A fundamental problem we face as humans is complacency and becoming numb to our surroundings (at least in my own personal experience). It is easier to silence all of the problems going on around us than to actually think about them and discover solutions.
As much as I believe the government in the United States is ineffective at it's current state, I know that government is the best way to enact change. And I am a firm believer in the idea that you cannot complain or discuss something if you do not know the facts on the matter. If you are disengaged from politics and don't make yourself aware of the issues then you are just as much at fault as the senators who are making decisions.. and by you I am also including myself. Part of the reason I write blogs is to sort through my thoughts and remind myself of ways I can improve. I am angry at myself for being complacent and expecting the media or whoever to educate me on the issues instead of going out and educating myself. I don't mobilize until a decision has already been made and by that point I can't even be mad because I didn't call my senator or write a letter to show them my support on certain issues... Then I have this other part of me that knows how much money corporations are funneling into state/national campaigns and cannot help but feel that my voice is silenced... When someone with a personal agenda spends thousands of money on an individuals campaign they basically have that individual in their pocket..especially if that person wants to get re-elected since the person with the most money apparently wins the campaign. It infuriates me that the best candidate may not win simply because they do not have enough money to run the race... I am a business major and this set up is definitely made by business people because you cannot play the business game unless you have money. Government should not be like that....it should be based on credentials and who connects/understands the people. So we need to stand up and educate ourselves on the issues, which companies are contributing to campaigns, and if senators are voting in the interest of their constituents or in the interest of the corporation that helped get them in office.
This is not a party issue. It your right and duty as a citizen to have a voice in the political realm. If we continue to remain silent things will only get worse. Corporations are the most involved in politics- money wise and action wise (lobbyist!). We have to join together to get the public interest to our state and national senators if we want our votes to matter once again!
A friend showed me some great, nonpartisan websites that make it easy to keep up with what's going on in the House and Senate. It shows a summary about the piece of legislation, a link to the full resolution, how each individual senator/representative voted on the resolution, and what money they received from special interests/organizations. It is awesome and makes it easy to stay involved! There isn't anyone yelling at you about something, a waste of time update, celebrity crap, or biased views--just facts!
So I hope you check them out and make a pledge today to be an active member of our democratic society. I am pledging to get on these sites instead of Facebook at least 3x per week.
Simply Live: Be thankful that you live in a society that allows you to voice your opinion and that was created to make sure each and every person has a voice that should be listened to by the government!
Live Simply: Don't look at things based on sides or preconceived biases. Simply make it a point to know the facts and make the call based on your personal beliefs (then don't judge others if their personal beliefs are different).
With dreams of a mostly unified population that controls government decisions,
Alyssa
