To The Editor:

The word Obstructionism by the dictionary’s definitions desire to hinder or block.

In the U.S. House of Representatives obstructionism is the very essence of the 2010 game plan for the party not in power.

The second part of that plan is to state untruths as fact, over and over, over and over, again, hoping if stated often enough, the untruths will somehow convert to truths.

Let us visit our Florida House legislators. A powerful committee votes not to privatize the last state-run mental health facility. Speaker Cretul orders the committee to reverse its decision (committee chair resigns). Do we have democracy or dictatorship?

Our local representative in District 73 sill not allow the ERA (Equal Rights Amendment to go to the members of the House for an up or down vote.

Florida senators approve this ERA amendment for passage. Some 36 states have passed this already. So why is this issue being obstructed?

Last on this list is Lee county’s commissioners who would not alow single-member district voting on the 2008 ballot, even though recommended by the Lee County Charter Review Commission.

If county commissioners were accountable to their own district’s voters, perhaps there would be fewer areas of Lee county that are ignored and neglected. Look forward to 2010.

We as citizens and especially we as women, must be more vocal to our elected officials at all three levels. If we are quiet, more legislators will continue with an agenda that is controlled by money, lobbyists and party goals. Please take part, so that our government “Of, By and For the people,” will prevail over systemic political corruption.

Joan Patterson

Lehigh Acres