Thursday, December 18, 2008

Some Christmas Cheer in a Card

I received some friendly mail in the past week from Loretta Sanchez, member of the U.S. House of Representatives, our "Congressperson." Although I usually am averse to "politically correct" trends in language, the gender-neutral applications are just very functional and without a sex-oriented bias, so no "Congresswoman" used here (by me).

But if you did get Congressperson Sanchez' seasonal greeting card (the kind that used to be called a "Christmas" card), you'll notice that she leans heavily on the gender aspect in the image that includes her cat and a motorcycle that I don't believe is hers. Some people may think it's suggestive, and thus, inappropriate, but really, it's suggestive of what? "Vote for me" would be the suggestion I think the Congressperson intended. But the card is nice and her greeting card from a year or two past was along the lines of this one, maybe getting more noticed.

You have to give her credit as not many in Congress could do quite the same card with any favorable effect. Do not confuse Loretta with her sister, Linda Sanchez, also a Congressperson.

Linda is expecting a baby in a few months and is single as of this date. I don't know if she's got a card out, too, but I'm not looking for it. Linda is, well, not the best role model for young people at all in that regard, but that's another story.

To end this observation of public servants and their communications with constituents, I just want to say I don't think the same card layout would look nearly as well had it come from my CM Jose Huizar, or CD-1's Ed Reyes. Bah, humbug to them both.

To Loretta's credit, there is small disclaimer on the back that tells us that the card was not done at taxpayer expense but, instead, paid for by a supportive fund of some sort. A truly nice card.