A Bipartisan Suggestion
In this age of divisive politics and bitter partisan fighting, where even fighting amongst one’s own Party is more commonplace than it’s been in awhile, I have a suggestion. Actually, the first line is sort of sarcasm. There has always been bitter partisan fighting between the Big Two. It’s just a matter of the agenda of those reporting that you hear more about one or the other. That said I still have a suggestion that is positively inclusive.
This May, when the Primaries season really kicks in, do yourself a favor. Vote out an incumbent or five. Incumbency has become the norm for both parties both in local, regional and national elections. Expect that to continue and worsen. I’m not advocating changing your Party affiliation, either, not if you don’t want to. I think it’s retarded that Democrats think traditionally Republican districts will all of a sudden vote Democrat just because the President’s approval rating is down. Thanks to gerrymandering, both Parties have established nearly impregnable enclaves. So if you think you have to vote Republican or Democrat or Libertarian or Green or even Constitution or else the free world will be torn asunder, then by all means do it. If you’re voting for one of the Big Two, though, clear out the incumbent, would you?
With few exceptions, most incumbents are concerned not with representing their constituents, but with protecting their jobs. Career politicians make for bad representative government. Just consider our this quote from Alexander Hamilton.
"The natural cure for an ill-administration...is a change of men."
This fits us in our Congress all the way down to our local governments. At the federal level, the Republicans who swept into power in 1994 on the promise of reducing government and our tax burden are no more. They’re like prisoners who’ve been in jail too long and become accustomed to the walls. They’re institutionalized now and want to protect the system more than you and me. They’re no better than the Democrats they replaced and I’ll guarantee you no Democrat that might replace one will be any better than the Republican if you’re looking for that same 1994 contract. In the short term, though, you can assuage this by, as Henry Higgins says in My Fair Lady, “throwing the baggage out”.
Get rid of the dyed-in-the-wool institutions, like Ted Kennedy. A man who’s been in power in the Senate over 40 years knows NOTHING of how the rest of the country works and represents no one but his own special interests, most notably himself. Replace him with, at least, a fresh face even if it is attached to yet another Massachusetts liberal. At least he might personally know someone who makes less than six figures. Robert Byrd, Arlen Specter, John McCain, such men are masters of the political game but wouldn’t know a native of their constituency from Adam. Why then, should they be considered legitimate representatives of such souls? The answer quite simply is that they shouldn’t. And that’s just the Senate. The House could use a little fresh blood too. Chris Shays in the House is one such person as is Nancy Pelosi. They are Machine politicians, no more caring of their constituency’s true needs in being served than they care about the homeless man who asks one of their staffers for change (can’t get close enough to the Representatives).
As I stated, local government could use a good fumigating as well. Out pests! You’ve taken residence here for far too long. Almost the entire city council of Carmel and Fishers in Hamilton County could walk off the job tomorrow and no one would notice. The same could probably be said for Noblesville as well. The Indianapolis City-County Council and Greenwood town government, Hendricks and Hancock Counties, could likely see all their sitting members depart with nary a negative consequence to their citizenry. These same individuals voted in that extra restaurant tax you’re currently paying and see no need to constrain government to forestall the oncoming rise in your property taxes. You see, to them, they need your money more than you do and you OWE it to them. Don’t you forget it.
How could you forget it? You’re reminded with each new property tax bill and with each restaurant receipt and that’s just here in Central Indiana. Can you who live elsewhere say you truly have it better? I’m betting you can’t.
So come this May, ditch them. Send a message that you will not tolerate political sloth. At the same time, you’ll be doing nothing to hurt your chosen party. A little house cleaning is good every now and then and you don’t even have to compromise your politics to do it. How much more bipartisan can you get? How much more good for American can you get?
In this age of divisive politics and bitter partisan fighting, where even fighting amongst one’s own Party is more commonplace than it’s been in awhile, I have a suggestion. Actually, the first line is sort of sarcasm. There has always been bitter partisan fighting between the Big Two. It’s just a matter of the agenda of those reporting that you hear more about one or the other. That said I still have a suggestion that is positively inclusive.
This May, when the Primaries season really kicks in, do yourself a favor. Vote out an incumbent or five. Incumbency has become the norm for both parties both in local, regional and national elections. Expect that to continue and worsen. I’m not advocating changing your Party affiliation, either, not if you don’t want to. I think it’s retarded that Democrats think traditionally Republican districts will all of a sudden vote Democrat just because the President’s approval rating is down. Thanks to gerrymandering, both Parties have established nearly impregnable enclaves. So if you think you have to vote Republican or Democrat or Libertarian or Green or even Constitution or else the free world will be torn asunder, then by all means do it. If you’re voting for one of the Big Two, though, clear out the incumbent, would you?
With few exceptions, most incumbents are concerned not with representing their constituents, but with protecting their jobs. Career politicians make for bad representative government. Just consider our this quote from Alexander Hamilton.
"The natural cure for an ill-administration...is a change of men."
This fits us in our Congress all the way down to our local governments. At the federal level, the Republicans who swept into power in 1994 on the promise of reducing government and our tax burden are no more. They’re like prisoners who’ve been in jail too long and become accustomed to the walls. They’re institutionalized now and want to protect the system more than you and me. They’re no better than the Democrats they replaced and I’ll guarantee you no Democrat that might replace one will be any better than the Republican if you’re looking for that same 1994 contract. In the short term, though, you can assuage this by, as Henry Higgins says in My Fair Lady, “throwing the baggage out”.
Get rid of the dyed-in-the-wool institutions, like Ted Kennedy. A man who’s been in power in the Senate over 40 years knows NOTHING of how the rest of the country works and represents no one but his own special interests, most notably himself. Replace him with, at least, a fresh face even if it is attached to yet another Massachusetts liberal. At least he might personally know someone who makes less than six figures. Robert Byrd, Arlen Specter, John McCain, such men are masters of the political game but wouldn’t know a native of their constituency from Adam. Why then, should they be considered legitimate representatives of such souls? The answer quite simply is that they shouldn’t. And that’s just the Senate. The House could use a little fresh blood too. Chris Shays in the House is one such person as is Nancy Pelosi. They are Machine politicians, no more caring of their constituency’s true needs in being served than they care about the homeless man who asks one of their staffers for change (can’t get close enough to the Representatives).
As I stated, local government could use a good fumigating as well. Out pests! You’ve taken residence here for far too long. Almost the entire city council of Carmel and Fishers in Hamilton County could walk off the job tomorrow and no one would notice. The same could probably be said for Noblesville as well. The Indianapolis City-County Council and Greenwood town government, Hendricks and Hancock Counties, could likely see all their sitting members depart with nary a negative consequence to their citizenry. These same individuals voted in that extra restaurant tax you’re currently paying and see no need to constrain government to forestall the oncoming rise in your property taxes. You see, to them, they need your money more than you do and you OWE it to them. Don’t you forget it.
How could you forget it? You’re reminded with each new property tax bill and with each restaurant receipt and that’s just here in Central Indiana. Can you who live elsewhere say you truly have it better? I’m betting you can’t.
So come this May, ditch them. Send a message that you will not tolerate political sloth. At the same time, you’ll be doing nothing to hurt your chosen party. A little house cleaning is good every now and then and you don’t even have to compromise your politics to do it. How much more bipartisan can you get? How much more good for American can you get?
posted by Rob Beck | 6:07 PM
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