Raising Our Voices

The United States is going to hell in a handbag.  You may say that’s an opinion but I see it as a fact.  Millions of citizens are losing their access to affordable health insurance. Thousands face probable deportation in five weeks despite the fact that they’re hard working students, employees and service members who pay taxes and are not draining social welfare programs. Social welfare programs that are supposed to be there for the citizens are being drained to benefit corporations.  A hostile foreign power tampers with our free and open elections (a hallmark of democracy if ever there was one) and our elected officials and their toadies deny it all.  Yes, folks, we’re on that express elevator to our doom.

The past several weeks have had me thinking about my family and the environment in which I was raised.  I grew up in a very politically active family.  Both parents sat on the city counsel at one time or another.  I was attending party fundraisers when I was in grade school.  I’ve seen the good, the bad and the ugly and as much as it pains me, it gets uglier every year.

One of the reasons the ugliness increases is we no longer want to hold our elected officials accountable.  Some people have given up saying our voices will be drowned out by lobbyists and political action committees.  That is a possibility.  But it’s only possible if we all remain silent.  We need to shout out our message and we need to do it over and over again.  We have to make sure that the voters have the loudest voice and the clearest message.

Now, please don’t tell me that it takes too much time/effort to do this.  This is the twenty-first century, people.  Sending your elected officials an email is incredibly easy.  Want to send your senator a message?  Find their email address here.   Want to tell your representative how you feel about something?  Check Here. Don’t know who your representative is? Find them here,

Afraid you’re not a great writer?  You don’t have to be.  Long, impassioned pleas are not required.  As much as you might like to rant and rave, brevity really is your friend.  Just tell them what you want them to do.  As my high school speech teacher would say, “Make your point. Back it up. Shut up.”  

Need an example?  Below is a letter I’m sending to all the Indiana Republican members of the House of Representatives as well as Senator Todd Young.  I’m also copying Paul Ryan and Mitch McConnell just because I want them to know how I feel.  It’s not long; just under 300 words (severely pared down from the original rant and rave) but it includes my complaint and what I want them to do about it. 

If you want a better world, you must demand it. So demand it over and over again.

I’m writing to inform you just how disappointed I am in you and virtually every other Republican in both the House of Representatives and Senate.  My disappointment stems from the appearance that you’re all ignorant of or just don’t give a damn about something we in Indiana learn in grade school.

The three branches of government were created as a system of checks and balances for each other.  The executive branch serves as a check on the judicial branch. The judicial branch is a check on the legislative branch. And the legislative branch is supposed to be a check on the executive branch.  I'm writing to bring it to your attention you've failed miserably.

It is shameful the House and Senate Intelligence and Judiciary committees have given up trying to get to the bottom of the Russian intervention in the 2016 presidential election. It is even worse that they’re now taking steps to actively impede the justice department’s investigation into the same crime and with it the investigation into which Americans were complicit.

I grew up in a politically active family so I understand party loyalty but democracy must be put before party interests.  By refusing to do that, you are complicit.  You are part of the conspiracy that is allowing a hostile foreign power to hold sway over the best interests of the United States.  You are responsible for putting this country’s law enforcement and intelligence services in peril. 

I implore you to grow a spine and start working for the United States.  Stand up to Donald Trump.  Don't be one of his lackeys.  You were not elected to be a sycophant to the liar and bully who inhabits the Oval Office. You were elected to the branch of government that is supposed to be the check and balance over the executive branch.  Now do your job!