For years now we have been hearing about a quagmire, or Vietnam Deja Vu, or how we are Stuck in Iraq.  At the same time the politicians running our country have provided endless fodder for our entertainment on the nightly news, talk shows, and unfortunately at serious functions of State, both nationally and internationally.  I have watched, and waited, and prayed, that the ladies and gentlemen in our houses of Congress would step up and show themselves to be the leaders and servants they purported to be in order to get elected.  And with few exceptions, they have fallen down on the job.

For years we were subjected to the majority party cowering in fear and indecision lest they be called bigots, racists, rednecks, fanatics, or God forbid, Fundamentalist Christians.  While at the same time, the minority party spent their time yelling at the top of their lungs about how bad the majority was.  Facts didn't enter into the matter in either case, decorum and sound judgement didn't enter into it either.  Now, we are subjected to a pouty lot in the minority, and crowing from the majority, with little real action, and most of that bad if you go by what the experts on the various matters say.

And already, we have a feeding frenzy for the next election.  Hats on both sides being thrown into the ring at a terrific rate, even though the election is more than a year and a half away.  For the next year and a half, we will be subjected to a free for all with each candidate calling all the others names, dragging eachother through the dirt, grandstanding for the cameras, and strutting for a populous, as though they were auditioning for American Idol.  They will seek to distract and entertain us with the nastiest style Jerry Springer tactics, and I fear, that unless we are vigilant, they will succeed.  They will spend a year and a half yammering away at us with grandious words, and little action, in the hopes that on election day the votes will go to the one who yelled the loudest and longest.  It is time we said enough.

This country was born in blood, and preserved in blood through each generation, that her citizens might have the freedom to live their lives, and choose the people that would represent them in the government.  With that freedom, that more than a million men and women have died for, and more than another million were wounded for, there comes a responsibility to her citizens.  We can no longer afford the comfortable complacence we have wallowed in these last few decades when all wars have been fought far away, and the government has been a far away reality TV show.  It is incumbent on us as a population, as Americans, as free people, to use those freedoms to take our government out of the hands of the small men and women, with convoluted minds, and clouded vision who currently run it.  The halls of Congress, the Senate, and the White House deserve to be walked by men and women who know the sacrifices made to create them and keep them.  The people deserve to be led by men and women whose goal is the protection of our country, and upholding the constitution, not grasping for what little personal power they can take. 

Even an optimistic voter turn out projection for the 2004 election shows only a 60% turnout for eligible voters.  Where are the other 40% of us?  And how many of the 60% of us that voted actually took the time to find out the background, voting record, accomplishments outside politics, principles and goals of the candidates we voted for?  Did you check, or did you just look for the R or D beside their name?  I know there have been times when I have been guilty of the latter.  It is high time that the people of this country, every single citizen who is above the age of 18 and eligible to vote not only get registered and shows up, but knows who they are voting for, and why. 

With that in mind, this is the first of several letters to my fellow countrymen, and tonight you have homework.  When was the last time you read the Constitution of the United States of America?  How about the Declaration of Independence?  The Bill of Rights?  Tonight and tomorrow, I want you to skip the TV shows, the news, or whatever else you do with your free time in the evening, and bone up on the responsibilities of the officials you are electing to office.  Reaquaint yourselves with the job description of members of Congress, the Senate, the President.  The links for these are here

Declaration of Independence
here
The United States Constitution
and here
The Bill of Rights

There is a link at the bottom of the Bill of Rights page for the rest of the Amendments, and you should take a moment to read through those as well.  I do not care if you are a Republican, Democrat, Independent, Libertarian, Green, Yellow or Purple, the foundation of a strong Republic is a well educated population, who understands it's responsibilities, and what it's government is and is NOT allowed to do.  So tonight, take some time to reeducate yourselves so that you will know what to look for in your new hires come next November.  The day after, you might want to check out the Constitutions for your individual states too.  You can find links to most of those here.

Until next time, enjoy your reading!