WASHINGTON WATCH: Maybe the Christmas spirit can reach D.C.

It will be Christmas soon. You already see caring groups everywhere in Carson City and the surrounding areas trying to make it a merry one for the homeless, the unemployed, poor children and low-income homebound seniors. It's just what they do.

People who come to this area from large cities can hardly believe how we all stick together when the chips are down. If someone is ill or has lost their home in a fire, fundraising starts at once.

I just wish - along with many others - that a bit of this pulling together would rub off on Congress. In all my years of following Congress I have never before seen such polarization of the two parties.

I can remember when the parties would argue issues with civility and respect for one another's point of view and work to find solutions that they and the people of the country could live with. Not anymore.

I have always believed that the American people, for the most part, are the kindest and most generous of any population. We just want a good job that enables us to support our families in a decent manner. We hate constant confrontation, we hate wars and we detest welfare, yet we seem to be the recipients of all these things through no fault of our own. The exceptions being that we tend to elect people who don't have our best interests at heart because their political party and their own ambitions come first. I wonder how Congress feels about the 99 percenters demonstrating in all the states? Don't they get it? Do they care?

I'm just happy and grateful every day that I live and work in Carson City and have a wonderful job and friends. I almost feel guilty about it when so many seniors are just barely making it, often time going to bed hungry and without their medications. These are the people I am trying to protect from any loss of their benefits which they count on to keep a roof over their heads and food on the table.

Some politicians and political activists become upset when I am critical of some actions that aren't complimentary to their party, but they need to understand that my first priority is our seniors' well being.

I will continue to point out what I feel could be harmful to them, so that they can decide for themselves what they wish to believe. There are people who disagree with me and that is just fine because, thank God, we live in America where we are all guaranteed freedom of speech. I respect that and the people who write letters to the editor; although sometimes people make personal attacks on me which diminishes their message.

Reminder: At the last session of Nevada's Legislature the "Silver Alert" system was passed to locate missing seniors (Senate Bill 245). All requests for help must be made to your local law enforcement agency. This was a great victory for seniors after failing several times.

I would like to take this opportunity to wish all of you a Merry Christmas, happy holidays and a most prosperous 2012. I believe we have turned a financial corner and can go all the way around if we make the effort. Stay tuned.

• Janice Ayres is president of Nevada Senior Corps Association.