Thursday, February 04, 2010

Is our government merely a corporation that's "too big to fail?"

What is the return on investment the American people get from paying taxes into our government? If we think of government as a corporation-- is it one that's too big to fail? Are we in this mess not because we had to bail out some institutions in the private sector but because the Chinese have continually had to bail-out our government?

Maybe the best way to force fiscal restraint on Congress is to force them into Chapter 11 bankruptcy restructuring.

I believe there is, on some level, a culture of entitlement that exists with those who hold public offices. Serving the American people isn't a right or entitlement, it's a responsibility. Running for office is a right. But actually getting elected that has to be earned and once it has been earned it comes with the responsibility to serve one's constituents to the best of one's abilities.

A vote should never be given freely, it should be earned. And sadly, on some level I believe that's been forgotten and in forgetting that our government has lost much of its accountability.

Ideologically I'll admit my politics are conservative. But my ideologies do not guarantee my vote for those whose ideologies fall in line with mine or with those who claim their ideologies fall in line with mine... Just because we share the elephant as our mascot does not guarantee my vote...
My vote has to be earned... I will not give of it freely. Voting is a social contract between myself and the person I vote for-- it says I entrust the person I am voting for to serve the American people to the best of his/her abilities and to act in the best interests of the American public. And thus the vote is more than just a vote-- it's a sign of respect and trust... and respect and trust should be earned.

Anyway, back to viewing our government as a corporation-- this November we have the opportunity for a changing of the guard if you will. Many that sit in Congress have lost sight of how they got their and who they serve. We have the opportunity to elect a new "board of directors" if you will that hopefully can steer "the company" out of the red and back into the black. I won't tell you who to vote for-- that's a personal contract between you and the person to whom you give your vote. All I ask, as a fellow American, is that you don't give your vote freely. Make those who seek our votes earn your vote as I implore those same people to earn my vote.

In the end different people may earn our respective votes, but if we hold ourselves more accountable in the voting process it will in turn make for a more accountable electorate.

1 comment:

Bar L. said...

I applaud this post. Its so well written and I agree completely!