As of April 11th, according to Gallup polling, Congressional approval stood at twenty percent. Let's think about that. Eighty percent of Americans disapproved of the way the United States Congress operates! Then, at the next election, we send the same people back expecting a different outcome. Why?
We seem to vote for folks who say they want to work across the aisle and will listen to their constituents...until they are elected. Then they become the lord of their fiefdom and start telling us what we should think and that they know what's best for their chil....uh, constituents. We send these folks to Washington when they say they will work for unity, but what they mean is everyone must unite on board their train.
By a show of hands, how many wanted congress to allow your ISP information to be sold without your knowledge? (Kudos to EPB for being first to say they aren't going to sell your information.) How many of us wanted companies to be allowed to dump pollution into our streams and rivers? How many of the over 200,000 Tennesseans between 50 and 64, who buy their insurance thru the ACA, voted to raise healthcare costs by $2,000 to $3,000? That's what your Congressman, along with the current Congress, tried to do and they say they are going to accomplish with "repeal and replace".
All to give tax breaks to the richest among us.
So why do we send the same people back time and time again?
Here's where I surprise you. It's not the politicians fault. It's ours.
We are so busy with our lives we forget that citizenship is not only a right but a responsibility and we must pay attention to all aspects of our government and governing.
This is advanced civics, folks. If you vote for someone because your Daddy, buddy, teacher or preacher tell you to, you just surrendered your voice and gave it to someone else. If you vote solely based on religion, I ask you to read The United States Constitution for perspective on how that should fit into governing in this country.
The problem is, most of us don't vote. In the 2014 mid-term elections slightly over 36 percent of Americans voted...not quite 30 percent of Tennesseans voted in that election. We are allowing a minority of people to determine the shape and functioning of our republic.
No matter what political persuasion, it is our responsibility to shape and lead those we elect to represent us. Call your Congressperson and Senators. Remind them they work for all the people in their district/state, not just those who voted for them. Tell them what you think. If they ever have a town hall, show up and ask questions. We need to remind our elected officials they work for us, not the other way around. It is our fault they have forgotten.
Randy Price
Hixson