Salli McQuaid: Impeach Congress, 59"w x 40"h,  2011. R-detail.

Artist 's Statement

I, like most American people, am so disgusted with our Congress that I had to express my dissatisfaction in a quilt and a poem. At a time in our history when so many people are out of work, I find it appalling that Congress is not doing its job although its members not only get what to me are huge salaries, but they have the temerity to grant themselves raises. Why can't they sacrifice a little to balance the budget?

The only solution is to impeach all of them and start over, carefully examining the candidates. I suggest that unless you know a candidate and their record really well, you just vote out all incumbents. Do not trust the TV and other ads. Then maybe our politicians will work for the people instead of personal power and greed.

four trillion

 

This month, I can only give $10 to the Amazon.

$35, as an alumna, $30 to fill

Needy school children’s bags.

$40 to my daughter, a few hundred

To the church …

 

Dinners out for my friends, some
quilts for the cause.

 

Lately, expenses loom large:

$3,000 medical; $300 and an old micro is repaired.

$4,000 to replace a quilting machine.

$2,500 for a tooth.

Yes, the dollars out are

Big, and

What I give is so small.

                                 

I think about Congress; I contemplate

Four trillion dollars. I cannot envision four trillion.

The figure is staggering -- beyond my thoughts and aspirations.
Outside my dreams -- One lonely mountaintop I will never summit.

 

My mind climbs to a population measured

In mere millions and is instantly buried in an avalanche

of four trillion. I cannot escape the

sum.

 

Crime, violence, gangs, and drugs equal  “x”.

Generously, add illegal drugs. Deduct suffering. Deduct entitlement. Deduct wages

That  zoom under the radar, both paid and spent.

Take away children twice, the aged once, minus

Food, health care, and homes. Flag the ragged poverty of

Education in red.

 

Examine again the booming right side of the equation -- a stalwart four trillion, we’re told.

Nothing computes.

We divide four trillion by a measly 307 million

And wonder why nothing works.

Materials: textiles, specialty threads (metallic, haloshimmer, variegated, cotton, rayon, invisible, poly), ⅛" metallic braid, rope, paint, grommets, crystals.

Techniques: machine piecing, appliqué, couching, crystal and grommet application. Long-arm free-form quilting.