August 2005

President Bush Visits Caterpillar - eBay Listing

President Bush visited my place of employment in August of 2005, and I decided to post this listing on eBay shortly thereafter. Even though I had been pouring myself into this project for several months, very few people had actually been willing to take a close look at my ideas. I was feeling extremely frustrated (not to mention totally exhausted), and though definitely not one of my better ideas, this listing was the result.

I am selling a genuine piece of American history. This is your chance to own something that belonged to (or should have belonged to) the President of the United States of America.

The Story

My name is Adam Florzak, and I am 23 years old. While I admire the courage and dedication to duty shown by our men and women in uniform, I am filled with uncertainties about this war. If I am less of a man because of these doubts, so be it. I simply feel called to serve my country in a different way.

About nine months ago, I decided to apply my best efforts towards the creation of a practical solution for Social Security reform. At the time, I had no idea how much sacrifice would be involved, but a moment of inspiration soon became a matter of duty.

During the 2005 State of the Union Address, President Bush said, "I will work with members of Congress to find the most effective combination of reforms. I will listen to anyone who has a good idea to offer."

He did not say that he would listen to anyone with a graduate degree in economics. He did not say that he would listen to anyone with political connections. The President said that he would listen to anyone - anyone with a good idea to offer.

Imagine my surprise when I heard that the President of the United States of America would be visiting my place of employment to sign the new federal transportation bill. Even though I am only a welder on the night shift, I was convinced that this was my chance for greatness. I had spent thousands of dollars and countless hours working on my proposal, and now the President would finally be in a position to listen to my ideas.

If life were like the movies, the President would have delivered a speech that was so awe inspiring it would have received a standing ovation. When the applause had finally died down and people had taken their seats, I would be left standing by the courage of my convictions.

I would raise my plan above my head and say, "Hey, Mr. President! I solved the Social Security problem for you. We need to refinance the national debt, and I've got just the plan to do it!"

Unfortunately, real life never seems to work out that way, and in reality, I couldn't even get a ticket to the event. Management had all interested union employees sign a list to receive tickets, but at the last minute they told us that there were not enough tickets to go around. While the company was hosting the event, tickets were being handled by Congressman Hastert’s office, and the Congressman had only supplied enough tickets for the day shift employees to attend.

I immediately called Congressman Hastert's office to request a ticket, but my request was denied. It seems that the extra tickets had already been given out to local campaign contributors and party supporters. I then called the offices of four other area Congressmen, but none of them had any extra tickets. I even called my state representative, but he was not able to help me either.

On Wednesday, August 10, 2005, the President arrived by a Marine helicopter amidst a flurry of Secret Service agents. The ceremony began early, and his speech was finished before it was even scheduled to begin.

The President's visit could best be described as a whirlwind, and my plan and I were left standing in the dust. President Bush is not exactly known for his oratorical skills, so it did not bother me that I missed his speech. Furthermore, I would not have made a scene like the one I described above, because I am far too shy for such an outburst. I had simply hoped to be lucky enough to shake the President's hand and possibly give him a copy of my report. Better yet, there were several key members of the House Committee on Ways and Means in attendance, and I would have liked the chance to briefly speak with one of them.

Of all the places in the world that the President could have visited, he chose my place of employment, but I was not even allowed to attend the event. I was crushed. I felt like I had missed my one opportunity.

In my frustration and disappointment, I decided to sell the President's copy of my report on eBay, because I could no longer bear to look at it. I quickly typed up a listing, and within minutes, my story was out there for the whole world to see.

The President had spent tens of millions of dollars trying to "sell" his plan for Social Security reform, but thanks to eBay, it would only cost me a few dollars to sell mine. However, several days passed, and my report still had not received a single bid. I had put everything I had into this project, but it was now apparent that others placed absolutely no value on my efforts. It seemed like the auction was only serving to kick me while I was down, so I cancelled it.

I felt like giving up.

I have tried to contact many of our elected representatives, but they will not listen. Believe it or not, I even faxed my proposal to every member of Congress. Politicians often say that they are concerned for “our children and grandchildren” when discussing the future of Social Security, yet the same people who claim to be acting on my behalf will not even take the time to listen to my concerns. In my opinion, politicians are little more than suits and ties, handshakes and smiles. If I have given up, I have given up on our elected officials.

I must now present my case before the American people, because I refuse to give up.

I refuse to give up.

The Auction

I am not selling my copyright or any other publication rights. The purchase price of this auction will simply buy an autographed copy of my report. The winning bidder may choose either a professionally printed version with several color pages, or one of the original black and white laser printed copies.

On the cover page, I will write the inscription, “Never tire of doing what is right, Always strive to fight the good fight.” Finally, I will sign it and label it as a “First Edition - President's Copy.”

I will use the proceeds from this auction to finance my efforts as I continue to fight for practical Social Security reform. The PACT America proposal will benefit all Americans, and I intend to see this project through to completion. Your bid will make a difference, and this auction is your chance to be a part of history.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

Adam Florzak

For more information, please visit:
http://www.pactamerica.com.

One final thought. Many people that I have talked with seem to think that it would be impossible for a person my age, a person who lacked formal training in the subject matter, to engineer a plan for Social Security reform. It is implausible but not impossible. These people simply underestimate the determination of the American spirit.

When he was only 25 years old, James Madison helped draft a document that would later serve as the basis for the United States Constitution.