The Government we deserve

Here on the eve of the 4th of July it is fitting to reflect on what the 4th of July should mean to us.  Over 200 years ago a number of brave men set out their declarations to the king of England, demanding certain rights.  By signing the document they committed high treason, and if captured in the ensuing conflict most of not all of them would have been beheaded for their crimes.  Think about the personal risks and fortunes they put at stake to make these declarations, at a time when public sentiment was mixed.  In 1776 there were still a significant portion of settlers in the colonies that were Loyalist. 

Over time our democratic form of government has withstood a number of internal and external conflicts.  Some of those wars we chose (war with Mexico, war with Spain, war with Iraq) and some of those wars were thrust upon us (WW1, WW2).  We've been divided by a terrible, bloody Civil War that over 100 years later still shadows us.  Our government has been tested by a wide range of issues - women's rights, minority rights, taxation, regulation and many other issues and challenges.  We've managed to make it through the Great Depression and the wild swings in the economy due to the dot com boom and bust.  Here we stand, still the best nation on earth in terms of quality of life, freedom of expression, and opportunity for any individual.

Yet, many of our freedoms are taken for granted, and our population is less involved and less enthusiastic about its governance than ever before.  Far too few people are aware of the impending legislation in their state and federal congresses, and are far too removed from the day to day governing.  We as a people have allowed a permanent political class to evolve that dictates what we do, how we live and how we interact.  In the US Senate, the majority of the senators have served in the senate for over 20 years, several of them for over 40 years.  Isn't it time for fresh perspectives and fresh insights?  Yet we return the same people with the same ideas time and time again.  It is becoming harder and harder for outsiders or people with different perspectives to even campaign for office, given the rights and protections of incumbents, and the gerrymandering of congressional districts.  As districts become "safe", there is no need to campaign across political ideologies, so the right and the left become less likely to negotiate and bargain, locked in a zero sum game.

Need examples?  Look no further than the completely dysfunctional New York Senate, where currently the "Republican" senate refuses to recognize the "Democratic" senate and vice versa.  Absolutely nothing is getting done at a time when New York is floundering.  New Yorkers are getting the government they deserve, since they have been willing to allow these politicians to lock into extreme positions and guarantee themselves re-election.  Or, perhaps we should look at California?

In California, the state budget has risen faster than the growth in households or inflation.  The people have been happy to vote into office representatives who repaid their votes by voting for more and more benefits, dramatically raising the cost of government.  In good times, it was a precarious position as the state barely managed to close the budget loopholes.  In bad times, as we face now, there are simply no other sources of revenue.  Either Californians must dramatically increase taxes or dramatically reduce services.  This should not be a surprise to anyone, especially the political leaders, but no one seems to want to step forward and fix the problems.

We, all of us, are getting the government we deserve.  We have rights and obligations as citizens to step forward and communicate our desires, wants and beliefs to our elected officials, and to vote them out of office when they fail us, which I think many of them have done for years.  We have the right to petition our government and demand accountability.  We the people have the right to determine who represents us, and should more actively consider who our representatives are, and what their intentions are when governing.  We should act to eliminate gerrymandering and force the states and localities to assign voting districts that intentionally cross geographic lines, neighborhoods of different ethnicities to create districts where individuals have to win votes from a range of voting perspectives, rather than districts that are safe for one party or the other.  We should pass referenda in the states that demand that our representatives balance budgets each year and present a fully balanced budget on the day the budget year starts, otherwise the representatives lose any compensation that their office provides until the budget is finalized.

There are too many of us simply accepting what the Republicans and Democrats collectively are doing to damage our governance.  It is time to stand up and demand change - not from political parties but from our total governance.  If the Republicans and Democrats can't figure out that we need to do things differently, then let's have another Declaration of Independence - independence from parties and a revolution in the way we are governed.

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