|
We Blame the
Politicians But We Put Them There
By Frank Salvato
With the Comprehensive Immigration Reform Act of
2007 (S1639) now stalled – permanently, we hope –
at the debate stage in the US Senate, we can come away with one lesson
learned from this course of events, an unsettling number of politicians in
Washington DC ignored the “baggage” that is their constituency. In light
of this undeniable truth, it is understandable that outraged Americans
would be looking to the section of the Declaration of Independence that
talked about dissolving government. But when one takes a break from
pointing fingers – and perhaps raising some toward their elected officials
– it would be wise to remember who allowed this to happen.
Let me be perfectly clear, I am not about to apologize
for the actions of those who have betrayed their constituencies. In fact,
I believe that any elected official who doesn’t hold and respect the
inclinations of his constituency in the highest regard should be removed
from office. While the positions that elected officials hold need to have
a degree of latitude when it comes to enacting the will of the people, it
should never be the case that an elected official would be obliged to
ignore or look down upon the positions of his constituents.
But the blame for getting to this pathetic and
disturbing point simply doesn’t lie – exclusively – with the creatures
that dwell inside the beltway or in the State Houses. A major portion of
the blame needs to lie with We the People. It lies with you and
me.
Our politicians have become oblivious to their
constitutional duty to their constituencies because we have become
apathetic to the governmental process. That apathy has enabled them to
take up positions and champion causes singularly important to them,
positions that most often have little to do with the concerns of “the
folks back home” and causes that serve only to bolster the likelihood of
their return to power come the next election.
Free from the burden of any constitutional obligation
to their constituents, politicians at every level of government and from
all political parties are prone to developing enormous egos fed by the
illusion of absolute power. Many times this illusion of absolute power
corrupts and politicians find themselves indicted, convicted, jailed and
drummed out of office, as well they should be. But most often these
egotistically bloated public trough feeders navigate the political
minefields avoiding corruption (or at least not being caught) while doing
more to further their careers and egos than to serve those who elected
them to office.
If you are reading a bit of vitriol into my writing
today you are very perceptive. I am angry. I am angry at the arrogance of
our elected class and I am angry at the apathetic, “I’ve got mine to hell
with you” attitude of the electorate, especially among conservatives.
Several political issues have driven me to anger.
Of course, the Comprehensive Immigration Reform Act of
2007 is right there at the top of the list. It is unconscionable that any
elected official would have ignored the calls of their constituents on
this matter, especially when every poll had every political
demographic signaling overwhelming disapproval for the measure. Further,
it is infuriating that the same elected officials who discarded the cares
of those who elected them to office – in both the Legislative and
Executive Branches – would have dared strike a condescending attitude
toward those they were sent to Washington to represent.
Then there are the subjects of:
▪ The Fairness Doctrine – Essentially a politically
motivated tool to silence the free expression of those who oppose
political totalitarianism.
▪ Tax Reform & Social Security Reform – Two issues
that are critically important to “life, liberty and the pursuit of
happiness” for each and every American yet politically intimidating to the
thin-skinned creatures of “Re-Election Land.”
▪ Border Security – An issue that remains coupled with
immigration reform strictly for political purposes and an issue that
directly affects the welfare, safety and survival of the American
people.
▪ The Global War on Islamofascist Aggression – A
subject so deadly serious that the myriad politicians who continue to play
politics with this issue (Harry Reid, Nancy Pelosi, Dick Durbin, John
Murtha, John Kerry, Chuck Hagel, Rahm Emanuel, Ike Skelton and Dick Lugar
to name but a few) should be labeled as traitors and treated as such.
But one local political event – an event with far
reaching implications – involving two actions was the main mechanism for
my anger.
I live in what was once the sixth most Republican
county in the United States, DuPage County, Illinois. At one time the
leaders of this county were the catalyst for successful elections that saw
the Illinois GOP holding the Governor’s Mansion and every one of the state
constitutional offices. The Republicans had a majority in both houses of
the legislature, the budget deficit was reversed from years of abuse,
taxes were coming down and elected officials actually served their
constituents.
Those days, sadly, are now in the past. Illinois is in
competition with California, New York and Massachusetts for the title of,
“Bluest State in America.” Taxes are going through the roof and the
politically correct have become the “gypsies in the palace.”
And DuPage County, you ask? Well, we faithful
conservatives here in DuPage County have been blind-sided, bluntly put, we
have been kicked in the crotch.
You see, our former Republican county chairman here in
DuPage County, Illinois Senator Kirk Dillard, who has casually referred to
the organization that once won every state constitutional office for the
GOP as “baggage,” recently appeared in a campaign video for Democrat
presidential candidate Barack Obama. When queried about his stunningly
unfaithful act he was unapologetic to those who elected him to represent
their conservative ideology in the Illinois senate.
Let me say that again, the former Republican county
chairman from what used to be one of the most powerful Republican counties
in the nation was in a campaign video for a Democrat presidential
frontrunner.
In fact, ABC Channel 7 News in Chicago reported:
“Dillard also said he isn’t endorsing Obama 'at this
juncture,' but he has not decided what he will do if McCain loses the
Republican nomination and Obama ends up winning the Democratic
race.”
Meanwhile, a lifelong Republican Illinois State
Representative, Paul Froehlich, has resigned as chairman of
his Republican township organization to become a Democrat because it is
more important to him to remain in office (his constituency demographic
has gone Left) than it is to have any kind of loyalty to principles and
ideology.
While these two “public servants” are ultimately
responsible for their actions, it is we – their constituents – who elected
them to office. The same can be said for the constituencies of Chuck
Hagel, John Kyl, John McCain, Dick Lugar and the rest of those elected to
office only to turn on those they were elected to represent. We did
this.
Those elected officials who put their personal feelings
and friendships above their duty to their constituents, who placed trust
in them to uphold conservative ideologies, principles and values, are
putting politics before government. Politics cannot be more important
than government, ever, ever, ever! Yet today it is the status quo in
Washington DC, in Springfield, Illinois, in DuPage County, Illinois, it is
the status quo in Everytown, USA.
Some who I have corresponded with may suggest that
there is a bit of hypocrisy to my position in that I have obliterated
Reagan’s 11th Commandment of not speaking ill of fellow Republicans in
public. To that I respond paraphrasing the Great Communicator; I didn’t
leave them, they left me; I’m not bad-mouthing fellow Republicans, they
have ceased being Republican.
They say all politics is local. Accepting that as true,
the only way to liberate good government from the political creatures that
now hold our government hostage is to both educate ourselves on the issues
using facts so that we can engage our elected
officials intelligently and supporting – financially and through advocacy
– those organizations and new media outlets that are – and have been –
providing us with the facts and resources to do so.
American conservatives have been expecting good
government and accurate information on the cheap for far too long and now
we are all paying the price for the prevailing sense of entitlement and
apathy coursing through the veins of the conservative community.
Unless we start supporting – in earnest – the
organizations that have diligently and consistently provided factual
information and reliable resources, unless we educate ourselves and engage
in our governmental process, our country will continue veering to the Left
until we find ourselves living in a full-blown Socialist state.
If Americans – and especially American conservatives –
continue to embrace the status quo then I guess the old adage is true, you
get what you pay for...or at least, you get what you’re too apathetic to
change.
Related
Reading:
Comprehensive
Immigration Reform Act of 2007 (S1639)
http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d110:s.01639:
Republican leader
scorches Dillard for doing Obama ad
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-dillard27jun27,1,1355610.story?coll=chi-newslocal-hed
GOP stalwart switches
sides
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-froehlich_27jun27,1,4495700.story?coll=chi-newslocal-hed
Basics Project
http://www.BasicsProject.org | 
