Monday, November 1, 2010

SO, WHAT DO WE LOOK FOR?

It looks as though Republicans will gain majority control of the House of Representatives and will make significant gains, if not control, in the Senate.

So what does it all mean? What should we look for?

If the majority of the newly elected Republicans stand for what they say they stand for, and if the "Good Old Boys" already in power, both Democrat and Republican, don't make it their goal in life to break the political backs of the newbies, and if the newbies are strong enough to resist the pressures of being rookies, then there is a chance that there might be some reasonable and meaningful changes in congress.

Those are a lot of "IFs."

The institutions of government are well entrenched and it is quite possible for those in power to prevent newcomers from being able to be heard, let alone get things done.

Newcomers are "encouraged" to play the game of "I'll scratch your back if you'll scratch mine."

The way that plays out is that if a representative wants to introduce a bill, or a change of rules or whatever, he/she will only get support from the entrenched if they go along with some favorite program or issue of the establishment.

There will come a time when the inductee will be tempted to throw up his/her hands and say, "That's it! I can't fight the system! I'll have to make some compromises!"

This is the point at which those of us who elected them must not rest on our electoral laurels.

If we are going to elect them, and if we expect them to make a difference in the system, then we must go beyond the polls and continue to encourage the rookies and admonish the established to the point that they realize that they must make the proper decisions on our behalf.

Government of the people, by the people and for the people will only work if the people involve themselves in the system.

Part of the reason we got to this miserable point in American history is that too many of us sat quietly by, wringing our hands and complaining but doing nothing while our elected officials sold the American way down the river.

This must stop!

We must not imagine that our task is done once we pull the lever (or touch the screen, as the case may be) at the polling place.

If we are going to insist that "they work for us," then we must be about the business of managing them with emails, letters, phone calls, Facebook entries, text messages and use of "the cloud," along with whatever other marvels of electronics come our way in the next couple of years.

Do we want Obamacare repealed?

All at once, a little at a time, partially, certain provisions (like the civilian quasi-military corps dictated therein) or what?

We must be certain and we must be clear.

We must also be civil and polite about our desires.

But we must be involved.

Tea Parties must continue. Protests at our representatives' offices must take place. We must innundate them with information about what we expect them to do.

In other words, we must be doing what we should have been doing all along: involving ourselves in the process of governance.

There are those in power now who fully expect you to lie down and roll over for them once the tempest has subsided.

Don't do it!

Stay active!

Stay in touch!

There will always be a list of senators and representatives in my sidebar on which you can click and get in touch with yours.

Then, and only then, can we look for meaningful changes to take place in Washington D.C.

9 comments:

Lisa said...

Amen Joe.
We have to continue and we will.
We are not going regardless if there is a D or an R after those names.
The question is when we protest a republican how will they pin us as racists?

tha malcontent said...

For my friends......
My wish is really simple. I’m not going to tell you how to do it, or why to do it there are enough lies out there from the Obama camp for lies, but if he's the one you support, then so be it and may God help you. And may God help us all.
But in my humble opinion, we need a new bunch of people in Washington, we all know that, so go out there and vote with your mind and heart, not with your party.
But I will ask you to remember what we said when that bunch of sleezebags voted for Obamacare even though you and I warned them about the consequences if they did so.
So my wish for you today is to simply go out AND VOTE.
There is nothing else to say, just please, Please go to your polling place and vote!

Personally this time around, I’m anti-incumbents and pro term limits, and I never, ever vote a straight party ticket.. Although I just may do just that this time around.
But that's just me, all I ask of you is to vote, just get up, go to that polling place, and do it. that's all. Vote and do so with your heart and mind, and not because of any other reason like making history or anything else as silly as that. .Then, and only then, we can we look for meaningful changes to take place in Washington D.C. But if you don’t get out there and vote, you will get just exactly what you deserve.

Z said...

I think you're so right, Joe..even if we took BOTH Houses, it won't be easy.
The Tea Partiers must stay engaged and will...we need to make Rove and that bunch afraid.
and WATCH FOR FRAUD TOMORROW!!

Danny Wright said...

Right on Joe. This is only the beginning. You said:

"In other words, we must be doing what we should have been doing all along: involving ourselves in the process of governance."

I would add to that "...as the enemies of the constitution have been doing for a century"

I think we are better than them. Therefore patience should be our calling card. Compromise is good, as long as it is they who are doing it... (and I add here)... as we have been for a century. Things like Clinton's welfare compromise should be the rule, not the exception. AND NO MORE EARMARKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It just makes us all look like hypocrites and puts bullets in the guns of those who would destroy us!

Trekkie4Ever said...

If the people stay involved, stay informed and exercise their right to vote, we can make a difference.

It is crucial that people vote. Otherwise, we will never get out of the cesspool Obama and his administration has placed us in.

ablur said...

Voting is the product of wrestling with the issues and candidates at the ballot box.
If you don't know who you are voting for before you walk into the polling place, don't vote. Ignorance has gotten us here. We don't need anymore of it. Show wisdom at the polls and vote Constitutional Conservatives. Vote for people who place others ahead of themselves.

Afterward, stay engaged. The fight isn't over when you drop your ballot in the box. Like Joe said, encourage and direct your representative with regular communication. Don't assume they know your wishes. Make them clear at least monthly, and weekly if you can.

Teresa said...

Amen, Joe!! You hit the nail on the head! We must remain vigilant so as to keep all of our Reps in line. We must do our best to make sure our Reps don't forget why they were elected. Returning to the Founding principles is a top priority.

tapline said...

Joe, Great Post! Well, God is on his throne and all's right with the world.....I think we will get what we have been talking about..Now all we have to do is to keep their noses to the grind stone and get this mess that the O and Congress has created destroyed and we will have clear sailing. It won't be easy, but I believe in American ingenuity. We will prevail....stay well....

Susannah said...

GO VOTE!!

Go vote...

Go Vote!

Keep up the great work, Joe!