Predictably, in the midst of our nation’s largest financial crisis, our trusted representatives are playing politics as usual. Before undertaking this bill of monumental proportions, our representatives assured us that this bill would be passed quickly and with bipartisan support. As promised, everyone gathered together, holding hands and singing "Kum Ba Yah", expecting to pass a bill and snap a picture. Then Nancy Pelosi stands up and delivers a speech that’s akin to “Nanny Nanny Boo Boo, I Told You You”, which prompted the Republicans to respond with, “I’m rubber and you’re, glue whatever you say bounces off of me and sticks to you”. Then everyone picked up their toys and went home.
Folks, these are the people we have deciding our financial future, making decisions about war, controlling our retirement and health care. As you read the last paragraph, you probably thought to yourself, “If it wasn’t for the [insert party here], we would have had the bill passed". That’s exactly what the politicians want from America. As long as America is polarized over key issues, the politicians have effectively carved out a niche market in which they can use to get re-elected.
Sure we have differences over abortion, religion, finances and other things, but to be a nation divided on EVERY other issue that hits the airwaves is ridiculous. Most Americans have an opinion on the above issues and are pretty set in their ways. However, most Americans aren’t sign-toting, finger-flipping, screaming-at-the-top-of-their-lungs protesters. Sure, we see the protesters' point of view, but an overwhelming majority of Americans aren’t moved to act like an idiot by standing in the rain waiting for other idiots to honk their horn in agreement.
If we can agree that most of Americans aren’t radicals, this means there is room for compromise. The problem is, there is no money, power, or fame for our Representatives if they go to Washington and REPRESENT their constituents by doing their job. They need to have a polarizing issue to piss off voters enough to vote for them. Guess what?--If the polling data changes, they will miraculously “see the light” and find a way to get pissed off at the issue they originally liked.
All of this is facilitated by the media, who are trying to sell newspapers and gain market share. Headlines like: "Republican Bob and Democrat Joe Settle Their Issues Over a Round of Golf" won’t sell papers. However, if Democrat Joe goes on the nightly news and says “Republican Bob was playing golf instead of voting to save the planet", this sells. Then the media will follow that story with a group of Republican protesters screaming at a bunch of Democratic protesters about an issue most of us don’t care about. By this time we are getting upset at the coverage and switching channels to the news station that’s “not biased”, which is what they wanted - a niche market.
Okay, I’m probably beginning to sound like a conspiracy theorist, which I assure you I’m not; I’m just mad as Hell, and you should be too. I leave you with this: The definition of corruption is: "Impairment of integrity, virtue or moral principle; depravity, decay, and/or an inducement to wrong by improper or unlawful means, a departure from the original or from what is pure or correct, and/or an agency or influence that corrupts.”
We hire lawyers, (of all people), to go to Washington who accept money from lobbyists, who are paid money by large companies to convince OUR representatives to vote in a way that benefits their client. Hello, hello? Is this thing on? Is anyone there?
Aubrey Clark is a Syndicated writer, Author and editor for Direct Banc, a low interest rate credit card directory. Aubrey is a financial expert and is currently working on an Airline Miles Credit Card tutorial . He current lives in Atlanta Ga. with his wife and four children.
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