Elections

I am so sick of hearing the parties pointing fingers and blame on our current economic mess. I'm also sick of hearing commercials saying why this amendment is bad or good and how this representative is bad or good....mud slinging. I am also disgusted with our political system as a whole. Republican, Democrat, independent....liberal, conservative....it's all so pointless! Our government is in need of some serious reform.

It seems to me that those we have elected have lost sight of why they are there in the first place (at any level - president, vice president, member of congress, member of senate, state & local). It is no longer about representing the interests of their constituents (us), but has turned into a game of playing middle ground to ensure their viability for re-election. They no longer care about us and our interests but rather getting re-elected. They've gotten use to the lavish lifestyle that we have allowed them to have. Outrageous health care plan (lifetime coverage for them and their family after serving only 2 terms!), limousines, mansions, six figure salaries it is all so disgusting. Since when did being a representative of the people equal living a lifestyle like this? So now they are use to this type of lifestyle and it becomes an issue of getting re-elected. How does this occur? Money, plain and simple. Who has the money? Special interest groups the most disgusting of which is oil producers. They fill our candidates election campaign accounts with money in exchange for a sympathetic ear to legislation that affects them. So now we have representatives who have put our interests on the back burner, and adopted the interests of their new bankroll. And we live under the delusion (in this example) that the US is serious about alternative energy sources?

Speaking of re-elections and money have you ever examined how much money is thrown into campaigning? With all the financial problems we face as a nation this should be a serious eye opener. We are throwing billions of dollars into getting our representatives elected. I don't see why we can't just put them all on a train, move them around the country. Then they can explain their platform to the people. We can all go to the polls, vote and then we quite literally use those votes by you and I to determine the winner. No millions of dollars spent and the power of election is put squarely in the hands of the people of this great land.

We as a people should demand the immediate overhaul / reform of our government a declaration of independence if you will for our time whereby we the people let our government know in no uncertain terms that we will longer sit idly by and let this system of self indulgence continue to perpetuate itself. Case in point the recently passed bailout bill of $700 billion dollars with almost a quarter of which was openly disclosed to be pork barrel spending for special interests. Not only that, but also bailing out Wall Street. Bailing out those companies whose owners are making millions of dollars each year driving around expensive cars, living in mansions and living a lifestyle of luxury. These CEO's should be held accountable, especially those in the mortgage business. But hey, why should we expect our representatives to pass a bill for the good of the people without that type irresponsible spending included in it. They've quite clearly turned a blind eye to the irresponsibility of Wall Street. Maybe I should buy a home that is way out of my ability to pay for and then demand the US Government pay for it....because I deserve to have such a nice home. (for those of you who don't know me so well that was sarcasm) So far we have not demanded accountability for our governments spending actions, so why start now.

It's time we all start demanding more integrity and honesty from Capital Hill. It will be difficult because if you really examine our system of elections, the power has been taken from our hands and put in to the hands of the electoral college. Those who hold electoral vote power are encouraged to vote with the consensus of the people, but are not required to. So yes, you guessed it when we vote....it really doesn't mean much because they can cast their vote as they see fit.