I read and see a lot of different political opinions on line these days. Between social media, cable news, and everything in between there are a million and one opinions on the current “problem of the day”. A countless number of people dissecting what is wrong with our country. I my self am guilty of it. I do not and will never profess to be a political analyst or an economist but I do profess that I care deeply about the erosion of personal liberty that is tearing this country apart. What I do not see is a serious approach to finding solutions in the day to day readings. It is a rarity to see some one complain or point out problems and then engage in a meaningful conversation that can lead to a solution. Often political conversations end once there is nothing left to complain about. Worse yet, they become personal, in which case the potential for a constructive conversation is lost and becomes negative toward the person offering a differing opinion. We are pitted against one another with petty differences by state run media and politicians to keep our eye from what is really happening. There are many problems in this country, some benign and some very serious. Our current political structure is serving to further divide this country rather than unite us under a common goal. As most people can tell you there is a difference between a boss and a leader. They both have the same responsibilities but exhibit drastically different qualities. In my opinion a leader is someone who leads by example, who knows how to delegate a task and how pull their weight where needed. A leader will never ask his men to perform a task that he himself would not attempt. A leader is a roll model. A leader understands that their actions and behavior are reflected directly by the output and end result of his men, his team. A leader is responsible for the faults of his men and thankless for their success. A leader is strong willed and strong minded yet understanding, someone who will stand between any threat and his men. A leader is always honest. The bed rock of any quality leader is selflessness and trustworthiness. A man should not follow any individual who would not first submit himself to the same rigors he expects his men to endure. A boss on the other hand is one who finds self justification in delegation alone. A boss lacks the respect of their teammates only by choosing not to earn it. A boss believes in privilege over duty. Respect is the key difference between a leader and a boss. Leadership is an earned personal respect. Being a boss is having respect given to you because of your title. As mentioned previously, above all else, trust is the key to the uniting of individuals. Trust can only be earned through accountability, and from trust comes the bond between individuals which gives any good team its strength. When this is put into a political context it becomes clear why our country is in such disarray; for the people of this country lack leadership. The people of this country are living under a government that finds justification in its delegation alone, while refusing to suffer the same rigors it bestows upon the people. WE THE PEOPLE! Or political structure, from top to bottom, is filled with bosses, who answer only to other bosses. It is my opinion that generations of this political culture, which empowers individuals who have very little consequence for their own actions, has led us to our current state of affairs in this country. For the actions and behavior of our leaders are reflected directly by the output and end result of our country. The solutions which I propose may not all be new ideas. I’m sure many have had them prior to me. There are two main focus points for the changes I would like to see. The first being that our government is required to live within its means, the second, that government officials are held accountable for their actions. These two issues are basic fundamental principles that each and every citizen of the United States is expected to live under and it is time that the government abides by them as well. Ill start with fiscal policy. First let me discuss what I consider to be a gross separation of opportunity in the election process. Why is it that WE THE PEOPLE are constantly forced to choose between candidates who in almost no way, shape, or form, live day to day in the same fashion as the voting populous. If you vote on party lines then you may not care about this. But for those of us who want a candidate that has gumption and true leadership qualities, we are often left to feel as though we are choosing between the lesser of two evils. It never fails that the two candidates (which are portrayed to be “the only two”) that you have to choose from, come from entitled and privileged back grounds. Sure they may have not always been that way, but no one gets the party nomination without first having lived a life of extravagance or being elected into it. It’s not hard to see that the only people, who are allowed to have power, are those who have the money to buy it. I propose that our election campaigns have monetary limits. Now, that being said, I am very pro free market, but this is not free market we are talking about. This is the election of individuals who have the power to build on or destroy the free market. This limit on spendable funds would prove useful in two ways. First, and in my opinion most importantly, it would allow individuals who have fantastic ideas and the capability to lead, but who otherwise could not compete financially, the opportunity to share their ideas. Gone be the days that corporations with huge political agendas give millions upon millions to a candidate that will bend and break to the corporate agenda. If politicians can’t say no to being bought off, then cap the total amount of campaign donations allowable, and take away the spending power of the wealthy to buy the power that keeps them that way. Secondly if campaign expenditures were equal across the board, it would highlight the candidate’s ability to maximize efficiency and eliminate waste. Now, I am not a finance expert, so I am not in a position to suggest where the campaign cap should be set. It is the principle of the process that I suggest we modify. I know there are arguments against this and I encourage a healthy debate about it, but know that my ultimate goal in this reasoning is to eliminate the purchasing of power and give those with real ideas the ability to share them. Each and every American is expected to live within their own financial means. It’s not rocket science. If an individual spends more than they make, they are on the hook for the amount they barrowed plus interest. They can continue to barrow until they max out their credit card, but in some form or fashion there are consequences for real Americans who cannot live on a balanced budget. Further more, there are even more catastrophic consequences for Americans whose government cannot live on a balanced budget. So as we’ve seen, we have a congress that is unable to pass a balanced budget, and a president who refuses to lead congress in doing so. And, as we will discuss later in this article, there is little or no consequence for those whose duties dictate them to control our government spending. Congress points fingers at every other member of congress and the president speaks to us like we are all fools by telling us that raising our debt limit isn’t putting us further into debt. And all the while the people who misrepresent every single American citizen, go on collecting their lavish salaries while WE THE PEOPLE suffer the consequences of those whose salaries we pay. The government shuts down, civilian contractors feel the instant sting of a missing paycheck, the PEOPLES monuments close, and government officials keep rolling in their own filth all because our miss guided and inept government is to incompetent to pass a balanced budget. I care not what side of the political spectrum you associate, if you live your day to day life on a finite budget, the government has failed you. I propose that we add a 28th amendment to the constitution. This amendment would serve to alter the 27th amendment which states “No law, varying the compensation for the services of the Senators and Representatives, shall take effect, until an election of Representatives shall have intervened.” This means that the salary of our elected representatives cannot be changed during their term. This amendment was put in place to keep congressmen and senators from raising their own salaries in the middle of their term. However, it also means that our representatives’ pay cannot be decreased during their term. This is why our elected officials continued to get paid while WE THE PEOPLE felt the sting of furloughs and pay cuts. A 28th amendment should be put in place which states that “The compensation for the services of the Senators and Representatives shall not be authorized until a balanced budget is passed.” Further more I suggest eliminating back pay for the days that elapse in which a budget is not passed. Rather the money that would have been paid to those Senators and Representatives on days that a budget was not passed is returned to the countries budget. I believe that the majority of our elected officials value their pay check more than the laws and personal liberties of the land. If our officials can’t pass a balanced budget then they don’t need to be spending OUR money. Of course it would be those whose salaries would be compromised that would be in charge of the process to ratify a 28th amendment. So getting away from money and looking at accountability I have a couple trains of thought. First I see a lack of anyone to whom our elected officials are to be accountable to. Obviously they are accountable to WE THE PEOPLE, but we elect representatives whose only accountability comes around when it is time to be re elected. Any number of officials can break constitutional law and never suffer a consequence one. Why? Well it’s easy to get away with breaking constitutional law when the ones who are charged with enforcing it are the ones who benefit from your staying in power. The constitution is the supreme law of the land. PERIOD. But, it has the same flaw as any other law. That is, if the law is not upheld then it can continue to be broken. And that’s exactly what happens when your buds are the ones charged with prosecuting you. Our founding fathers recognized that government officials should be held accountable by the American people. But how are the people supposed to supply consequences to government officials who write the laws and have the money to fight endless legal battles. A revolution should certainly be eliminated from the equation unless outright tyranny rears its ugly head. This is about preventing tyranny and preventing blood shed. The election process comes to mind first. But I would hardly say that loosing your elected seat is consequence for the actions that SOME politicians engage in. This is where I begin to question if it is possible to hold the government accountable. It’s hard for me to always agree with what the Supreme Court deems constitutional and unconstitutional. Not because I doubt our supreme courts justices’ expertise on our constitution, but because I question the motive of appointed officials. I can already hear the arguments to what I am about to say, so again let me remind you that I am simply trying to engage you in the thought process of problem solving. I am not claiming that these are full proof ideas. I question appointed officials motives because the ones we charge with deciphering the supreme law of OUR land are not elected by WE THE PEOPLE. They are appointed by the president and approved by the senate. I tend to feel that Supreme Court Justices should be elected by the people. Now the obvious problem with this is that most people can barely make an informed or educated decision on the president, I can’t imagine the lack of interest for a Supreme Court justice. Like I said before, I don’t claim to have a perfect answer to this question and I invite anyone who does to come forward. Especially lately, we have seen a deluge of lies coming from the executive branch. I don’t think it is really necessary for me to repeat or dwell on the countless instances of miss guidance, deception, and out right lies we have seen in the past 12 months from our elected officials. I think it suffices to say if you aren’t aware of it, you should do some research. (but please, if that’s you, don’t run to FOX or CNN for your truth). I find it very interesting that this government belongs to WE THE PEOPLE yet there is nothing in the constitution that makes it illegal for politicians to lie to WE THE PEOPLE. You may be held in contempt of Congress, but you certainly cannot be held in contempt of WE THE PEOPLE. You may say that our Senators and Representatives are elected to represent WE THE PEOPLE, but is that still your opinion? Do you really feel like the people in Washington, elected to represent YOU, are actually doing their job? I for one do not. If you hold a press conference or a national address, if you make a campaign commercial, or you make a claim at a campaign speech, and the words that come from your mouth are known lies, you should lose your seat immediately. WE THE PEOPLE are the court for our politicians and I ask all my fellow patriots, what would happen if we lied to the court? What would happen if we knowingly withheld evidence from a jury? And why is it any different when our officials do it to us? These people work for us not the other way around. It is time we demand politicians speak the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. PERIOD. It is time we demand an elected official who has morals and values, the same morals and values that made this country great; honesty and integrity. Congress should treat a lie to the people, the same way they treat a lie to the court. My final thought is a common one among many and that is to enact term limits on congress. Until recently I felt that both the president and congress should be limited to one term. However, a great leader and a great man explained to me that momentum in a team is critical for a team’s success. In this context, two terms allows for a team that works well together to accomplish their goals. And it works for both sides of the isle equally. If you’re a democrat or a republican it can work against you or for you equally. But what is certain is that a team which is constantly changing leadership almost always fails. That being said, it is my belief that two terms is enough for any seat. There are too many individuals out there with too many good ideas to have congressmen stagnate term after term and never breathe a fresh idea into the country. I also think that elected officials salaries should be voted on. As I said before, I’m not claiming to have the end all answer for these problems. My hope in writing this is that someone will be able to improve on anything I’ve said or correct me if I have miss spoken. My hope is that people will take interest in the bigger picture. That people will quit squabbling over petty social issues while our country falls deeper and deep into debt. Always remember that if you don’t want your liberties taken away, don’t attempt to take away others. I hope that people take interest in the bill of rights. My hope is that people will wake up and see that our country is every day, more a tyrannical empire, and less a republic of the people. I hope that people read, and never stop self educating, that people bring new and fresh ideas that promote individualism and personal liberty. I hope that you might take heed to these words by John Philpott Curran “The condition upon which God hath given liberty to man is eternal vigilance; which condition if he break, servitude is at once the consequence of his crime, and the punishment of his guilt.” Stay vigilant.
Posted on: Tue, 12 Nov 2013 15:00:20 +0000
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