voters – Sillyfrog's Blog

In only 6 minutes we must use the image below to inspire a story.

Son: ” Dad, we’re doing a new unit about ‘serial killers’ at school. I was surprised that Ted Bundy didn’t look at all like a ‘monster’.”

Dad: “That’s the same revelation that I had when I first saw him in the news. That observation opened my eyes to ‘how evil works’ in our world. It, more often than not, appeals to people’s ‘better natures’ and cons them into doing its bidding. Far more harm and destruction has come from people convinced that they were doing something ‘noble’ and ‘good’ than ugly barbarians. An interruption to common sense and logic comes ‘gift wrapped’ in a pretty promise that people may have an opportunity to ‘show off’ their virtuousness. Bundy was good looking and likeable, so he wasn’t easily suspected of “evil” which gave him more opportunities to use it.

Son: OMG…That sounds like the same way people pick which politicians they vote for!

https://christinebialczak.com/2023/03/07/simply-6-minutes-welcome-to-the-challenge-03-07-2023/

079 Capitol Hill United States Congress 1993 (Photo credit: David Holt London)

There is a problem with our government. <<Everyone nods>>

Its central locale is our Congress. <<Everyone snorts>>

It just may be too simple to fix. << Jaws agape…interest confirmed>>

Our Congress is in a bubble that “We the people…” cannot easily penetrate. The idea of setting strict term limits on Congress members has floated around but… really?…do you think they’ll vote for that?

The cry of many Americans is for cleaning out all of the members. If you haven’t wondered, <<why?>>, let me school you about a few things that I’ve learned.

There is an ongoing system of “favors” among members of Congress. In order to get votes on anything, the Congressmen and women offer favors and, with it, their implied loyalty on future votes. There are Lobbyists who dance around trying to buy an interest and some promises for loyalties. The Congress people are not required to listen to lobbyists, but folks…money talks. Power (which can be used for good OR selfishness) comes in the form of loud voices of large numbers.

Here’s the rub…when a few groups of voters get tired of their needs being traded off, they elect someone new to the Congress. Great idea with little clout. New Congresspeople are not called “freshmen” because they have fresh , new, ideas. It’s because they have little power and few connections to bargain with. The “virus” of the long time members with folders full of favors and dealings( who have lost their individual purpose) cannot be stemmed by the few “anti-virus” newbies.

Then, as I mentioned above, we ask the powerful members of Congress to vote for term limits and the end of their jobs and hard fought positions? Guess we are a naive group to be sure.

Ain’t gonna happen and unless we realize that a unified AMERICAN PUBLIC needs to make a louder noise…it’s the rock solid Congress and our country will be a “hard place” to restore to her greatness.