My New Job

[JonInDenver]

I have made a new commitment.

 

if i need to, i will take a leave of absence, or even quit my job. My soul purpose from this point forward, will be to badger every branch of the government who will listen, until my wife is by my side.

 

today i have made inroads at DOS. i have gained information from a lofty level - and they have flat told me that most of the information i (we) have been fed thus far (from the visa specialists and the embassy) is bogus.

 

i don't care what my phone bill looks like at the end of the month. i won't bother to e-mail or send letters. from now on shit rolls up hill, if i don't get the answer i need, i will go to the next level above.

 

i will use my case, and the case of a friend as "samples" to prove that we have been lost in the system, jerked around, and fed BS.

 

while it is my primary crusade to bring MY fiance to denver, my case, by example will show DOS the problem we are all facing. the ultimate campaign will be to eliminate the very reason this website exists. we should not have to band together in solidarity, this problem should be SOLVED and RESOLVED for all of us.

[Guest David]

Jon, 2 things.

 

1) If this badgering the government thing works for you, you might have a new career: lobbying!

 

 

2) For the love of God... PLEASE POST WHAT THE DOS BIGWIGS TOLD YOU IN A SEPARATE POST!

 

 

Thanks for your hard work and dedication. I'm a lightweight at badgering, and usually give up after a couple of phonecalls... also I have a girly phone voice, so no one listens to me.

 

 

 

--David

[JoeLiyan]

Jon, 2 things.

 

1)  If this badgering the government thing works for you, you might have a new career: lobbying!

 

 

2)  For the love of God... PLEASE POST WHAT THE DOS BIGWIGS TOLD YOU IN A SEPARATE POST!

 

 

Thanks for your hard work and dedication.  I'm a lightweight at badgering, and usually give up after a couple of phonecalls... also I have a girly phone voice, so no one listens to me.

 

 

 

--David

Ditto (on letting us know what's bogus, what's status, what's this, that);

 

No, I don't have a "girly" voice (no offense dude) - in fact, more than one girls' [my fiance LOVED it, LOL] told me I have a nice phone voice...yeah yeah, between us guys here,

 

I've done puchasing so phone work is my suite, but I've got no time to keep up with it - Congratulations on your new career guy. Keep us informed if we can help also

[skibum]

Jon,

 

Don't bother with our Senators. Wayne is happy that the checks keep coming from the Drug companies so he can keep our Drug prices high. Ben is happy riding his motorcycle around the land of his ancestors in the 4 Corners area. Congressmen only like easy things like "Don't worry madam, I will find out what happened to your SS check" and "Thank you for the donation, will 5000 board feet be enough? With the size of this check, I am sure we can get your company 10,000bf."

 

Today I got a reply from a letter I wrote Ben on Oct 1st asking why he wrote a special bill so an illegal alien family could stay here so I could pay for their kid's college education. His reply did not address that at all but only hammered the INS. Duh.

 

However, if you do need a good question when writing, ask how Yao Ming, his family and Chinese dissident Xu Wenli were all able to jump ahead of our fiancees in the name check process. Also suggest that you include a copy of the 9/11 statement so they don't just reply with that. And whatever happened to Yukun Jia the Chinese girl that lied on her visa application and is now living with her illegal alien father in the Boston area.

 

I would much rather be back in China where I am treated as good as illegals are here - like royality. Our govt does not care about US citizens.

[owenkrout]

The reason that the government doesn't care about its own citizens is that people have become complacent. Most people never even vote anymore. A democracy only really works with an educated electorate and with an involved electorate.

 

Much of the concern with free public education in America was because it was understood that in order to make our system work, we had to have a better educated average citizen. Now we seem to be content with graduating high school seniors that can't read or write or at least cannot do so well enough to be truly informed citizens. At least the people who are involved in this group are better educated than the average as is evidenced in everyones ability to communicate and to inform themselves.

 

The other, even worse, factor is that people are not involved in their own government anymore. After living here for awhile, I can see that the American system of government is much more like it is here than we would ever want to admit. What really matters nowdays is influence. Do you know the right person, does somebody owe you a favor or do you have enough cash.

 

Maybe we have all started to miss out on something that is a stereo-type around the world, but at the same time is true to a certain extent.

 

Christmas day we were talking over MSN Messenger with my family in America. My middle brother, who is the jokester of the family, was teasing my wife when my mother interfered and asked him why he always had to be a troublemaker? His reply was typical, but on a deeper level, there was a great degree of truth to it, "I'm an American. I have a right to be a troublemaker! No, I have an obligation to be a troublemaker!"

 

Folks, he is right. In our system, if there are not enough troublemakers, the rights and freedoms will go away. It is always too easy to just let somebody else take care of things for you. So don't feel bad about bugging these people to the point that they know you as soon as they hear your voice. It is an injustice and we have not only the right but almost the obligation to make ourselves heard.

 

Go get 'em Jon. America needs more people who will stand up for whats right.

[markimwaiting]

The reason that the government doesn't care about its own citizens is that people have become complacent.  Most people never even vote anymore.  A democracy only really works with an educated electorate and with an involved electorate. 

 

Much of the concern with free public education in America was because it was understood that in order to make our system work, we had to have a better educated average citizen.  Now we seem to be content with graduating high school seniors that can't read or write or at least cannot do so well enough to be truly informed citizens.  At least the people who are involved in this group are better educated than the average as is evidenced in everyones ability to communicate and to inform themselves.

 

The other, even worse, factor is that people are not involved in their own government anymore.  After living here for awhile, I can see that the American system of government is much more like it is here than we would ever want to admit.  What really matters nowdays is influence.  Do you know the right person, does somebody owe you a favor or do you have enough cash.

 

Maybe we have all started to miss out on something that is a stereo-type around the world, but at the same time is true to a certain extent. 

 

Christmas day we were talking over MSN Messenger with my family in America.  My middle brother, who is the jokester of the family, was teasing my wife when my mother interfered and asked him why he always had to be a troublemaker?  His reply was typical, but on a deeper level, there was a great degree of truth to it, "I'm an American.  I have a right to be a troublemaker!  No, I have an obligation to be a troublemaker!"

 

Folks, he is right.  In our system, if there are not enough troublemakers, the rights and freedoms will go away.  It is always too easy to just let somebody else take care of things for you.  So don't feel bad about bugging these people to the point that they know you as soon as they hear your voice.  It is an injustice and we have not only the right but almost the obligation to make ourselves heard.

 

Go get 'em Jon.  America needs more people who will stand up for whats right.

This is so true.

I will make as much noise as I can to try to resolve this situation.

[AngryTexan]

Owenkrout is so right. The fact that Yao Ming and other foreign pro basketball players can just walk in here like they own the place can be explained by one simple five letter word: M_O_N_E_Y.

As I have written here many times before, one of my Senators, Republican Kay Bailey Hutchison, has not even acknowledged receipt of any of the letters I have sent her requesting assistance. Nor has her INS/DOS troubleshooter ever bothered to return any of my phone calls. Yet, as reported in The New York Times, when Dallas Mavericks billionaire owner Mark Cuban asked her to assist him in getting visas for some European players who were encountering visa delays due to the - guess what boys and girls? - NAMECHECKS, they were in Dallas within a matter of days, just in time for the start of the NBA season.

[markimwaiting]

Owenkrout is so right.  The fact that Yao Ming and other foreign pro basketball players can just walk in here like they own the place can be explained by one simple five letter word:  M_O_N_E_Y.

As I have written here many times before, one of my Senators, Republican Kay Bailey Hutchison, has not even acknowledged receipt of any of the letters I have sent her requesting assistance.  Nor has her INS/DOS troubleshooter ever bothered to return any of my phone calls.  Yet, as reported in The New York Times, when Dallas Mavericks billionaire owner Mark Cuban asked her to assist him in getting visas for some European players who were encountering visa delays due to the - guess what boys and girls? - NAMECHECKS, they were in Dallas within a matter of days, just in time for the start of the NBA season.

Amazing!

Go figure

[Tine & Ella]

John

Thank you so much for the effort you are about to put forth. I am one that calls DOS every day or every other day and can not get anyone to give me any information, except to call back next week and check again. My question, is when is the last time a background check and been cleared by DOS. I have not seen anyone post that there back ground has been sent back to GZ in some time. The same is true if you can get a response from GZ it is the same B.S. story. Again thank you for your help.

 

Tine & Ella

Indianapolis & Shanghai

[bobmal99]

As we all know in this country it is very simple. It is not what you know, it is who you know!!!!

[bobmal99]

Well we all know someone. Some know more then others!!!

[JonInDenver]

i am both dismayed and thrilled with the comments that have been made since my original posting. thank you all for your support - but it sounds like some of you need MY support.

 

when i use the word "badger" i am not kidding. if i leave a message for someone and do not hear back from them by the end of the day, i call back. if they are still not available, then i ask for their supervisor. i am sure to give MY NAME every single time i call, to every receptionist and switchboard operator i run across. (or run over)

 

those receptionists talk around the watercooler! when they get tired of hearing from you, they will stop by someone's office on their break and ask "did you call that @sshole in denver? he's been bugging me for days!"

 

when they try to switch you to someone you KNOW can't answer your questions, tell them "no way! i want to talk to someone with answers! NOW!" never be afraid to ask, "well who does that person report to? can i talk to him then?" sh!t rolls up hill!

 

go after your senators and congress people like a rabid dog. never let up until they agree to help you. and tell them flat-out that getting the same form-letter e-mail that you got is unacceptable. they are SENATORS for christ's sake! they have to do better than that!

 

if they won't return your calls, show up at their office. be calm, be professional, but make no mistake that they will see you again if you don't get results. trust me, they DON'T want to see you again!

 

be sure to inform everyone you talk to that you will not rest, and neither will they (you won't let them). ensure they are well aware that this is going to last more than a few hours, more than a few days, and that you are prepared to go the distance. expressing your pit bull tenacity from the very beginning keeps them from giving you a bunch of placating BS - because BS only holds up for a day... when you call back tomorrow, they have to have a different story - or at least their boss better have one.

 

remember too. we are the fools who played by the rules. we didn't sneak our spouses across the boarder in the trunk of the car, or keep them here on an expired tourist visa. we did everything that was required of us, jumped through every hoop, paid all our fees... and we're getting sh!t on because of it. remind our government that we did our part.

 

i will be talking to my local ACLU this week. they usually take several weeks to decide if they will even look at a case, but it's worth getting started. as a staunch republican it goes against my grain to chat with hippie lawyers, but they have been successful at battling our government, and fighting for "the little guy". so we'll see what they have to say.

 

i guess what it comes down to - for me anyway... is she worth fighting for? man, just the trip to china was an adventure for each of us! meeting the family, explaining all this to our own families, completing piles of paperwork... damn it! i want her here!

 

lastly, please forgive my language - but this is what i'm reduced to for now. being nice has gotten me NO WHERE in this process, so as they say: "no more mr. nice guy."

[owenkrout]

Jon,

If I ever get elected as a Senator, (yea, right, and if pigs had wings they would fly), you have the best paying job I can justify. A pit bull attitude like you have is what a Senator's office should have. Instead, all I see is wimpy form letters and no indication that anybody really demands answers from the bureaucrats that are supposed to be working for the taxpayers.

I already have paid for a new work visa, thinking that we were going to be going to the US over the break. You've about got me inspired to make the trip back and help you make life miserable for people. Wish I had the cash for two months worth of long distance phone calls.

[JoeLiyan]

Jon, you're on the mark, and I wish you luck beyond belief in this crusade, not only for yourself, but for all waiting "till doomsday" for this to end.

 

Keep us posted.

[markimwaiting]

i am both dismayed and thrilled with the comments that have been made since my original posting.  thank you all for your support - but it sounds like some of you need MY support.

 

when i use the word "badger" i am not kidding.  if i leave a message for someone and do not hear back from them by the end of the day, i call back.  if they are still not available, then i ask for their supervisor.  i am sure to give MY NAME every single time i call, to every receptionist and switchboard operator i run across. (or run over)

 

those receptionists talk around the watercooler!  when they get tired of hearing from you, they will stop by someone's office on their break and ask "did you call that @sshole in denver?  he's been bugging me for days!"

 

when they try to switch you to someone you KNOW can't answer your questions, tell them "no way!  i want to talk to someone with answers!  NOW!"  never be afraid to ask, "well who does that person report to?  can i talk to him then?"  sh!t rolls up hill!

 

go after your senators and congress people like a rabid dog.  never let up until they agree to help you.  and tell them flat-out that getting the same form-letter e-mail that you got is unacceptable.  they are SENATORS for christ's sake!  they have to do better than that! 

 

if they won't return your calls, show up at their office.  be calm, be professional, but make no mistake that they will see you again if you don't get results.  trust me, they DON'T want to see you again!

 

be sure to inform everyone you talk to that you will not rest, and neither will they (you won't let them).  ensure they are well aware that this is going to last more than a few hours, more than a few days, and that you are prepared to go the distance.  expressing your pit bull tenacity from the very beginning keeps them from giving you a bunch of placating BS - because BS only holds up for a day...  when you call back tomorrow, they have to have a different story - or at least their boss better have one.

 

remember too.  we are the fools who played by the rules.  we didn't sneak our spouses across the boarder in  the trunk of the car, or keep them here on an expired tourist visa.  we did everything that was required of us, jumped through every hoop, paid all our fees... and we're getting sh!t on because of it.  remind our government that we did our part.

 

i will be talking to my local ACLU this week.  they usually take several weeks to decide if they will even look at a case, but it's worth getting started.  as a staunch republican it goes against my grain to chat with hippie lawyers, but they have been successful at battling our government, and fighting for "the little guy".  so we'll see what they have to say.

 

i guess what it comes down to - for me anyway...  is she worth fighting for?  man, just the trip to china was an adventure for each of us!  meeting the family, explaining all this to our own families, completing piles of paperwork...  damn it!  i want her here!

 

lastly, please forgive my language - but this is what i'm reduced to for now.  being nice has gotten me NO WHERE in this process, so as they say: "no more mr. nice guy."

we all need to be doing this!