I admit I am angry. Our beloved country, once set up as a constitutional republic, is being incrementally
dismantled. Knowing monarchist tyranny, our founders purposed to protect us through the checks and
balances of our three branches. Law would rule us rather than powerful elites with no accountability to
the people. Now we think it is "status quo" for our leaders to lie to us, ignore our
Constitution, and allow the executive and judicial branches to make our laws. Our Constitution has
become "living," Congress is bypassed, and the people lose their voice. President Obama says
that because he won, Congress must support his agenda. However, Congress also won, and it is their job
to represent the people, make the laws, and help check the other branches from overstepping their
boundaries.
Sadly, our representatives have clearly shown that they fear/obey a different power not from the people.
Congress often ignores our input and passes laws that they haven’t even read, rushing them through
without examination or debate. The people are also kept in the dark until well after these bills become
law, thanks to our "watchdog" media that no longer thinks it is necessary to warn the people
of impending danger. Obama promised us change, a new transparency, but instead (like Bush) he demands
blind obedience by pressuring our legislature to quickly pass the massive bills he wants, without
adequate time to examine if they are even good for the people.
Is it too much to expect our representatives to read the bills before they approve them?
Every representative who approves any bill not read should be removed ASAP. Such misbehavior threatens
the well being of us al. We need to get angry and protest, telling our legislature that we will not
tolerate such blatant betrayal. Throw out every Democrat, Republican, and Independent who does not stand
firm in fulfilling this simple task.
If this slows the process down, I say, "Good!" Let’s have fewer, but well thought-out laws.
Transparency and debate preserve our freedoms. If the president’s agenda is good for us, it can stand
the light of scrutiny. Peaceful debate and dissent are not the threatening characteristics of domestic
terrorism, but rather necessary protections against unbridled oppression. This is not a partisan issue;
this is a freedom from tyranny issue. We, the American people, need to get mad and tell our
representatives and our president to fulfill their constitutional roles. If we keep silent now, perhaps
eventually our right to protest will also be outlawed by some fast-track unread bill that our
legislature passively approves.
Christy Shepard
Bowling Green