Is this the party to whom I am speaking?

Ted Folkert

September 25, 2014

Do you remember what Lily Tomlin used to say when she did her comedy gig as a telephone operator? Those were the days when we still had telephone operators. I think her appearance was on “Laugh-In”. She would dial someone and ask them: “Is this the party to whom I am speaking?” And then go on messing with them in an insulting manner. She was hilarious as she talked and snickered through her nose. The reality of her comedic gig kind of reminds me of political conversations we encounter today with those who don’t read or listen, except that these conversations aren’t funny and aren’t intended to be. They are primarily repeated sound bites heard at some bar or water fountain by the uninformed or misinformed, the self-appointed-spokespersons-for-responsible-government. (I think a more accurate name would be irresponsible government.)

Lily Tomlin always made funny conversations, which was her job. The self-appointed-spokespersons-for-responsible-government made disappointing conversations for the most part, which was the best they could do without any real insight on their subject or basis for their opinion.

But what we need to talk about now is what Pat Hininger calls “your-vote-is-your-voice-as-an-American-citizen.” We need to talk about it because now is the time we need to exercise this responsibility as an American citizen. Citizenship comes with responsibility. Its survival requires participation. Citizenship requires that you and I keep informed about the issues that affect our lives and our country. It requires that we express our opinions at the polls when called upon to do so. That is the price we all should have to pay in order to remain citizens of this great country.

It always amazes many of us at the low turnout of citizens who exercise their right to vote. The distressing realization amongst our neighbors and associates is that those who do not stay informed on the issues, those who do not vote, are just as vocal, if not more so, about the actions of government as anyone else. Their expressions are uninformed sound bites that they hear from other uninformed citizens, but they repeat them just the same. They complain about President Obama, Harry Reid, Nancy Pelosi, Mitch McConnell, John Boehner, the US Senate, the US House of Representatives. Those they don’t complain about, who are the worst culprits of all, are the 15,000 lobbyists, who tell the elected officials how to vote on the issues, and the rich and powerful individuals and corporations, who finance our irresponsible government with their campaign contributions and invisible personal rewards, during and after serving in public office.

I repeat – those they don’t complain about, who are the worst culprits of all, are the 15,000 lobbyists, who tell the elected officials how to vote on the issues, and the rich and powerful individuals and corporations, who finance our irresponsible government with their campaign contributions and invisible personal rewards, during and after serving in public office.

Therein lies the problem. Therein lies the most important reason that we need to be informed and to vote in the upcoming elections. The only way we can ever effectively change the control of our government, return the control of our government back to the people, is to change the constitution with an amendment to circumvent the ability of the five-brain-dead-men-in-black-dresses from handing all of the electoral power to the rich and powerful individuals and corporations.

The only way that can be accomplished is by electing better leaders. The only ones who can accomplish it are you and me. We can elect better leaders. We can help to expose those who are fraudulent, those who are lap dogs for the powerful, those who care not about their constituents, those who are merely self-centered and avaricious imposters who yearn for the power to select who succeeds and who doesn’t in this country, who gets to dole out the rewards, the good life.

The unscrupulous leaders of whom we speak care not about education unless it is controlled by private industry, those who finance political campaigns. They care not about rebuilding the infrastructure of our country so that it will serve the needs of our kids and our kids’ kids unless it is controlled by private industry, those who finance political campaigns. They care not about solving the environmental problems created by human behavior unless it is controlled by private industry, those who contribute to political campaigns. They care not about health care for all Americans. They care not about Social Security, only pensions for retired legislators like themselves. They care not about early childhood education. They care not about safety nets for those who are unemployed or those who are ill or those who are handicapped or those who are single parents who need help. None of these matter unless they are tied to getting reelected.

Well, we can make them tied to reelection if we change the constitution to eliminate political contributions. If we do that, we can change the whole concept. We can get leaders who care about these essential and fundamental issues that will sustain the nation and make it more democratic, more like a democracy, more like a democratic republic, less like an aristocracy, less like an oligarchy.

We must do it for the sake of the nation. If we don’t America will likely become a monarchy or oligarchy in future generations. This is not a frivolous statement. The path is already established. The inequality of income and wealth is already creating a nation of inheritance and it is getting steadily worse. Such a trend is extremely dangerous and is hard to turn around until an oligarchy is fully established and entrenched. It is all downhill from there. Then it fails and the country suffers decades of decline.

Think about it!

Study the issues. Form your own opinions. Vote for responsible government.

GO VOTE! Please!