Health Care and Drinking Injuries

I've been gone for the past couple of days and consequently I have missed two days of work. I'm back and ready to roll.

The American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) apparently has an automated call (often referred to as a 'robo-call') targeting our constituents that will automatically connects them to our office as soon as they press a button that confirms they want to speak to us.

As a result, all day there was a steady (and heavy) stream of AARP members calling the office with a vague idea about the current Health Care legislation and expressing their opinions for or against the Bill. It is important for constituents to be active, but at the same time it is important and would help their case if they are knowledgeable and able to clearly communicate their position about the legislation rather than just make vague points and general opinions about themselves or the bill. It makes it harder for us to help them and so that we can provide them with helpful and accurate information.

I also attended a seminar for the mostly young people who are staffers on the Hill, concerning drinking and driving today. The speaker has had long term consequences from his own actions involving alcohol and driving, including restricted mobility and decreased mental ability (affecting his speech and memory). As a result of his experience, he, along with his family, have since then become advocates to youth about the consequences of how making a misjudgement of drinking and driving a single time, and how it can dramatically affect not just the individual but their entire family. It was a powerful presentation and one that was effective in getting its message across.

It's great that this internship has had so many different dimensions and to allow for this type of information to reach its target audience so well.