It's happened so many times in the past year - I get an email alert to call my Representative to tell him/her my opinion on something - an appointment, a bill, the war, an inquiry... and I think to myself, "What's the use?" My Representative in Congress has shown such a blatant disregard for the will of the people that my phone call or letter or email would just be a waste of time. Is this what a Democracy is supposed to feel like?
What I witness when I watch the workings of Congress on C-SPAN or when I sat in on committee hearings when I was in Washington, is a disgrace! With only a few exceptions, the Republican Representatives don't seem to be representing anyone except their wealthiest contributors. Nothing offered by the Demoracts, no matter how reasonable, non-partisan or beneficial to the good of the nation it may be, is given any respect. Right now, with these pseudo-Republicans in the majority, the people of the United States have no voice.
I can remember, ten years ago when my marketing communications firm had some local Republican candidates for clients, that it was possible for a Democrat to actually respect and vote for a Republican. We all had the same dream, even if we had different ideas about how to get there. And we could carry on an intelligent discussion about it and often find a middle ground where we could agree.
The evangelicals are trying to tell us that evolution isn't real. Maybe they are right, because some humans seem to be evolving in reverse. We have grown men and women running our country who are acting like a bunch of spoiled brats with no respect, responsibility or sense of right from wrong. Revelations of their involvement in bribery and other scandals are rising to the surface like a face full of pussy pimples on a teenager. The pseudo-Republican masks are coming off and they are starting to look down-right ugly.
Most people are just plain sick of it! Republicans, Democrats, and people of every other party. My friends and family who consider themselves Republicans aren't anything like the sleaze bags calling themselves Republicans in our government. Republicans used to stand for fiscal responsibility, and respect for privacy, and conservation. Any Republican who is paying attention is starting to realize that their party has been hijacked!
So has Christianity! How can those judgmental, sniveling, greedy creeps who have formed an unholy alliance with the neo-cons in this administration call themselves Christians? I was raised Catholic so I know that the teachings of Jesus Christ included such flaming liberal ideas as love thy neighbor... turn the other cheek... give unto Caesar what is Caesar's... These guys must stay up all night looking for obscure Old Testament quotes to justify their rape of our Democracy. Any day now they'll unearth the directive to sell your daughters into slavery.
I was one of those kids with such awful eye-hand coordination that I was usually the last one chosen for gym class softball or basketball teams. Maybe that's why I don't like choosing sides on things that don't matter. There's almost always something of value in every point of view when people share the same goal. We all want the same things: the opportunity to earn a living, to feel safe, to know our physical needs are met, to have time for the pursuit of happiness, and the freedom to choose what makes us happy, and knowing that the world our children and grandchildren will inherit will have the resources they need and opportunities for them to lead fulfilling lives.
I'm a Democrat and I'm running for Congress so that the people can have a voice in their own government - again. And that means ALL the people - reds, blues, purples and lavenders! I'm fed up with politicians who think the best way to control us is to divide us. I have no more patience for opportunistic politicos who brew hatred with divisive non-issues. And from what I'm hearing, you feel the same way too. Let's throw those pseudo-Republicans out and put the "United" back in the USA!
And next year, when you get an email that says, "Contact your Representative to tell them how you feel about such-and-such," you won't hesitate for a minute. You'll have my phone number taped right there next to your phone. And when you call, you'll know that your voice will be heard, your opinion will count and you WILL be represented.