Remembering Their Place in Office

For quite some time now, I have been watching what has been happening in this country with great concern. And like many Americans, much more than the media would have you believe, I have felt a growing frustration with the way our Congress and elected representatives at both the state and federal levels have been acting. I have also felt frustrated, like many Americans, that my voice along with countless others are being ignored by the very people that were elected to represent us. And it seems to get worse every day.
An article in todays Press-Enterprise from California's Inland Empire finally got me to a position that I felt I needed to voice my concerns. Having talked to many people regarding what direction our great country is going, I have no doubt that I am certainly not alone but am joined by millions in my thoughts and feelings.
The ongoing debacle over healthcare is the catalyst for today's topic. In an article on page A3 entitled "Town halls heat up over health care", the article states that while attending town hall meetings, members of Congress have been shouted down, hanged in effigy and taunted. The article goes on to say "And adding fuel to the fire, Democratic politicians and White House officials have racheted up the rhetoric. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi of California accused people at recent protests of carrying signs associating Democratic plans with Nazi swastika and SS symbols. And Jim Messina, the deputy White House chief of staff, advised Senate Democrats during a lunch meeting Thursday to hit back at protesters. "If you get hit, we will punch back twice as hard." said Messina according to an official who attended the meeting.
What??? The very people who were elected to listen and represent the people of this country are going to "hit back twice as hard"?? Is it just me or does anyone else see something very, very wrong here? Politicians have COMPLETELY lost track of what their job is and even more so, who it is that sent them to Congress to do that job in the first place! Let's just start with the fact that politicians are "public servants". Note the word "servants" in there, meaning simply put they are in their current positions "to serve" their constituents. That means quite simply that they work for us, not the other way around. This should cause them to have some humility when dealing with the very people that elected them in the first place. After all, if it weren't for the public electing them and putting their faith in them to represent their interests, they would still be in the private sector. So continuing with this train of thought, the politicians are in place to represent what the American people want, not what they, the politicians, personally want.
So now we come to the crux of the matter. President Obama and Congress are trying to ramrod a health care bill down the throats of the American people that even THEY, the politicians admittedly haven't read! And the American people don't like it!!!! Many recent polls have shown that the vast majority of Americans are actually satisfied with their health care. I think we would all agree that while our health care system is not perfect (nothing is), that it is still the greatest health care system on earth! This is why you see people from all over the world coming to the United States for health care rather than going to other countries. Keep in mind, many come from countries that have health care systems exactly like what President Obama and Congress are trying to force on us!! If their health care system was so great, why would they spend huge amounts of money to come to this country to get health care?? Do we need to get a handle on insurance and medical costs? The answer is yes, but it must be done with great care and consideration of all factors, not just slapped together in a bunch of back-room, closed door meetings. And this is what the American people are concerned about! They, along with myself, want health care reform that is well thought out, debated, all factors considered, presented to the American people for their thoughts and input and then put into place after all this has been completed and agreed upon.
The anger and frustration being vented at town hall meetings around the country is NOT as many Democratic strategists and pundits would have you believe, from "fringe groups" or organized by lobbying groups. It is instead a sincere outpouring of concern and frustration over an issue that Americans just like you and I feel is taking us in the wrong direction. Americans understand fully that Congress works for us since we elected them in the first place. As such, it is only right that Congress listen to US, to what our concerns are and what the American people really want. When elected officials like Nancy Pelosi fail to do this, it causes frustration. When Congress tries to pass a bill that they haven't even read and then ignore the outcries of concern from the public, it causes anger. Politicians have evolved by and large to the mind-set that they are "better than everyone else", that they are "smarter" and that we should listen to THEM! This could not be further from the truth. This can also be seen in that Congress has exempted themselves from whatever health care bill is ultimately passed. It will NOT apply to them!! Yes, President Obama and Congress will NOT have to get their health care under the same plan they are trying to force on the American people. Again, what is wrong with this picture? As a public servant, elected by the American people to represent them, they need to understand the very basic fact that if something is not good enough for them, then it certainly is not good enough for the American people they represent! Politicians need to come down out of their lofty, ivory towers, listen, remember where they came from, who put them there and why. And they need to realize that the American people are a lot smarter than they are willing to give them credit for. If they don't, the anger and frustration seen at town hall meetings will continue to grow. And when the next election cycle rolls around, Americans will MAKE them listen via the voting booth!