Nutshell

These are short stories about experiences in my life.

Al Gore's Town Meetings (when I was in high school)

• I am from Nashville, Tennessee, and I met Al Gore I was 16.  He was my Congressional representative, and I used to attend all of his town meetings.  I was very vocal in my distress about the 55 MPH speed limit (which was subsequently changed) and about proposals to raise the drinking age to 21 (which, fortunately or unfortunately, came to pass).  Most people (in Tennessee, anyway) that go to town meetings with Congressional representatives are retired and are anxious to protect Social Security.  Here was a typical town meeting transcript:
   
  Al Gore:    Any questions?
   
  Retired Person #1: Are you going to cut Social Security?
   
  Al Gore:  No, we are not going to lower your Social Security income. 
   
  Retired Person #2:  I heard that Congress is going to cut Social Security.  Is that true?
   
  Al Gore:    Well, as I just explained, ...
   
  Retired Person #3:  Will my Social Security check be cut this year?
   
  Al Gore:   Perhaps you made have heard my earlier explanation...
   
  Todd:  The 55 MPH speed limit is ridiculous, especially in some of the more rural areas of the state.  The freeways were built to accommodate a speed limit of 75 MPH, and the gas crisis no longer looms over our country.  When are you going to introduce legislation to restore speed limits to reasonable levels?
   
  Al Gore:  Well, that is a good question!  <Some additional reasonable text about the speed limit, fuel efficiency, and safety.>
   
  Retired Person #4:  ...Social Security cuts?
   
  Al Gore:    As I may have touched on previously...
   
  Retired Person #5-17:  ...Social Security...  
   
  Todd:  I am enraged that Congress is considering an increase in the drinking age to 21.  Prohibition failed in our country many years ago, and this harkens back to that failed policy.  Also, isn't it unfair that at 18 I can give my life for my country in the armed forces but I can't enjoy a beer with my father or my fellow soldiers?
   
  Al Gore:  <Some reasonable response indicating that the drinking age will be changed, anyway.>
   
  Retired Person #18-263:  ...Social Security...
   
   
  After the town meetings, I would talk with Al Gore.  Maybe he liked to leave the building while talking to me, so as to avoid any further questions about Social Security.  Once I asked him to come speak at my high school graduation, and he actually did.  When he was still in Congress, he was very nice about sending me congratulatory letters when I received awards, etc.  In person, he is a very nice, sincere, and intelligent person.