One is the misgivings of the disenchanted voter. These Americans firmly believe that their civic responsibility begins and ends at the ballot box. While voting is significantly essential, it is NOT the major element of the equation. Because they believe voting is the panacea for correcting our ills they are frustrated and angry. Once they begin to understand that voting is not the cure-all, they withdraw from all civic responsibility believing it is useless to be engaged. They want nothing to do with the reality that the struggle for proper governance never ends - that it requires a lifetime of due-diligence and active participation to safeguard our freedom and liberty. They don’t understand that there is no miracle pill nor magic potion that will permanently and forever entrench liberty and freedom into the American fabric of life.
This is best validated in the often-resurrected Charley Reese column originally printed in the Orlando Sentinel in 2001, entitled; 545 vs. 300,000,000 People. The article strikes right at the heart of what this contingent wants to believe.
Reese’s basic premise is; “One hundred senators, 435 congressmen, one President, and nine Supreme Court justices equates to 545 human beings out of the 300 million are directly, legally, morally, and individually responsible for the domestic problems that plague this country.” He then feeds the anger, frustration and hatred with; “Those 545 people and they alone (ALONE?), are responsible. They and they alone (ALONE?), have the power….They and they alone (ALONE?) should be held accountable…We should vote all (ALL?) of them out of office and clean up their mess!”
This simplistic view is badly flawed on many fronts.
We elect people from every walk of life, every hamlet from every corner of this country. They all have differing points of view and desired agendas – let’s skip motivations here. The way our government is designed to function is that all these differences must be drawn together to create a consensus for focus and direction. That’s hard work and takes time. While Reese is correct that government is lacking in proper focus and direction what he fails to realize is that it isn’t JUST the fault of the individuals representing us but rather the breakdown in the function of our government. This can primarily be traced to a lack of dominate leadership which is necessary to give rise to populous support.
Next, where is the irrefutable evidence that replacing ALL 545 will result in a correct or proper mandate? If it exists, he didn’t provide it.
He also fails to realize that to be elected today a candidate must swear allegiance to one of two political parties. He fails to recognize that the media will give little to no attention (campaign coverage, press conferences, debates etc.) to anyone not affiliated with one of those two parties. So how do this new brand of politician get their message heard and deemed credible. And most importantly, how does anyone break through that party power structure and control without sacrificing the values that Mr. Reese knows are necessary to institute real change?
Now we come to the most formidable component necessary to get elected: MONEY. Where does Mr. Reese propose we find candidates that are willing to break the backs of Wall Street power and influence; demand alternative sources of energy that will cripple the oil industry; move to provide universal health care risking the alienation of the insurance industry; end gun violence and specifically spree shooting and mass killings and thus suffer the wrath of the NRA and the gun industry; ending our wars and incurring the hatred of the military industrial complex. Individual contributions for some 535 candidates will be sparce, to say the least.
Only in a fantasy world can we buy into the sexy notion that JUST voting will correct our problems. What is needed is a laser focus to eradicate the evils perpetuated within our political system. That will require commitment and sacrifice by “We the people” – by all Americans to achieve.
Another thread is truth. As voting is central to the thinking of the Reese crowd, they mistakenly select a political party to do their bidding for them. They incorrectly believe that because a party may rhetorically express support for their own self-serving desires that that party will therefore serve the best interest of the nation. Political parties do NOT exist to serve the best interest of our nation. They exist for the sole purpose in creating a power base by winning elections. They strive therefore to develop pockets of support (demographics) with no regard for the moral or long-term governing ramifications; with no regard for right or wrong – no regard for the truth. They develop politicians that act as nothing more than windsocks supporting whatever positions will get them elected. Mitt Romney is the perfect example.
In 2012 the Romney campaign refused to reconcile his record as governor of Massachusetts with his presidential campaign rhetoric.
Romney announced; "If elected, I will repeal Obamacare on day one" even though the health care provisions he supported and signed into law as governor were almost identical to the prevailing law of the land.
Governor Romney stated "I will preserve and protect a woman's right to choose and am devoted and dedicated to honoring my word in that regard” and then stated in his run for the oval office that he would work to repeal Roe V. Wade if elected president.
Governor Romney banned assault weapons in Massachusetts, calling them; "instruments of destruction with the sole purpose of hunting down and killing people." He then stated in his April 2012 NRA speech; "We need a president who will enforce current laws, not create new ones that only serve to burden lawful gun owners.”
Across the aisle, the Democratic Party rigged their nomination process through the manipulation of Super Delegates to ensure Hillary Clinton won the nomination. They didn’t see her as any kind of a solution. They didn’t choose her because they believed she had any burning desire for America’s best interest. They choose her because of her pedigree, the fact she was a woman and because of her political background. In the minds of Democrats, she couldn’t lose.
If we are learning anything from our election process it is that neither political party has any fondness for the truth, democracy or any sense of obligation toward the American people. What is getting lost in all this chicanery is the importance of the issues and the future direction and development of our country. Things like the truth, authentic and meaningful solutions and a viable agenda are currently dominated by political strategies designed to win elections.
Because only the spin, manipulation and indoctrination matters, the truth requires enormous due-diligence to be determined. This requires time and a strong commitment and hard work to ferret out. Refusing to participate in the riggers required in our Democratic Republic in favor of the blame game and the simple fix of simply voting our troubles away, will NEVER propel us forward.
If we as a nation are unwilling to engage in the true spirit of our Democratic Republic then this grand experiment called America may indeed vanish before our eyes.
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