FELLOW CITIZENS  - CONTINUED

Senate candidates likewise are looking for prestige, publicity and a pathway to a higher government or corporate position.

The President, who is supposed to carry out the dictates of the electorate through the Legislature, now seems to be more concerned about acquiring fame and fortune( and staying out of jail) then serving his people.

The Supreme Court, the top level of the Federal Judiciary, was once unimpeachable as a pilar of honesty, discretion and intellect. They have now shown their true colors, and would not even meet the standards set for a lowly lawyer, who has sworn to avoid the “appearance of impropriety” in all his professional interactions.

And now we get to the free press, our last hope of disseminating the truth.

Much has happened in the last few decades, the most significant of which is the emergence of the internet. News is now instantaneous and it gets distributed to millions of people at a very low cost. What could possibly be wrong with this? One of the unintended consequences is that readers now get their news in short sound bites published by a variety of sources. They have no patience for reading long articles that explain both sides of a story. Anyone regardless of expertise or credibility is able to post and disseminate information whether it is truthful or not. And no one is checking on the accuracy of the information posted and shared. There are specific media companies which specialize in promoting certain points of view and who have a cadre of followers who only listen to them because the are in agreement with what they post. As a result, we have different groups getting different “truths” or untruths. They never hear the other side of the story! And very few social media outlets want to tell the whole story, the good , the bad and the ugly, because it might effect their following. Given the American attention span, accustomed to getting their information in short snappy sound bites, very few folk are interested in delving into the boring facts involved in complex issues.

And here we are, the most advanced country in the world, at the abyss.

What can we as ordinary citizens do? Venting and pontificating about our situation accomplishes little. However, there are a few basic things we should think about and consider. And then we must act.

Government exists for the people. Our government was established to provide each individual, regardless of background, with a sense of security and freedom. Among the goals of government is the promotion of prosperity for its people, through education and laws enacted to protect us all equally. The government should not exist to promote the interests of some over the interests of others. Our elected representatives should serve the people, not the other way around. We pay taxes so services are available for the people. Our elected officials are to spend those taxes prudently on our behalf. Government is not a “for profit business”. The quality of government is not measured by the funds it has in its coffers but rather by how wisely those funds are being used for the welfare of its citizens.

Make no apologies to your elected representatives. They were hired by you, to work for you. You have the right and obligation to assure that they are working on your behalf. These are fine sentiments, you may say, but how is this going to change anything?

The only tools available to us as citizens of the United States of America are our vote and our voice.

When you next vote be sure to learn as much as possible about the candidates your are voting for. Remember he/she is being hired to work for you. Ask yourself, do they have your interests at heart or is this just a stepping stone in their career.

Even before getting to the voting stage, become involved in your local political party and help find suitable candidates before an election. Make your voice heard by the local party officers so they know what type of candidate will appeal to you and your fellow voters. Get involved as much or as little as suits you, but get involved.

Your other tool, “your voice” is something that can be used prior to the next election. In fact, we must all be using it during these perilous times.

Speak to your friends and neighbors about the issues that concern you. You may be surprised to learn that they have the same concerns. It is difficult to talk about some issues, with people who you know are not like minded. Stick to the facts, be polite and don’t back down.

Write to your local papers and use social media to express your concerns. Once again make sure you have the facts. Do not use inflammatory language. Be prepared for nasty responses. Ignore them.