending or demonstrating how modifications over time can keep major programs efficient and on target was routine.
Southwest Michigan, and Region IV Area Agency on Aging in particular, is a state and national leader in creating Medicaid efficiencies to allow dollars to stretch to provide home support at a fraction of the cost of nursing home care.
As a political advocate, I became and remain an avowed independent, finding amazing champions on both sides of the aisle. Champions are truly interested in an issue, join the dialogue, consider other’s thoughts and help drive compromise and consensus. Our elected delegations have come to legislative forums for meaningful dialogue and political strategizing. I am grateful for their involvement.
Demonizing of parties is unproductive and bending law to muscle through a perspective only makes fights. Both parties want waste eliminated, efficiency maximized and budgets to stay on target. It’s hard.
The only time in the past 50 years the budget was balanced was during the Clinton administration. A five-year plan was laid out for Congress to consider that lowered interest rates to spur business, invested in health and education for the masses and opened foreign markets to American products.
It was controversial on both sides. Both had to compromise on key ideas, but they got it done. There were no lawsuits, no breaking of rules or constitutional law. In 2000, the federal budget surplus peaked at $236 billion.
Today, we’re seeing high deficits and a breakneck pace of cuts with questionable authority or lawful process. There’s no deliberation nor time for consideration of priorities or understanding of existing efficiencies in place.
It’s Congress who sets direction on programs, policy and budget. In this environment, congressional expertise is not even considered.
The pace of cuts and controversy also makes it near impossible for lawmakers to discern the impact, wisdom or folly of direction. There’s no time to understand the feelings of their community and inevitable side effects of action on their constituency or the country.
This is where your help is needed.
Over my years, state and federal elected officials have taken their call to service and responsibility seriously and want to do well by their constituents, state and country. I was shocked to hear a member of Congress dismiss the Constitution as old and therefore unimportant in compliance. This is not the norm. We still are a country and government “of the people.”
As you come to understand the cuts and directions in play, or know of people impacted, share your thoughts, positive and negative, with your representative and senator. They need your input and perspective, now more than ever.
Not sure how to contact them? All names, addresses, email addresses and phone numbers can be found at areaagencyonaging.org. Click on Get Involved, then Advocacy. Scroll down and you’ll see the list of all state and federal representatives and senators serving Southwest Michigan.
It’s easy to be overwhelmed, but this is not a time to be silent.
Lynn Kellogg is former CEO of Region IV Area Agency on Aging in Southwest Michigan. Questions on age or independence services? Call the Info-Line for Aging & Disability at 800-654-2810 or visit areaagencyonaging.org. The Generations column appears each weekend in The Herald-Palladium.