Sen. Cassidy Responds
With Identical Form Letter
Breaking the temporary illusion of my “correspondence” with Louisiana’s senior U.S. Senator, Dr. Bill Cassidy, his office today resent (in reply to my follow-up inquiries and entreaties about the escalating lawlessness of Elon Musk and the Trump Administration) the very same letter I received earlier this month to my first outreach.
It’s embarrassing to admit my disappointment in this.
But actually it’s worse, because: Yesterday, I shook the Senator’s hand during a chance meeting in my downtown office building.
After catching his eye in passing, I introduced myself (again) and mentioned our recent exchanges through his website.
He blinked, evidently drawing a blank. But then he smiled. “Ah. I hope my office has been responsive to your questions,” he said.
“Yes, thank you,” I agreed, only then realizing the obvious—my senator doesn’t read or reply personally to every unsolicited email. He doesn’t remember everyone he’s ever met.
Our business concluded, I let the man continue to the restroom without further interruption.
Somehow, this banal story strikes me as emblematic.
We are passing each other without meaningful contact, one half of the country uncoupled from the other and sliding away like an ice shelf.
Senator Cassidy’s platform is moving too fast in the opposite direction for us to hold a conversation, assuming his side wants one; which seems less likely by the day.
Soon, we may be left behind, exposed on bare rock as the other half of America’s body politic sails off to parts unknown. Perhaps to Greenland, or to Gaza.
It’s unclear what will become of us, either side, especially considering we still stand, in fact, on the same patch of ground, unable to simply shake hands and stroll away, as if this business were concluded.