Career Politicians good for ...

Career Politicians good for ...











November 20, 2011










By Julie Kay Smithson, property rights and natural resources researcher, London, Ohio propertyrights@earthlink.net










Expecting a clique of career politicians -- steeped in the toxic, corrupt brew that exists within the Washington, D.C., Beltway -- to 'achieve' a trillion-dollar cut in America's budget is like trying to sew a dress with no needle and no material. It's just not going to happen. This is the same cadre that gifted three-quarters of a trillion dollars to their banking and manufacturing pals, remember? This is also the same bunch that thinks honorably immigrating and becoming honest, naturalized citizens, is the same as illegal entry and residence. Doing drugs is not somehow less distasteful if you "didn't inhale."






Career politicians seem to take regular, hardworking, honest Americans not only for granted, but also, apparently, as someone not worthy of respect. In truth, honest, hardworking Americans are far more deserving of respect than those that would sell us 'down the river' for ... what? Is controlling many global entities engaged in commerce -- often to the considerable detriment of both the 'workers' in those countries as well as those in countries where those 'sweatshop' goods are sold -- really worth treating other human beings like chattel? Look to those purporting to "represent" you in Washington, D.C., for your answer. The 2011 election is over, so the masquerading, posturing and 'political promises' can now be viewed as the mirages they were.






Career politicians and elected officials are neither interchangeable nor synonymous, though they can be. Those that make a career of politics -- spending decades in the confines of Washington, D.C. -- are different from those who venture into the Beltway with the hope and moxie to make a positive difference.






I've tried to honestly consider just what, exactly, career politicians are good for. After much thought, very little comes to mind. This is a group of folks whose 'beliefs' can often be purchased by the highest bidder, who sway in the political wind like a hurricane ravaged palm tree, and who are so distanced from the real world of the public that they don't pump their own gas, mow their own yards, or answer their own phones.






In almost sixty years of life, I've phoned and spoken to only a handful of politicians, and none of them were 'career politicians.' Of those, all but one are no longer living, but those I could call and speak with, directly, were: Alabama Governor George Wallace, U.S. Congresswoman Helen Chenoweth-Hage (R-ID) and Oregon Senator Doug Whitsett. That a person does not find it necessary to distance him or herself from the public, is a character trait I admire, no matter what the 'political party.'






Being in touch with, and available to, the public, is something that keeps people in touch with reality. No one should expect to be able to hold a lengthy conversation with an elected official, but having the ability to communicate -- and be respected by that elected official -- is crucial to the health of America.






Perhaps we should be changing what a career politician is and does by settling for nothing less than what we, ourselves, would do, were we in that position. Would we have the backbone and moral fortitude to be what we are in the 'private sector'? Would we simply make excuses for our transgressions and seek to 'move on' past our criminal actions, or would we 'rise above it' and not go there, where so many have gone before us? It's easy to say, "Beam me up, Scotty!" and leave it all behind in a starship bound for another galaxy, but what would we do when there's no Scotty and no transporter?






While we are preparing for our seasons of thanksgiving, reverence and festivities, let's take time to consider how much we have to lose by letting our great nation continue on its current 'slide' -- and how much we have to gain by stooping to offer her a hand back up to the wonderful Christian nation she still is. Let's clean up our act and our country and not leave the cleanup tasks to those that have soiled her in the first place. Neglect is abuse, also. If career politicians are good for something, let them be an example of how things were once done in America!










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