Isn't It Our Government?
Dear editor:
Whatever happened to the saying of President Lincoln that we should have a government “Of the people, by the people, and for the people?” That’s certainly not what we have today.
Yes, we do get to vote every two years for Congressmen, every four years for a President, and every six years for Senators, but that’s where it ends. We, the people, to coin a phrase, have nothing to say beyond that. Secrecy in government takes over and we are no longer part of the equation. Look at how our government is run today.
The Republican Party just this week chose a new Majority Leader for our House of Representatives. It was a closed door, secret meeting, with the American public left out. When one of our potential laws goes to a conference committee to hammer out differences between the House and the Senate versions, it is handled behind closed doors, with discussions being secretive. We are not allowed to know what is being traded for what, or by whom. When the Vice-President holds a round table discussion with energy company leaders to discuss our future, it is held behind closed doors and we can’t even find out who attended the meeting. Once again, we are not allowed to know, so privilege can be protected. Protected from who? Us?
These are just a few examples, and the tip of the iceberg, of how our government is run “Of the government, by the government, and for the government.” Where did we go wrong? When did everything within the beltway of Washington become the Kremlin? Why is everything in the name of ‘national security’ and we can’t be trusted with any information other than ‘spin’ and ‘I can’t discuss that?’ Why are we spoon fed half-baked information anonymously, rather than full disclosure?
It’s time for the windows and doors of our Executive, Legislative, and Judicial branches of government to be thrown open and let the people in. It is time for us to demand that it is our government and does not belong to those people who walk those marble hallways in Washington, nor to the blood sucking, money supplying lobbyists who pay their way into those secret meetings.
Let’s not forget Mr. Lincoln and his words, so beautifully etched on the walls of his memorial on the Mall. Let’s have “a rebirth of freedom.”
Whatever happened to the saying of President Lincoln that we should have a government “Of the people, by the people, and for the people?” That’s certainly not what we have today.
Yes, we do get to vote every two years for Congressmen, every four years for a President, and every six years for Senators, but that’s where it ends. We, the people, to coin a phrase, have nothing to say beyond that. Secrecy in government takes over and we are no longer part of the equation. Look at how our government is run today.
The Republican Party just this week chose a new Majority Leader for our House of Representatives. It was a closed door, secret meeting, with the American public left out. When one of our potential laws goes to a conference committee to hammer out differences between the House and the Senate versions, it is handled behind closed doors, with discussions being secretive. We are not allowed to know what is being traded for what, or by whom. When the Vice-President holds a round table discussion with energy company leaders to discuss our future, it is held behind closed doors and we can’t even find out who attended the meeting. Once again, we are not allowed to know, so privilege can be protected. Protected from who? Us?
These are just a few examples, and the tip of the iceberg, of how our government is run “Of the government, by the government, and for the government.” Where did we go wrong? When did everything within the beltway of Washington become the Kremlin? Why is everything in the name of ‘national security’ and we can’t be trusted with any information other than ‘spin’ and ‘I can’t discuss that?’ Why are we spoon fed half-baked information anonymously, rather than full disclosure?
It’s time for the windows and doors of our Executive, Legislative, and Judicial branches of government to be thrown open and let the people in. It is time for us to demand that it is our government and does not belong to those people who walk those marble hallways in Washington, nor to the blood sucking, money supplying lobbyists who pay their way into those secret meetings.
Let’s not forget Mr. Lincoln and his words, so beautifully etched on the walls of his memorial on the Mall. Let’s have “a rebirth of freedom.”
posted by Sam Schoolsky | 6:24 AM
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