You Cast Them Daily

I’m frustrated.  I know there are a lot of other frustrated people out there as well.  The frustration comes from seeing all of the senseless, childish, immature bickering that our so called “leaders” engage in on a daily basis.   We aren’t the first Americans to be frustrated, though.  I mean, is there anyone out there that truly believes that political partisanship and demagoguery is a new thing?  The founding fathers wrote the book on it.  They differ from today’s politicians in that they were at least civil in their debate and they were able to set aside their differences when the fate of the country hung in the balance.  233 years ago, the Constitution wasn’t exactly signed over punch and cookies; it was more like punch and then knee to the groin.  The point is; the founding fathers knew that they wanted a government of the people, by the people and for the people and they were willing to fight like cornered wolverines to make it as idiot-proof as possible.  When the days’ debate and fisticuffs was over, they’d retire to the pub and down a few beers like the friends that they were, but during the battle, it was everyman for himself.  Too bad they didn’t have a crystal ball to see what they’d be up against in the beginning of the 21st century.  The most dangerous place in Washington DC today is between Chuck Schumer and a TV camera.

I think at this point, shouting out your party’s beliefs is an exercise in futility.  Neither party cares about the American people anymore, they only care about elections and congressional majorities.  It has everything to do with power, and absolutely nothing to do with you.  They don’t want to hear your babble, you silly citizen, you.  Just try and call them or email them with your concerns, they’ll just shut off the computer and take the phone off the hook and then tell you they need 20 billion dollars to upgrade their communication system.  These are the people that are trying to take over private industry in the United States?  111 members of the 109th Congress (2005-2007) had a hand in bankrupting at least 2 businesses.  79 of them had credit reports that were so bad that they couldn’t get an American Express card.  They got one anyway, after being elected.  I guess membership really does have it’s privileges.  64 of them would have been denied security clearance if they were in the private sector; but, you guessed it, being elected to Congress washed all of that away.  31 spousal abusers, 33 DUI arrests (34 if you count Bush), 17 drug arrests, 6 shoplifters, are you getting the picture?  They’ve got to go.  All of them.

The silver lining is that the 800 pound Gorilla in the room; the American people, are tired of having their bananas taken away.  Say what you want about Tea Parties, talk radio and cable news; but the American people haven’t been this involved in the political process in a very long time.  It’s not just professional sign carriers that get media time anymore.  You can expect to still see the agenda pushing that goes on at every network and cable outlet as well as the Internet, but the thing that has the politicians and the media running scared is the idea that the public is actually paying attention and taking action.  People are just sick of it.  I am, aren’t you?  I don’t care if you’re Democrat, Republican, Libertarian, Independent, Socialist, Communist, Orwellian, Liberal or Conservative; there comes a time to say enough is enough, and that time is now.  Everyone just needs to exercise their right to vote.  You can do it, and you DO do it, everyday.

What do I mean by that?  I mean that voting is a choice that you make, right?  You choose a candidate to support and then you vote for them.  The problem is that most Americans think that this is an exercise that they only  participate in every 2 or 4 years, when the fact is; they do it dozens of times everyday.  You vote when you pick up the remote.  Did you vote for Harry Smith or Matt Lauer this morning?  You vote in your closet; is it Versace or Halston? (Man, I’d love to see YOUR closet)  Which grocery store did you vote for when it was time to feed your family?  What church do you go to?  Did you vote “no” on church?  Which state got your vote when it came time to choose a place to live?  Which NFL team won your election?  What ice cream flavor?  School?  Gas station?  Magazine?  Candy bar?  I hope you get the point, my right pinkie has a blister from all of those question marks.  Make no mistake, companies spend millions of dollars a year trying to win you over, that’s why it’s called an ad campaign.  In the old days this used to be called the free market; I don’t know what they’re trying to call it now, but it still works and it can be effective if we all use it.

Nothing gets a politicians attention faster than a donor who quits giving.  If you think that Harry Reid is a horses ass and you know that JP Morgan bank was his 4th biggest contributor, then you can choose not to bank with them.  There you go, another ballot cast and you didn’t have to wait for a November in an even numbered year.  If enough people do it, then you can be sure that JP Morgan will take notice.  If you live in Texas and think that Governor Rick Perry is so stupid that it takes him an hour and a half to watch 60 minutes, and you know that one of his biggest contributors was Houston home builder Bob Perry, then don’t buy one of his houses.  If you live in Houston, of course; and are in the market for a house.  You get the idea.  The point of all of my rambling is that you have a voice, you have the power to change things.  A bucket will still fill to overflowing, even if the faucet is only adding the water one drop at a time.  I think America’s bucket is just about full, don’t you?