Speaker request shows bureaucratic nightmare

Editor:
When you are 76 years old and still feel the need to make a difference, it is more difficult to achieve that ambition. I live in a small world with few responsibilities beyond getting out of the fast lane.
But I do try to contribute. For example, I was recently responsible for finding a program for the Vandalia Rotary Club’s weekly meeting on Oct 15. Not really a big deal, but hopefully I could provide a program that would be informational for the business and professional members who attend Rotary each week. My effort was directed to the Vandalia Correctional Center,  thinking that the largest employer in Fayette County and one whose history goes back to 1921 would make an interesting program. I made the first phone call around Oct. 1 and got no call back, so I went to the prison and actually talked to Warden Dozier,  who was waiting for a conference call and made an appointment for me to come back. I returned, and talked to the warden and the assistant warden. After hearing my request, the warden agreed that this would be a “win-win project for the prison” (his words),  but they needed to contact the regional and/or district officials for permission to do this. My only request was that they not get back to me the day before the program if they couldn’t be there. Three telephone calls later,  I got a call back on the day of the program, informing me that they had to go to the media control in Springfield, and they had not received approval. They expressed their apologies and asked for a future opportunity to give a program.
My frustration (for which I apologize) was that I could not believe that their bureaucracy could not give the local warden, who has a big job, the authority to make what seems such a minor decision. And, apparently,  not even the regional director had that authority.
Put this with the fact that the state of Illinois is delinquent in its payments to the local schools,  hospital and no telling what other agencies, and have not got the fortitude to address the state's unfunded pensions, but expects us all to get our taxes paid on time. Add to this the federal government shutdown,  because government gerrymandering of congressional districts has placed extremist in control of the congress and in control our federal government.
Have we no “Profiles in Courage” patriots left in America that will stand up for fairness and right? Is anyone able to justify the exemption for Congress from the Affordable Care Act? How can that be fair?
Rodes Hood
Vandalia