Like many people I know, I have been increasingly concerned about the status of our country. And like many, I have puzzled over how our great nation has become so completely locked in a place in time where our government gets nothing done and where the very foundations of our nation are being attacked, cracked and weakened.
Being a student of history, a longtime observer of governing bodies and considered by most as a quiet reasonable person, I think I have found the reason our nation is in such disarray. The answer is: in a word Politicians.
Webster defines a politician as “a person experienced in the art or science of government; especially one actively engaged in conducting the business of government”. I found similar definitions from other sources, but they are all out of date and currently wrong.
Careful observations, listening and watching those elected to political office, I have found that politicians, especially those elected to national office, are a very far cry from what our founders intended when they designed our Republic. Their idea was that local people would elect someone who would go to Washington and represent them in Congress. That they would go there to ensure that laws were passed that were in the best interest of the people they represented and ensured that the federal government only did what the Constitution of the United States provided for thus protecting the rights of the people who were to be in charge. (“A government for the people, by the people…”)
That is NOT what is happening and has not been happening for far too long.
Slowly those elected to government, at the federal level anyway, have slowly become professional politicians, not representatives of the people. They have created for themselves an elite position that puts them above the people. They have become the ruling class. They have their own set of rules, their own retirement system, their own health care program and ways and means to enrich themselves and their families. All kinds of frills are paid for with tax dollars, including trips around the globe that include family and friends, paying off personal indiscretions and we have no idea what else.
Please note, I have not mentioned a political party, they are both very guilty of promoting their members to make all this happen. Remember every member signs a pledge to put the party first in order to get funds and run on that party’s ticket. Where then do you think that puts you and me?
Politicians have become better known for their posturing, preening, pouting and parading before the media and the American people. Hence, no business of our nation gets done. Problems that began decades ago still fester and get worse. Our government is so in debt that if it were a business it would have folded long ago. The folks who are supposed to be working for you and me, spend their time dancing around trying to get attention so their re-election campaign coffers fill up sooner, but doing virtually none of the country’s business. They point fingers at one another and the blame game gets wild and wooly, but still, nothing gets done.
What is the answer to this unacceptable dilemma? Our founding fathers actually provided for that. It is called a Constitutional Convention. Something that the powers that be in Washington would have little control over. Want to know what that is? Take a long-neglected look at the Constitution of the United States, it is in there and is sorely needed as soon as possible.
Submitted By:
John Hooper
Oxford
