To the editor:

During the past 30 years, we voters became so complacent that we didn’t see the forest for the trees. As a result, citizen statesmen were replaced by career politicians. These career politicians were allowed to make decisions based solely on staying in office rather than economic decisions that would benefit society as a whole. The career politicians have systematically transferred massive amounts of wealth from the middle class to the rich.

No citizen statesman would vote in favor of a 2,300-page health reform bill and have the audacity to exempt themselves from the mandated law that is forced on their constituents. No citizen statesman would turn their back on one of America’s premier retailers (Lowe’s) at a time when our city government should be promoting job creation.

Voter apathy must own up to the fact that collectively we have watched government’s bad policy decisions destroy personal net worth while increasing the national debt to over $13 trillion. We have witnessed the decline of the worker in favor of the whiner. A helping hand has been replaced by a handout. The divide between the rich and the middle class has never been greater. We citizens cannot allow our elected officials to continue promoting programs that benefit the few (developers) at the expense of the many (special tax districts).

Regardless or your political affiliation, I would urge every eligible voter to become politically engaged. There are many dead trees in America’s forest that should be cut down and new saplings planted in their place. Let the pruning begin.

J. Joe Herynk,

Lawrence