Return to will of the people
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Editor,
What basically underlies the hue and cry coming from and going to Washington, D.C., these days, to me, is simply this:
Our nation’s policies, actions, directives and decisions run counter to what we the people know, in our heart of hearts, to be right and best reflect the underlying motivations from which our great nation was born.
What were these motivations? Freedom from fear and oppression; honesty in government; fair taxation; a government which is not only set up to represent the will of the people, but is responsive to that will.
How far in my lifetime have we strayed from these motivations? Let me just name a few things which I believe answer this question:
1) The level of fear, over the years, which is preached and perpetrated upon the American public by all political parties and news organizations is legendary and ludicrous. Fear is used to drive angry and red-hot wedges between well-meaning legislative endeavors just because of philosophical differences. Fear is used to promote war. Fear is constantly used to sway public opinion. Fear is everywhere and constant.
2) Greed and dishonesty have been the hallmark of so many individuals in positions of leadership and in the entire lobby system of influence within our legislative system that it defies all reason.
3) Our taxing system is way out of whack. I, for example, a small and not at all wealthy citizen, just paid about $2,000 in income taxes. GE, a huge corporation made $14.2 billion in profits and paid zero taxes. There are thousands of examples just like this.
4) Yes, the people speak, the people rally, the people vote, and the people cry out in great numbers. But when it comes down to policy-making, passing of laws, executive decision-making, and all manner of legislative debate the primary concerns of those involved are more connected with saving their own political skin and displaying ego-driven posturing than about representing the will of the people. “So, what do we do about it?” someone asks. The only answer I have on that question is this: It is up to each and every one of us, in whatever capacity, to look within to our ‘heart of hearts’ and answer that question for ourselves. You cannot legislate or force honesty, integrity, clear vision and thoughtful reasoning. That can only come through each person’s choices.
Bob McClellan
Polson
