Something to Think About

I watched this week’s State of the Union address with President Obama with great interest.  I was very interested in how he would address the people and problems that we currently face.  For the record, I thought he did a great job – but perhaps not for the reason you think.  My reasoning has little to do with jobs, the deficit, government spending, health care, or most any other hot button topic – though they are all important.  I was pleased that he addressed Washington politics so clearly and effectively.  You see, my opinion is that if we cannot get Washington politics under control, we’re not going to solve many of the aforementioned problems.

The elected politicians were elected to care for the problems of the people they represent – not the political viewpoints of their party leaders, and not for their own re-election campaigns.  I want a politician who will do what is morally and ethically right – regardless of whether the “right” thing is popular with party leaders or the President.  I want politicians who will find a way to achieve common ground, and work to solve the problems of the society they represent.

Each of us has been brought into this world carrying our own unique set of values, priorities, and belief systems.  Each of us knows that when we sit in a group conversation, most people in that group will express a unique point of view. Given that reality, I would expect that uniqueness to spill out onto the floor of the House of Representatives during the speech – and yet it doesn’t.  Every congressman and senator seems to ignore their inherent unique points of view and simply applauds (or fails to applaud) ideas and positions that conform to their party’s established viewpoints – a type of lock-step group-think.

I see many of our Senators and Congressmen behaving in rude, inconsiderate, and arrogant manners.  We hear so much about the “Party of NO!”, and the Democrats who exclude others.  Were they not raised better than that?  Did they miss basic Kindergarten etiquette?  If I were raising children, I would discipline them for that type of behavior – and so should you.

I would say to each Senator and Congressman:  To Hell with your damned party.  Stand up for what YOU believe in. Applaud for what YOU believe in. Fight for what YOU believe in.  Represent the people who elected you.  Be respectful towards others – even if their viewpoint differs from your own. People elected you (I hope) not because you were a Republican or a Democrat, but because they placed some level of trust in you, your ideas, and your values.  Please help all of us to achieve a solution to the problems that confront us.  ”My Way or NO WAY” is not a defend-able position.  It’s childish and rude.  If you cannot help solve the problems that confront us, the American People need to vote you out of power in favor of someone who can.

If you happen to be a politician reading this, I hope that you will read some of my other blog entries.  You see, I am not a person to be rude or inconsiderate.  In fact, I am far from that. Yet, this is where I find myself with career politicians. The profession no longer seems noble to me.  I know that I am not alone in my views.  The general public disgust is toward your behavior, and standard Washington politics.  Without solving that, we can’t solve anything else – and we have LOTS of problems we need you to solve.

After President Obama’s speech, I was amazed to hear people immediately start bickering about party lines on taxes, the deficit, health care, etc., etc., but very little was said about President Obama’s words on Washington politics. Washington politics as usual have got to stop, or we can’t move forward.  Period.

Something to think about…..