Ruth Schmitt gets well-deserved recognition at Creative Loafing’s Fresh Loaf blog. Profile: Ruth Schmitt, war protester briefly explains her background and her participation in six and a half years of anti-war protest at Colony Square. She’s a friend and fellow parishioner at North Decatur Presbyterian Church. Go, Ruth!
Thanks to CL for the pic.
Sent today to the congressman via his web site.
Dear Representative Price,
I am a constituent of yours, a registered independent, and like others in your district I worry about too much control in the hands of Democrats. Today though I’m writing because of my disappointment after watching a video of your $30 million for mice moment this morning on the House floor. 
Is this the best you can do? To me it indicates that maybe, at least for now, the Democrats are the lesser of two evils. I have already called your office to complain, and this email is a followup.
After eight years of Republican policy holding sway, President Obama at least appears to be working hard and sincerely to get us out of this situation. What does my congressman do? You join the remaining Republicans and look like an obstructionist tool to everyone but the remaining narrow far-right base. You’re not a tool, so please stop talking and voting like one! This is why so many Republicans lost in the last election! Though this is a very Republican state, and your district historically Republican, in these times that’s no longer a lock. Republican anti-government rhetoric has had its day. Do you want to be part of the future or cling to a failed past?
The stimulus bill is deeply flawed – on that point you and I agree. You could to have made it better if you had constructively engaged with the Democrats. Instead you have gone along with adapting self-destructive public relations plays from Newt’s mid-1990s playbook, and it shows. For your tactics to “succeed,” to make President Obama and the Democrats appear to “fail,” you have to keep the economy from recovering— which means much more suffering for your constituents! It’s bad policy and it’s bad politics, and it helps no one but the narrowest party interests.
Oof. I just saw that the bill passed the House with no GOP votes. You and the Republican party line are just wrong about this. It’s bad for the country, and it’s bad for your party, and it’s bad for your district. Please reconsider, and tell your colleagues the same.
Thank you for reading.
Tim Merritt
Update: Backstory on the mouse uproar from the Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s Political Insider blog: Tom Price and the $30 million mouse.
An interesting commute on the train this morning. Well down the platform from where I came up, a guy was yelling and cursing at someone I couldn’t see. He stopped after I think less than a minute. I felt a little anxious and hoped it wouldn’t be a fight, but nothing came of it. I hoped he was just having a bad morning, but I also thought that he must have some real issues elsewhere in his life to make such a scene in a place like this. I’ve ridden the train almost every working day for ten years, and can count incidents like this on one hand. The guy, apparently calm now, eased toward my end of the platform and ended up on the same car I did, standing near a door though there were empty seats, reading a newspaper. I lost track of him as I read some news on my laptop. 
As the ride progressed, In the seats ahead of me two people realized they’d been neighbors for years, knew people in common, and had a small old-home week. It was great hearing them make friends, sharing stories and laughing. It was nice to be near.
I thought about how lost tempers are probably more likely on driving commutes, and chances to get to know a neighbor and have a good time are pretty rare. I really like riding the train.