To the editor:
Thanks to David Guth for his thoughtful comments about giving up on the Republican Party and, after much soul-searching, registering as an Independent. My question is, what took him so long? He’s right, of course. The present GOP is a shadow of its former self when great statesmen like Bob Dole, Jacob Javits and Everett Dirksen walked the halls of Congress. These men were faithful spokesmen for their party and its principles, but they never forgot they were Americans first. Although I am presently a Democrat, my political affiliation does not detract from the fact that the GOP was once a Grand Old Party and garnered a great deal of respect. Sadly, it can no longer claim that worthy title.
I would disagree with Mr. Guth on one point. Although we like to label politicians as the bad players in this game of politics, I would suggest the electorate take a good look at itself and consider whether we all deserve a big share of the blame for the disfunctionality. Who, after all, hires these people to serve as representatives and senators? Let’s admit that we are pretty ineffective in the hiring and firing department. If we were entrusted to hire people with the best qualifications and the best resumes to manage our businesses, I suspect we would be pretty careful. It’s a shame we don’t pay as much attention when we elect those who will manage the business of America.
I’ll admit that I’m weary when I hear the relentless moaning and groaning from an electorate who refuses to take responsibility for sending uncompromising, incompetent representatives to Congress. One could say that it’s garbage in, garbage out in the political arena also. Could we all take some time to educate ourselves and vote intelligently?
Comments
Richard Heckler 3 years, 11 months ago
My father in law also left the party after 60 years as a fiscal conservative republican. What's missing are fiscal conservatives ,diplomatic foreign policy and law enforcement in the financial industry.
Ralph Nader has been an advocate for replacing 90% of incumbents each voting cycle. This could be noted as term limits controlled by the voters. Who needs a law?
Another means in which to clean up congress looks like this.
Let's demand a new system and vote in Fair Vote America : http://www.fairvote.org/irv/ Demand a change on the next ballot.
Let's have public financing of campaigns. Citizens cannot afford special interest money campaigns for it is the citizens that get left out. http://www.publicampaign.org/
Richard Heckler 3 years, 11 months ago
Why do we americans vote in the rich which are supported by the rich to make decisions for the entire middle class and low income? There are billions more middle class and low income so why elect the minority to decide for the majority?
Is it possible we're not getting the sharpest cookies on the block?
They have sent tens of millions of middle class jobs abroad with no job replacement in sight. Isn't their something wrong with this picture?
Ask yourself why do we voters tend to vote for the largest spending candidates? What good has this choice been for congress or our local governments?
Thomas Bryce Jr. 3 years, 11 months ago
Better learn to speak Mandarin then.
Thomas Bryce Jr. 3 years, 11 months ago
I don't think his net worth is a Quarter BILLION dollars, unlike his opponent. Yes, he is rich by MY standards. But, Compared to the net worth of The Koch Bros. or Sheldon Adelson, Obama is Lower Middle Class.
Seth Peterson 3 years, 11 months ago
Ignorance! Moving on.
Flap Doodle 3 years, 11 months ago
If you are a disappointed progressive, you should be voting for Nader next month. That'll stick it to the man!
just_another_bozo_on_this_bus 3 years, 11 months ago
He's not on the ballot, or otherwise, I would vote for Nader-- but not because it "sticks it to the man." It's because he's got more integrity (and intelligence) in his little finger than either of the major party candidates has in their corrupt-money addled brains.
Clara Westphal 3 years, 11 months ago
Voters have no chance to vote for someone who is not rich.. Only the rich can afford to run for office. Too bad because there are good people who could run this country much better than the ones who are in office.
This year will be another 'hold you nose and vote'.
avoice 3 years, 11 months ago
The letter-writer is correct. Therefore, do not vote for either Romney or Obama. Find the person on the ballot who truly has the best interests of the majority of the electorate in mind. If you can find that person on your ballot, that is.
jhawkinsf 3 years, 11 months ago
And if the person is not on the ballot, then write ins are still permitted.
Of course, this only works if you're interesting in voting your conscience. If you're more interested in voting for winners, then you must vote either Democrat or Republican.
scaramouchepart2 3 years, 11 months ago
The problem is no one votes or thinks republican or democrat. We think and function as conservative, liberal, some even farther to each extreme and in the middle somewhere. We each, those who think, will find some ideas to our beliefs, and others too far to the right or left. As good watchers of our government policies we should get involved in polite conversation with those who end up serving us in what we agree with, don't agree with, and ways to make things better for all citizens. The problems happens when those voted to serve consider themselves above us or decide a small group of people who can give them something are the only people they serve. The elected person who does this no longer follows their oath of office and should be removed by the people. We should not remove persons who try to do the best for all citizens and whose hands are tied by competition, until they no longer do the job they swore an oath to, but those who want fame, fortune and people brown nosing have become the norm and it is our job to vote them out. The U S government is ours to uphold or lose. The government for the people by the people is ours to deliver to tyranny. We must not just demand our rights like corporations do, we must do our job and responsibilities. Number one is voting. Not voting for the guy who will give you more then many others, but the persons who will work for their constituents. Gov. Brownback had a fundraiser giving lobbyists better positions in legislating their corporations demands. The lobbyist who donates the most to republican candidates got the highest position in the lobby line. This is not someone who works for his constituents, but abuses his position for the handful who make him feel all powerful. As we allow this to continue we are giving up our rights as citizens and are becoming the new slave laborer. Lower wages, no benefits, part time jobs, cannot afford a decent home, education and once we become to old to work are called lazy, living off the dole. Considered by certain politicians the scum of the world. Your vote will determine if we become the people who are the constituents or the new slave labor. Think before you vote.
3 years, 11 months ago
"A left-wing extremist like Anna Stemmer respected the GOP when it had no power."
She's still spot on with the conclusion of this letter: we have the people we have in office because we elect them. There's no getting around the fact. The Democrats' selection is on the ballot because the Democrats chose that person to carry their flag. Ditto for the Republicans. The fact that no one but those two parties is elected is not an indictment of the parties - though they should be ashamed for their ballot access rules - but because the voters, collectively, choose them time after time, even when we have other choices. It's a very difficult thing to admit that we have idiots in national and state offices because we chose them, but we did.
If we don't like whom the parties offer us, the proper response is to not select them. Write someone in, vote third party, run yourself. If you make it a rule to vote only for people whom you actually want to win, then at least you can avoid that sickened feeling of having voted in the evil of two lessers. If you vote and your person loses, then you have merely voted for a loser. If you vote for a moron and he wins, then you have inflicted a moron on your neighbors. It's easier to sleep at night having merely voted for a loser.
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