Thursday, August 27, 2009

Is America's "Democratic Republic" becoming too difficult for it's citizenry?

The Health Care Reform package has 4 bills currently up for consideration in the Congress. One of those bills has 1,038 pages. Does the average citizen have the time to read and comprehend all that material? NO. Part of citizenry is knowing when to allow your elected representative to make the decision. Yes, you can send him your opinion, after reading, discussing, etc., however, you are going to reach a point where you are going to have to allow your representative do the job you sent him to the legislature to accomplish.
That is why you have to establish people/newsgroups/TV news/discussion groups whom you value their opinion, whatever it takes to help you reach your opinion about the item. Remember, our form of government only allows you an opinion that you give your representative/senator and you have to be ready to support his decision and the congressional process after the vote. If you are not happy with the vote, you will get another chance to correct the situation, by working harder for your position!

Thursday, August 13, 2009

Citizens come out to speak to Congressmen about Health Care

President Obama's Health Care initiative has sparked the citizenry to come out and fact find with their congressmen. Congressmen are on their summer break and will return in September, so they have been using the time to meet with their constituents and find out what they feel about Government Health Care for the Nation. There have been repeated shouting matches, organized people shouting down the other attendees, rude planned behavior to everyone, it is not a pretty thing. It appears there are many concerns that need to be explained, however, it is become difficult to get a word in edge-wise. To the benefit of congressmen at these meetings, for the most part, they have been courteous, and have tried to answer the questions from the electorate.
There are several areas that need to be touched on:
1. It does not appear most people have really read the documents involved, not even summaries, but some appear to have been coached with aids. There is nothing wrong with this, it is their first amendment right. If you are faced with such a situation, you need to be prepared to respond and learn from your experience.
2. It "appears" that the Republican Party has coached with instructions, handouts, placards, people to vent their emotions towards the congressperson and members of the audience. Tactics such as "Ramsey Clarke and his 'rent-a-mob' is using is staged and organized to disrupt. It is not being positive.
3. People appear to be worried about more than just health care. They are worried about where this country is headed, the lack of leadership, the high debt, it is a ground-swell of people that have always been in existence, but have not had the readily available venue and access to express themselves.
4. There does not seem to be a modicum of energy towards working together!! " It is my way or the highway" Health care for all citizens has been attempted for over 70 years. The lobbyists and the free enterprise system has arranged to win the battles. In the movie "Wall Street", Gordon Gecko, investor tells a board meeting, "Greed is good". This seems to be the theme throughout America's version of free enterprise, however, "Greed is NOT good. The only reason Greed appears to be good is because only a few can participate at the top. No one cares for the remaining population. Now is the time where this equation needs to be changed and people at the top are going to have to adjust.