“Washington, D.C. is twelve square miles bordered by reality.”
–President Andrew Johnson
Well, the impeachment trial is mercifully over, and I suspect most of us are glad for that. I also suspect that most of you, as do I, have an opinion on Mr. Trump’s complicity, or lack thereof, in the events of January 6. I don’t want to debate that issue on these pages, but I do have a couple of observations to make.
In the weeks prior to the Senate trial, members from both sides of the aisle emoted about the millions of Americans suffering economically due to the pandemic. The situation was desperate and a bill had to be passed forthwith.
Then, the pivot. The suffering could be extended by at least a week while the senators turned to impeachment; no problem. Let’s hope they get back to what’s really important right now–relief for those whom they represent.
As Mr. Trump is now citizen Trump, the purported motive for the impeachment was to prevent him from running for federal office (read, “the presidency”) in the future.
As I wrote last month in my local newspaper, the individuals who should determine their 2024 candidate are the voters in Republican primaries. While I believe Mr. Trump will never run for office again, it is not for one hundred people in Washington, D.C. to decide who can and can’t run for president.
So, where are we now? Our elected officials are almost equally divided between the two parties. To be sure, the Democrats have power now, but that was also the case in the early years of the Obama Administration, and look how that turned out.
The polarization in Washington is probably as bad as it’s ever been. Members of Congress behave like players in a zero-sum game, and happily display their political schadenfreude. No wonder there’s very little bipartisanship.
I don’t know what it is about that little district known as Washington, but so many candidates who declare the system to be broken win election and proceed to become part of the problem, not the solution.
The American people are also almost equally divided. But while we may disagree on policy and cultural issues, for the most part we get along with one another. As I’ve said before, I believe most of us hover near the center of the political spectrum, not way to the right or left. Perhaps that’s why we get along–that, and the fact that we’re not running for re-election.
We deserve better from our elected officials, and we must demand more. We need to hold them accountable for what they do and say. The consequence of their failing to live up to our expectations is they get voted out of office.
So, what can we do about governance, locally and nationally, to effect change? We have to participate in the process.
Get involved with candidacies. Support your candidate(s) with your time and talents. Believe it or not, there are already opportunities to do this for the 2022 mid-term elections.
Run for office. While running for federal office may be a daunting task, there are seats on school boards, city and town councils, county commissions, and state offices. Our newly elected Lt. Governor in NC has never before held public office. It can be done.
At the very least, we must exercise our privilege of voting. It took one hundred days to decide a U.S. House seat in NY. There were several re-counts of votes for State Supreme Court Chief Justice in my state of NC. Both elections were decided by the narrowest of margins. Our votes really do count!
Finally, be an informed citizen. Read publications, watch news shows–not only those that reinforce your pre-conceived notions, but those that challenge them, too.
Our democratic republic form of government can be frustrating at times, but it represents the genius of our founders, who created the framework for a political experiment that has thrived for almost 250 years. If there’s a better system, I haven’t heard about it.
We, the people, deserve the very best of our elected officials, and anything less than that is a failure on their part and a betrayal of our faith in them.
So, let’s all start reading, listening, watching, thinking, and voting. Remember, it’s our country they’re governing.
3 Comments
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“Washington, D.C. is twelve square miles bordered by reality.”
–President Andrew Johnson
Well, the impeachment trial is mercifully over, and I suspect most of us are glad for that. I also suspect that most of you, as do I, have an opinion on Mr. Trump’s complicity, or lack thereof, in the events of January 6. I don’t want to debate that issue on these pages, but I do have a couple of observations to make.
In the weeks prior to the Senate trial, members from both sides of the aisle emoted about the millions of Americans suffering economically due to the pandemic. The situation was desperate and a bill had to be passed forthwith.
Then, the pivot. The suffering could be extended by at least a week while the senators turned to impeachment; no problem. Let’s hope they get back to what’s really important right now–relief for those whom they represent.
As Mr. Trump is now citizen Trump, the purported motive for the impeachment was to prevent him from running for federal office (read, “the presidency”) in the future.
As I wrote last month in my local newspaper, the individuals who should determine their 2024 candidate are the voters in Republican primaries. While I believe Mr. Trump will never run for office again, it is not for one hundred people in Washington, D.C. to decide who can and can’t run for president.
So, where are we now? Our elected officials are almost equally divided between the two parties. To be sure, the Democrats have power now, but that was also the case in the early years of the Obama Administration, and look how that turned out.
The polarization in Washington is probably as bad as it’s ever been. Members of Congress behave like players in a zero-sum game, and happily display their political schadenfreude. No wonder there’s very little bipartisanship.
I don’t know what it is about that little district known as Washington, but so many candidates who declare the system to be broken win election and proceed to become part of the problem, not the solution.
The American people are also almost equally divided. But while we may disagree on policy and cultural issues, for the most part we get along with one another. As I’ve said before, I believe most of us hover near the center of the political spectrum, not way to the right or left. Perhaps that’s why we get along–that, and the fact that we’re not running for re-election.
We deserve better from our elected officials, and we must demand more. We need to hold them accountable for what they do and say. The consequence of their failing to live up to our expectations is they get voted out of office.
So, what can we do about governance, locally and nationally, to effect change? We have to participate in the process.
Get involved with candidacies. Support your candidate(s) with your time and talents. Believe it or not, there are already opportunities to do this for the 2022 mid-term elections.
Run for office. While running for federal office may be a daunting task, there are seats on school boards, city and town councils, county commissions, and state offices. Our newly elected Lt. Governor in NC has never before held public office. It can be done.
At the very least, we must exercise our privilege of voting. It took one hundred days to decide a U.S. House seat in NY. There were several re-counts of votes for State Supreme Court Chief Justice in my state of NC. Both elections were decided by the narrowest of margins. Our votes really do count!
Finally, be an informed citizen. Read publications, watch news shows–not only those that reinforce your pre-conceived notions, but those that challenge them, too.
Our democratic republic form of government can be frustrating at times, but it represents the genius of our founders, who created the framework for a political experiment that has thrived for almost 250 years. If there’s a better system, I haven’t heard about it.
We, the people, deserve the very best of our elected officials, and anything less than that is a failure on their part and a betrayal of our faith in them.
So, let’s all start reading, listening, watching, thinking, and voting. Remember, it’s our country they’re governing.
3 Comments
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I really enjoy your blog, Tim! Thank you for encouraging us to really think, and to search for the truth.
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schadenfreude – you sent me to the dictionary
Great post which is what I have come to expect.
Spot on regarding informed involvement. Moaning and groaning from the backseat does nothing to improve the situation. Take the wheel and drive the change you wish to see. Better yet BE the change you wish to see! -
Tim, thanks again for your informative and provocative blog posts. They keep my ’wheels a-turnin’ until I’m moved to write. Our involvement in our representative democracy should at a minimum impel us to vote, though ballot-casting should be cleaner, verifiable, carefully and objectively monitored and accessible. Both parties have cheated and it must stop…by making it more difficult to skirt the rules without creating barriers. A sloppy, slipshod, overzealous commitment to convenience, in the absence of comprehensive quality oversight, naively or strategically intending to assure that EVERYBODY votes (not to be confused with everybody who WISHES to legally/lawfully vote) is a recipe for disaster. Whether self-interest, caucus or party allegiance, or the candidate’s haircut determines your voting decision, that, to be biblical, is nothing new under the sun. Our strong, but vulnerable union, requires knowledgeable, selfless, committed and logical leaders, who obviously recognize that Americans, like ALL humans, are naturally flawed and have erred, and continue to err. But, through introspection, selflessness, love for your neighbor, responsible parenting, and electing prudent leaders (or run yourself, as you suggested!) who show a wise and nurturing respect for the hard work that has been done (and continues to be done), we can persevere through the self-loathing, history revisions, profligate national spending and blatant and unremitting attempts to divide us.
I really enjoy your blog, Tim! Thank you for encouraging us to really think, and to search for the truth.
schadenfreude – you sent me to the dictionary
Great post which is what I have come to expect.
Spot on regarding informed involvement. Moaning and groaning from the backseat does nothing to improve the situation. Take the wheel and drive the change you wish to see. Better yet BE the change you wish to see!
Tim, thanks again for your informative and provocative blog posts. They keep my ’wheels a-turnin’ until I’m moved to write. Our involvement in our representative democracy should at a minimum impel us to vote, though ballot-casting should be cleaner, verifiable, carefully and objectively monitored and accessible. Both parties have cheated and it must stop…by making it more difficult to skirt the rules without creating barriers. A sloppy, slipshod, overzealous commitment to convenience, in the absence of comprehensive quality oversight, naively or strategically intending to assure that EVERYBODY votes (not to be confused with everybody who WISHES to legally/lawfully vote) is a recipe for disaster. Whether self-interest, caucus or party allegiance, or the candidate’s haircut determines your voting decision, that, to be biblical, is nothing new under the sun. Our strong, but vulnerable union, requires knowledgeable, selfless, committed and logical leaders, who obviously recognize that Americans, like ALL humans, are naturally flawed and have erred, and continue to err. But, through introspection, selflessness, love for your neighbor, responsible parenting, and electing prudent leaders (or run yourself, as you suggested!) who show a wise and nurturing respect for the hard work that has been done (and continues to be done), we can persevere through the self-loathing, history revisions, profligate national spending and blatant and unremitting attempts to divide us.