Contacting my representative... again.

As you might remember, I wrote my congressman back at the end of September about the "In God We Trust Issue." I never heard back from him and the bill eventually became law anyway because it was tucked into an omnibus bill at the end of the calendar year.

I figured I would try again with the National Parks Quarter Dollar Program. At first I didn't feel compelled to write but with the discovery in the latest issue of Coin World that the bill was gaining traction, I felt that I needed to write. The pessimist in me figures that it won't do any good and more than likely we'll end up with 11 or 22 more years of poorly designed quarters (there are some good statehood quarters but most are trashy montages of images of the state).

Here is what I wrote:
Hello [Representative],

Just to be forthright I wanted to say first that this letter concerns the action of H.R 6184. I wrote to you almost a year ago (I believe it was on September 27, 2007) about H.R. 2510 which eventually became law under the omnibus bill passed at the end of December. This time I would like to write to you about another numismatic issue.

Not long ago I read an article in the June 23, 2008 Coin World (www.coinworld.com), which is a weekly numismatic publication, about Representative Michael Castle’s proposed National Parks Quarter Dollars Program. I would like to bring to your attention that the numismatic community, for the most part, is not in favor of this program. Reading the editorial pages of the publication for any week after June 23 will show this to be true. Most people, while having enjoyed the State Quarter Dollars, are ready for stability. The Territorial Quarter Dollars will run through 2009 but afterwards I think it would be wise to return to a design that is not changing every 10 weeks. This is especially true when that could happen for at least another 11 years if not 22 if the program is continued for a second go around. That would mean upwards of 33 years of constantly changing quarter designs. This is nonsensical and completely over-the-top. Real leadership in coinage issues is needed, not more ridiculous coin programs. People want artistic designs that don’t change constantly. Is a novelty program that was unique still a novelty if it exists in some form for 22 (or 33) years?

I implore you to act to prevent this bill from becoming law. I know I am not alone in feeling this way. Numismatists and the general public are being treated further as fund raisers for the government. This is an excessive program that dilutes the artistry of coins.

If I have in any way been unclear or you have any questions, please feel free to contact me.

Sincerely,
[Myself]

If you agree with me, I would ask that you write your representative as soon as you can. If Congress acted because a few people were bent out of shape about the In God We Trust issue then we should be able to stop this!