Whatever the problem is, it's our fault

The present political situation in Washington-on-the-Deficit is flummoxing.

Politicians don’t have to like one another in order to work together for the benefit of the country. They don’t have to pretend to be friendly when, in fact, the chemistry between two people is often lacking a congeniality gene. And, they don’t have to fold on key personal and party principles in order to pursue compromise.

But the very least we should expect from our elected leaders is that they act respectful of each other, that they review issues with an open mind and closed mouth, that they push monied interests to the background of the fray in order to truly represent the “people.”

The pecking order of influence in the national capitol is money, party and people.

It is a fact of politics in America in 2013 that most politicians are bought and paid for by special interest money. Companies pushing oil, pharmaceuticals, insurance and medical interests, along with associations supposedly representing lawyers, educators and civil servants, and associated Politician Action Committees, constantly put pressure on elected officials to vote “right.”

The voices of ordinary Americans – you, me, us, them – are lost in the sound of the rustling of big money to buy influence. It’s not a new premise that “money talks.” In politics, it always has; it always will.

But that simply pinpoints the problem: We elect politicians due to their so-called philosophical bent, when, in truth, we elect politicians who “buy” our vote with slick advertising paid for by special interests showing them as saviors instead of the money-grubbers they truly are.

That is not heated rhetoric; it is fact based on more than 40 years of observations of political animals who start off as starry-eyed neophytes and then quickly bow to political pressures and money. They become corrupted by the sheer power they possess simply by holding a title, by accolades

from ego-building lobbyists and the need to do whatever it takes to get re-elected.

Political Truism 101 teaches us that the “ins” will do whatever it takes to stay “in”; the “outs” will do whatever it takes to get “in” and then do whatever it takes to stay “in.”

Nothing … nothing will change until the system changes and that can only be done by an amendment to the constitution to enact term limits on members of Congress AND limit pork barrel legislation entirely except in cases of true emergencies. Congress won’t ever push for this amendment and this fundamental change to limit the ability to disperse our tax money back home.

Without term limits, there is no reason for elected officials to change their behavior. With the ability to enact pork barrel projects at will, elected officials have an advantage over possible opponents because they literally “buy” votes by using tax dollars to assist in getting re-elected.

Nothing will change until voters get mad … mad enough to vote out Good Ol’ Joe and start a state-by-state push for term limits.

Vegas is not taking bets on that happening. That old bugaboo “apathy” overshadows righteous indignation and there is no indication of a concerted national exhibition of controlled anger that is necessary to spark true legislative reform.

At this point in time, the three quasi-political parties are a joke. And the American public is the “punch” line.