What can YOU do about the economy?

I don't think I've ever actually written to my elected representatives before now, but after reading Dave Ramsey's column on the current bailout proposal, I wrote the letter below and sent it to my US Representative, both US Senators for Kentucky, as well as to the members of the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs. Feel free to borrow from this letter if you would like to contact your elected officials as well. The entire process (even including posting this blog) has taken me about 30 minutes. It could take you even less if you borrow my letter! :-)

You can read Dave's column here: http://www.daveramsey.com/etc/newsletters/company/092608.cfm?ectid=cnl0809_06

He includes links at the bottom of the article with contact info for who to write.

Here's my letter:

Dear Congressman Whitfield,

I happily voted for you last election. I am a conservative committed to fiscal responsibility in my personal life and expect my government to be equally accountable with my money.
I implore you not to vote for the bailout of Wall Street companies that made stupid decisions and are now endangering our economy. I understand that something needs to happen, but we the people don't need to be in the mortgage business! Here's what our elected officials should do:

1. Swiftly vote to change the "mark to market" accounting rule at least for these subprime loans so that these companies don't have to mark these loans down to junk status. My understanding is that this is the primary reason the credit markets are frozen up. I understand that this is one of the options on the table, but that it isn't being reported in the media. Please advocate for this position.

2. Extend the current FHA insurance program to guarantee these mortgages to make them more marketable. I don't like guaranteeing these poorly-issued mortgages with my tax money, but it's certainly better than owning them, and should be much cheaper than the $700 Billion plan as proposed.

If you vote to spend $700 BILLION of OUR money on this plan to add all of this BAD debt to our already staggering national debt, I will vote to send you home at my next opportunity, and will commit my financial resources to help elect someone who will better represent our interests.
Thank you for your time. Please do not disappoint us.

Sincerely,

Jonathan Durr