Scanlon for Colorado

Tag: Congress

  • #TBT – That Time I Worked In Congress

    #TBT – That Time I Worked In Congress


    In 1990, in the summer after I graduated from Virginia Tech (Go Hokies!), I landed an unpaid internship with the office of Congressman Jim Jontz (D-IN). After about three months, I got a temporary three month contract job doing data entry, which was actually worse except I was finally making money – $5 an hour.


    My staff ID is pictured above. The blacked out part? That’s where they used to put your Social Security Number.


    The internship was cool in that I got to run around the place a little. I never actually made it “under the dome” of the Capitol, but I got sent over there one day for some carrier pigeon reason and the energy and intensity at the Capitol was something. Mostly I opened mail, answered the phones, washed their dishes. You know, working stiff, bottom of the rung stuff.


    Then I got promoted! They sat me down at this green screen computer terminal that was cabled into some massive mainframe down in the basement. They had a database of citizens in Indiana’s 5th CD on this mainframe.


    I was handed a pile of mail sent back because the address was wrong – the voter had moved. I was instructed to update the database with this clunky software interface. And it was pointed out to me that since I was now being paid, I pretty much was expected to just sit in this chair at the terminal all day.


    And how much that sucked I can not fully explain in words, just imagine 8 hours a day at a crappy, slow computer.


    When the three month contract was up, they offered me the “opportunity” to go back to unpaid intern. I told them I was looking to take my career in the other direction and politely declined.


    When I did the math after it was all said and done, I broke even between the cost of bus fare, subway fare and lunches in the city.


    I was largely turned off by what I saw from Congressional staff and Congress in general. There was way too much emphasis on money. Good looks seemed to be far more important than a rational person might prefer in their legislative making process.


    If I ever have the privilege of working in the legislative process, I promise to disregard money and good looks. I promise to focus on what’s best for the greatest number of working people and working families.

  • On The Turning Away

    On The Turning Away


    In the 1980’s, Pink Floyd had a famous court battle where David Gilmour and other surviving members of Pink Floyd wanted to continue on with the band even if Roger Waters, the original lead singer, sought to end the Pink Floyd project once and for all. Waters lost, and the band released a moderately OK album in 1987.

    If you’ve heard anything from Pink Floyd’s A Momentary Lapse of Reason, it was likely Learning To Fly. Also on the album was a song titled On The Turning Away. It was a stinging rebuke of the conservative policies of the Reagan Administration and the Conservative government led by Margaret Thatcher back in their home of Great Britain.

    I’ve been singing On The Turning Away a lot lately knowing that many of my neighbors here in Commerce City are getting thrown off food support and are now struggling more than ever to stay housed and fed at the same time. This government hatred has furthered my resolve and fueled my campaign to fight for working class people and working family issues every day.


    “Don’t accept that what’s happening is just a case of others suffering or you’ll find that you’re joining in the turning away.”


    I refuse to advocate for food banks right now. I am encouraging everyone to call Congress and demand they put the federal government back together like it was. This is ridiculous. Enough is enough. Stop bailing out nations like Argentina and stop invading states that didn’t vote for Dear Leader and put the federal government back together again!


    Pink Floyd’s On The Turning Away

    [Verse 1]
    On the turning away
    From the pale and downtrodden
    And the words they say
    Which we won’t understand
    “Don’t accept that what’s happening
    Is just a case of others’ suffering
    Or you’ll find that you’re joining in
    The turning away”


    [Verse 2]
    It’s a sin that somehow
    Light is changing to shadow
    And casting its shroud
    Over all, we have known
    Unaware how the ranks have grown
    Driven on by a heart of stone
    We could find that we’re all alone
    In the dream of the proud


    [Verse 3]
    On the wings of the night
    As the daytime is stirring
    Where the speechless unite
    In a silent accord
    Using words you will find are strange
    Mesmerized as they light the flame
    Feel the new wind of change
    On the wings of the night

  • Demand Congress Do Their Job

    Demand Congress Do Their Job

    There’s a popular meme going around, and it’s very well intentioned.

    First, a little background.

    Right now, as I type this on Election Day 2025, the Republicans are holding the federal government hostage. They have shutdown the government, the longest shutdown in history. They are seeking to eliminate any program or entire agency they don’t like. They are, in essence, burning down our federal government.

    One of their many targets is the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP. This program provides food assistance to our neediest neighbors.

    The popular meme going around is that we can’t let our neighbors starve (I agree) and we can’t count on Republicans (often left implied or unspoken, but accurate, and I agree) and therefore we must all pitch in to feed the neediest in our midst.

    I disagree.

    I believe the Congress must do their job.

    I’m not asking for any new programs, although this would be very reasonable given the economic downturn the Trump Administration has wrought with their Tariff Taxes and other attacks on our economy, like sabotaging our best universities.

    All we’re asking is that Congress do their job. Finance the government. Reclaim your constitutional responsibility. Make the spending decisions. Rebuke a President with authoritarian tendencies.

    Fund the government. Feed our people. This isn’t the responsibility of average citizens. And a few unwanted cans of lima beans aren’t gonna fix this problem anyway.

    Call Congressman Gabe Evans and tell him to do his job!

    10701 Melody Drive

    Suite 500

    Northglenn , Colorado 80234

    United States

    Phone:

    (303) 723-6560

    Don’t let them burn down the federal government, and certainly don’t scramble around to cover for their inept and heartless approach to governing. Demand Congress get to work!

  • The Big News From Gabe Evans Office!

    Here in Commerce City, we’re currently represented at the U.S. House of Representatives by a fellow named Gabe Evans.
    Gabe has completely kowtowed to the Trump Administration’s unconstitutional actions. He and his fellow Republicans have ceded all the power and control Congress is enshrined with, the first and most important instance being “the power of the purse.” Our Founding Fathers put Congress first in the Constitution, in Article 1, for a reason. They didn’t want a King. They didn’t want a dictator. They wanted a system of checks and balances.

    Gabe Evans likeness courtesy of Claude’s free AI version

    In reality, the federal government currently has no checks on President Trump, and there is no balance in D.C., which is under military occupation. Rights are being stripped from people, some of whom disappear off the street. Poor people are seeing their safety net removed. Science research has been severely, and likely permanently, disrupted. The climate crisis is ignored completely, as if that will fix the problem.
    Well, good news! In his August 25th newsletter, our Congressman Gabe Evans assures us he’s been “fight[ing] for Colorandans.” Here’s the run down:
    Top Story: He “Attended the Colorado Chamber Congressional Luncheon”
    Seriously. The biggest, most impactful thing our Congressman did for us last month was share a lunch with Democrats and other business leaders.
    I guess it’s a start. Maybe he’s just warming up the newsletter. What’s Top Story #2?
    2 “Held a Roundtable with the U.S. and Thornton Area Chamber of Commerce”
    OK, more talking, and perhaps some listening. Better than nothing. 3?
    3 “Listening to Local Leaders”
    Now this one is interesting, because there’s a picture accompanying it, but there’s no date, name of the group that called the meeting, or a location of the meeting. Still, it was “great.”
    “It was great to hear from local leaders and share an update on the One Big Beautiful Bill, which increases funding for border security and public safety, reduces waste and fraud in Medicaid while increasing funding over 10 years, and enables businesses to grow and make investments in our community.
    “It’s always an honor to hear from boots on the ground fighters in Colorado. I’m so thankful we can work together to find more ways to stand up for CO-08 in Congress.”
    So, lots of listening.
    Other accomplishments of late include “Connecting with Colorado Drivers” and “Supporting CO-08 Veteran Run Businesses”.
    Is underwhelming too soft?
    The only positive thing in this newsletter is his survey, click here if you want to share your opinion with his office.
    I don’t know about you, but a Congressman citing “listening” as all his top accomplishments, its a little bit like a grocery store clerk bragging about showing up to work. Great. And?
    Click here for the archive of newsletters from Evans’s office, currently only updated through March 2025.
    To see the entirety of the lame email I dissected above, email me at michael@scanlonforcolorado.com and I’ll FWD it to you.