“And there ain’t nothin’ I can do about it.” — The Supremes and the Vanilla Fudge, “You Keep Me Hangin’ On.”
So many times in recent years I have noticed that it matters not what the people want because even when they clearly make their wishes known, their elected lawmakers ignore or sabotage them.
It didn’t take long for the Republican-controlled State Legislature to attempt to change or roll back three ballot propositions passed by significant majorities of the people at the November 2018 general election ballot. And that’s not the only instance of legislators being out of step with the people.
As you can see by the clip art above, national polls show a whole lot of public support for things that have not been done in state legislatures and the U.S. Congress. Why the disconnect?
The elephant in the room is that in our system of legalized bribery, especially since the Citizens United Supreme Court decision of 2010, our elected lawmakers do not do the bidding of their constituents, but instead do as they are told by their donors and funders, usually lobbyists, political action committees and corporate CEOs.
Follow the money. Ignore the unwashed masses, they keep voting the way they have been for a long time.
Though we keep electing these bozos again and again for silly reasons, such as party affiliation or one hot button issue like abortion, the only power we common everyday working stiffs indeed is at the voting booth. So the real problem is we’re not stupid, but we are easily distracted and misled by slick marketing and advertising techniques.
So when the news came about the explosion of anti-abortion measures in more than a few “red” states, my only reaction to women outraged over the growing problem is to encourage them and their allies to use the only weapon they have — at the ballot box.
The Republican Party seems to want to put up roadblocks for some to vote, those without cars and too poor to get photo voter ID, and the GOP seems to complain the most about illegal aliens voting, though it’s illegal. They point to voter fraud as their explanation. Yet there is much less voter fraud (less than .0025 percent) than they claim.
If you don’t understand the slow-motion coup d’etat that has given us an oligarchy instead of a democratic political system, you are being manipulated and used by a few powerful special interests who have use their substantial coffers to continue to get what they want at our expense.
It was depressing to note that John Lennon sang “Power to the People” in 1971 and things have only gotten much worse since then.
“A million workers working for nothing
You better give ’em what they really own
We got to put you down
When we come into town
Singing power to the people
Power to the people
Power to the people
Power to the people, right on.”
— John Lennon, 1971
So, to those who want to do something: Even more important than taking to the streets is to take to the ballot box and make these toadies for powerful and rich special interests pay for their transgressions. If not, we’ll continue to suffer the rollback of a republic.
I certainly won’t attempt to in any way defend many of the decisions and actions of the legislative or congressional bodies in this land. Those institutions are made up of humans, and so often there is not a lot there to respect. I believe you’re very right that our elected “representatives” are largely not highly principled people of integrity. As you pointed out, they are too often willing pawns and puppets, essentially bought and sold by the various big money and power interests. There’s plenty of corruption and “legal” bribery to go around up there at the top, and I’m with you on that.
However, as you cite some of the majority polling percentages that are currently reflected in various sweeping issues it would be a mistake to reduce the problem of good governance and right policies to some kind of a battle of “the great principled electorate v. the corrupt elected politicians”. Way too simplistic.
People that are polled and who vote for the candidates and issues are by no means all or nearly all responsible individuals themselves. They too are human. They have no corner on virtuous unselfishness, integrity, good motives and sound judgment. We’ve all heard of “the tyranny of the majority”. Destruction by the majority is a reality that can all too easily take over and doesn’t end very well. The well-sounding trite phrase “Power to the people” can just as easily be a better-sounding version of “might makes right”. Mobs are often reflective of a very loud majority popular movement of emotional personal interests. Mobs and majorities historically are not very wise, level-headed or all about the right thing. Voting mobs are really no better in the final analysis than street mobs, They just appear to be much more civilized.
Individuals polled anonymously in the decades since the 60s clearly admit in majority that they cheat in their everyday lives and they have no problem potentially doing so in the future if they think they can get away with it. All humans have the same general moral, ethical and spiritual battles within them that the wider society has in general. Selfishness and corruption often win out in important decisions. Humans tend to vote their values and personal interests.. That’s why how voters vote as they do is and should always be open to scrutiny and skepticism. The majority is certainly not always wrong, but neither is it always right. I would suggest the majority is less often right than wrong. Hitler, for instance, didn’t seize power in Germany. He was elected.
I’ve often referred to one historic example which has been given to us to contemplate for thousands of years. After hundreds of years of captivity and slavery in Egypt, roughly two million Israelites were freed from their bondage and on their way to a wonderful promised land of their own. Not very far into their journey and for 40 years in the wilderness they bitterly complained and longed to return to Egypt. Had Moses been leading a democracy and had he taken a poll or a vote, a near total majority would have absolutely chosen to return to Egypt, including back into their slavery. Human nature has not somehow suddenly changed for the better in the 21st century. We put locks on our homes, have security systems, hire police and remove our keys from our cars because we know what basic human nature is still like in 2019.
I’m not suggesting at all that not every mentally-sound adult should vote in the U.S. I would argue just the opposite. Each should be free to vote under our constitutional system. But I have no confidence at all that the majority is in the right most of the time. Historically the minority often makes up of the wiser end of the stick when it comes to critical human policies and affairs.
And so, the bottom line of this very long responsive comment and expressed view is that we should measure what is truly good and right by its sound reasoning, wisdom, historical record and its lasting beneficial effects for all. Not by its popularity. In other words, by God-informed and graciously provided lasting truth and wisdom. Never should some alleged good be unquestionably determined solely based on the power of the majority vote.
Spot on, Mr. Editor. I listened to Elizabeth Warren in her town hall with Chris Hayes last night. She did speak at length about her various plans to improve life for the average American and to roll back the excesses of big money. But above all, she ended with her sentiment that Donald Trump must be defeated in 2020 in order for the people to begin to reclaim their republic. It’s all about the money for modern-day Republicans, and that must stop.
And do you notice Senator Warren tells you her ideas and always with an increase in taxation? There is never talk from her or other Democrat hopefuls of cutting spending or curtailing ineffective or redundant programs or departments.
The republic is being reclaimed from Socialists (or worse) under the Trump Administration.
Let go of the hate Trump and just say “thank you”.