A people who make more time for shopping on Black Friday for things they don’t need with money they don’t have or for watching “reality” tv and next to none for becoming informed of the facts related to the issues of the day will lose what little there is left to lose of the republic and its “guaranteed” freedoms. Oh yeah and by the way, it’s the same folks who are so disgruntled and disenchanted with the congress and its processes. This of course ignores the obvious—it was the majority voters who put the lapdog congress in office in the first place, no?
The late journalist, I.F. Stone is often quoted as saying, “All governments lie.” I agree. The truly sad part of that is that it is asserted that in the U.S.A. “We the people” are the government.
More accurately, the government is and has been the product of the machinations we call the election process. It is an exceedingly expensive proposition. Consider this:
The past election process cost nearly $5.3B dollars.
One (1%) percent of the general population of this republic is in the millionaire category.
Forty-four (44% ) percent or nearly half the congress is in the millionaire category.
And Tea Partyers? Did you really think you could count on them to represent “we the people” beyond the ridiculously rigid Tea Party dogma? 15 Tea Party Caucus freshmen rake in $3.5 million in first 9 months in Washington (these guys sound like they really mean change! for themselves anyway…)
Meanwhile, in the 10 years between the last two minimum wage increases the congress voted itself a $30,000.00 pay raise.
The top one 1% percent of Americans are worth more than the bottom 99%.
Only the top 3% of U.S. wage earners make $300,000.00 a year or better.
Four transnational corporations own every major radio and television station as well as major newspaper (the few left) in America today.
Why should only millionaires have the means to run for office?
Why are there only two major (both right of center) political parties?
Why is it that in our “democracy” we mostly see the will of the folk thwarted?
Systems of governance of all stripes have always had selfish, self-interested motives for existing.
These truths put governance at odds with the folk and certainly with the average folk.
In Texas Red it’s even worse. Texas Red is a “winner-take-all” state. That means that unless you vote with the 51% you might just as well stay home. It is a system that represents the very worst of “majority rule” a/k/a “democracy” and a/k/a tyranny by majority—and in Texas Red it certainly is.
From Texas Red: a cratered landscape of prisons, deplorable apartheid public education, lack of healthcare and politicians and majority population intent on keeping it that way…
Hasta Siempre,
