PrintApril 1, 2011
Political or Practical?
Americans, throughout our brief history, have been subjected to onerous rules and regulations imposed by the leaders we choose. Like them or not, the law-abiding citizen was dutifully bound by the law. It's the way our system was set up. If we didn't like the rules, we voted for those who would promise to fix or change them. The times, however, as the saying goes, are a changing.
We've witnessed the plundering of the treasury for "pet projects" and special interest favors for over two hundred years. The last several, however, have escalated the process with the accepted use of public funds for private gain. These actions, followed by virtually no consequential reaction, have left those Americans who pay attention with a bad taste in our mouths. A trillion here and trillion there...who can keep track anymore?
No longer do our representatives consider us or our beliefs, unless it involves the appearance of temperate moderation or a way to squeeze more money from us. Yes, they will tell us that they're here for the rights of the common man, but when one watches the actions versus the words, it becomes apparent that politics and power trump the needs of the majority. It also becomes apparent that a concern for the welfare and security of the country itself plays second fiddle to votes, money and power.
The years have proven to these elected officials and to the ordinary American that you don't get re-elected unless you cater to the true power that pulls the strings. You don't get to keep your power position and all of its perks, if you rock the boat. Politicians have found that it is easier to stay in power if they vote politically instead of practically; the consequences for America be damned! They know that the populace is busy with their own lives, so a sound bite or snippet to feign outrage is necessary from time to time. "Of course we need to balance the budget-the American people demand it." But behind closed doors, a 1% cut in spending seems to be just the ticket to pacify the masses and still keep the political donors smiling just in time for another election.
Why is it that so few of our representatives can see the writing on the wall as the debt and deficit leap by billions each day? Or is it that they can see the demise of the country; they just can't find a way to sell the decay for more votes? These are supposedly bright individuals who pride themselves on being -- at least in their campaign literature -- the right people for the job. Surely if the lay person can see the detrimental effects of our spending largesse, they, too, can see that we're prostituting America's future for today's votes, right?
Prostitution is still illegal in most of this country isn't it? Oh what the hell...just another law being broken.
