Just because things are different doesn’t mean anything has changed
Irene Peter
In light of recent world events and the upcoming 2012 presidential election (It will be here before you know it), I figured I would change gears for a second and put together some questions to ask the current members of our Legislative and Executive branches of the Federal Government.
Now I want to preface this entry by saying that I am not a Pundit or expert political analyst in any way, shape or form. However, I am observant. If I were ever granted an opportunity to voice my concerns in Washington, here are just SOME of the questions and commentary I would have for the Big Whigs on the Hill:
Why are oil companies paying so many millions of dollars per barrel for oil from the Middle East and we have oil resources off the coast of the Gulf States and in Alaska that we haven't truly tapped into. Hybrid energy is great but will it be made affordable to all? Ethanol sound like a wonderful alternative fuel but how will it be presented to the masses?
How are you going to lower the price of fuel? Will we ever see $.99 per gallon regular unleaded and if so when and if no why not? At this point I'd just be glad to see $1.99 per gallon unleaded gasoline.
What plans do you have to bring our troops home? Saddam is dead. Bin Laden is dead. If there aren't any plans to bring our troops home immediately why are they still fighting and what in Heaven’s name are they fighting for? Not to mention I thought it was the CIA's job to make sure that the wars we fight are little ones. The Iraqi and Afghanistan conflicts have been anything but little wars. I know many a soldier and soldier’s family that will attest to that. Now granted there has been an extreme amount of unrest in Northern Africa and the Middle East as of late with uprisings in Bahrain, Egypt, Yemen and all along the Israeli border. Not to mention the Somali Pirate issue. Consequently I can understand the need for some U.S. intervention, but it just seems like our Government officials have no idea of when to say when. It’s like once our Military is inserted into a conflict, no one in Washington knows when to pull our troops out. Case in point.. our troops have been in Afghanistan for nearly ten years primarily to hunt for a man that may have been hold up in a neighboring country for six.
When will we stop sending aid to other nations while our infrastructure and affairs domestically need the Federal Government’s attention? Now, I’m not a sadist… I’m all for international humanitarian efforts. The recent rash of global natural disasters have reached staggering proportions. I understand assisting those that are in need as result of acts of God. However, I don’t understand why we are in Syria messing with a man that has been in power for over 40 years. Why all of a sudden must we now interfere with their civil conflict. Hell the entire Middle East region for that matter. Why is America always the nation that always has to place it’s brave Servicemen and Servicewomen in harms way while rest of the world has the audacity to sit back and criticize out efforts? I don’t recall our nation receiving any humanitarian assistance when we experience natural disasters and acts of God. Ask the people of New Orleans how much global humanitarian assistance they received after Katrina. They barely got any assistance for the US Government let alone from other parts of the World. Ask the tornado and flood victims of the Southeast and Northeast how much global humanitarian assistance they received. You have people in Nashville being asked to return FEMA assistance checks that they received after the great 100-year flood. In my humble opinion it’s pretty despicable to ask an 84-year-old woman to return a $15,000 check that she received as a result of losing every earthly possession she owned in a natural disaster. How do you ask someone that has nothing to pay back much needed assistance money? Let me just move on to my next question. I could write a whole entry on this one question alone….
What will you do to stabilize the nation’s economy and bolster the strength of the dollar internationally? The Euro is now worth more than the US Dollar. Not to mention that China (a communist country) is obtaining superpower status. Word on the street is that they will surpass us as a Superpower on every level by the year 2014.
What steps are being taken to lower the National Debt? If all the countries that we owe money called in their markers today we'd all be slaves and indentured servants again!
Can Democracy survive all of the bipartisan grandstanding that occurred during President Obama’s first term as President? I mean to be quite honest; it seems to me that the principles and values that once separated the Democratic Party from the Republican Party have all but vanished. Not to mention it seems to me that the Democratic Congressmen and women on the Hill have offered more resistance to President Obama’s (who the last time I checked was a Democrat) attempts to correct the years of mismanagement of our great nation’s resources by the administrations that preceded his than they ever did his predecessor. As of late Democrats on the hill and all over Washington are more aggressive with candidates from their own party than they are with candidates from other parties. The in fighting has gotten ridiculous. I thought we sent our Representatives to Washington to represent us … their constituents.. the American People. It seems all politicians care about is cheating on their spouses and lining their pockets with special interest money.
Now I’m sure as you are reading this that you may have some questions of your own. All I can do is encourage you to make your voice heard. I think the American People have been ignored long enough. Voice your opinion! That is your God given and First Amendment right. I also ask that you become informed. Never tire of learning new things and asking questions. The only dumb question is the one that is not asked. Don’t fall into complacency with the status quo. Don’t be apathetic towards questionable policymaking and quit settling for politics as usual. I honestly don’t feel that anyone has a right to complain about anything if they are not willing to pursue change. Get out and exercise your right to vote (Too many people lost their lives and sacrificed their livelihood so that you can have it.) One person truly can make a difference. History has shown us this time and time again.
Let me call the roll, if I may…
Jesus Christ
Noah
Moses
Prince Hall
Shaka kaSenzangakhona
Hannibal Barca
Harriett Tubman
Marcus Garvey
Cesar Chavez
Ernesto “Che” Guevara
Bantu Steven Biko
Nelson Mandela
Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi
Sojourner Truth
Rosa Parks
Martin Luther King, Jr.
EL-Hajj Malik Shabazz
Muhammad Ali
Dick Gregory
Angela Davis
Gordon Parks
Arthur Ashe
Jackie Robinson
Jesse Owens
Jim Brown
Rep. Maxine Waters
Reverend Al Sharpton
Barack Obama
And these are just a few of history’s boundary smashers and trailblazers. Individuals that just would not take no for an answer or just would not be denied. Honor their sacrifices and their attempt to leave a legacy by doing your part. After all…this is our obligation. Not only to those that have come before us but also to those that shall come after us.
