Promises and Pledges

Many commentators, bloggers, and voters are calling for pledges and promises of the 2010 candidates and potential candidates. I think smart voters know that politicians will say and promise anything to get elected.  ANYTHING.

The only way to know where your elected officials really stand on issues is to check their voting record — that’s not promises, that’s the facts. Below are a variety of websites, some with records going back a decade or more, that give the voting record of each one.

In my opinion a “present” vote means the representative doesn’t make a commitment, doesn’t want you to know where they really stand on an issue.  It is a non-commitment. Someone who has few values makes few commitments and will change with the blowing wind of opinion.

Also, look to see how many times your representative is absent during a vote, any vote. Find the reason for the absence. If many absences show up, consider whether your representative is doing the job you voted to be done. No other job allows someone to at whim be absent.

If there’s going to be real change, we the voters must work for it. We must do the research and determine is a candidate is worthy of our sacred vote.

Start now to find a candidate who truly represents you.

What other ways can we dig past the promises?

http://projects.washingtonpost.com/congress/

http://www.senate.gov/pagelayout/legislative/a_three_sections_with_teasers/votes.htm

http://www.votesmart.org/official_five_categories.php?dist=voting_category.php

http://thomas.loc.gov/home/rollcallvotes.html

http://www.govtrack.us/

Term Limits

For a couple of decades there have been loud and long cries for limits on the number of terms a person can serve in an elected office. In fact 36 states have limits on the office of governor and 15 have limited the number of terms served in legislature.

Term limits are not a modern discussion. It was also debated by the framers of the Constitution. Benjamin Franklin was one of the leading proponents of term limits, having helped put it in the Pennsylvania State Constitution. During the time of states ratifying the U. S. Constitution, some statesman were especially concerned about no term limits on the presidency and the Senate.

George Washington set a precedent by refusing to serve more than two terms as President. That tradition was followed for more than 150 years, until Franklin D. Roosevelt ran and was elected for four terms. It was at that time the Constitution was amended to limit the President to two consecutive terms.

Our Founders held so much mistrust for political power that even office holders held it in disdain. Few strived for a lifetime career  in politics. They served, in the true sense of the word, then returned home to their customary occupation.

Novelist James Fennimore Cooper expressed the sense of the early citizens, “contact with the affairs of state is one of the most corrupting of the influences to which men are exposed.” ( The American Democrat (New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1931), p. 52) Oh, that modern day elected officials would think the same way.

The Constitution has given a provision for term limits. It’s called elections. We, the people, have the power to remove anyone who has set themselves up as ruler in Congress or State House. We, the people, hire a legislator by the vote. We, the people, can fire by the vote.

The time has come to impose term limits by refusing to vote for incumbents. We need to fire those who do not do the job they were hired for – serve the people.

Next November, every Member of the House of Representative is up for re-hire. It’s time to fire them.

You’re The Boss

Recent weeks has seen United States citizens getting out of their chairs and becoming active in the political process. Elected officials have not seen this in many years: Citizens exercising their right to dissent. Senators and Congressman suffering shock and awe.

How have our representative reacted to their surprise? With insults, disdain, and disregard.

One person at a town hall meeting reminded her representative that she is his employer. And, that’s the point of this blog.

Senators, Members of the House, and the President work for us. We hire them through elections and pay their salaries through our taxes. They have forgotten that. I think too often the voters forget that as well. We are the boss.

What would happen if you treated your employer in the manner that Congress Members have treated their constituents? Would you keep your job very long if you ignored your employers instructions? NO.

It’s time for citizens to take their rightful position as the boss of the elected officials. It’s time to fire them.

Party affiliation does not matter. This is not a party issue. It’s an American and Constitutional issue. What matters is hiring officials who work for the U.S. citizens, and not elite rulers.

The time has come to elect a whole new Congress. But, let’s start small and elect all new Representatives. In 2010, every members of the House of Representatives is up for re-election. Let’s fire the bums.