Town hall meetings - they reveal that lawmakers are not doing their jobs

Town hall organizer Senator Alrlen Specter
AP Photo - Susan Walsh

Although many of us live in a country which was at one time established by radicals, who placed their very lives in danger to affect change, we are no longer protesters nor are we the activists that our constitutional framers were.

Most Americans are just plain ordinary people.  The average American today believes that hard-work, truth, ethical behavior and dedication to family and relationships are all any of us need to be successful.

This is one of the reasons why protesting is so unfamiliar to us, we are as a people generally happy and as such conservative – we are not Republicans, Independents, right-wingers, Democrats,  or progressives, we are Americans.  Although we accept and even welcome a multitude of religious, social and political beliefs, we are, by majority, a middle-of-the-road people.

When we protest, we’ve got to be seriously aggravated with a problem or issue of concern to take action.  When animals are unnecessarily used for testing, an unscrupulous logging company clear-cuts without deference to reforestation or when corporations take advantage of largely undefended groups, even if we do not protest individually, we support those groups and people who mimic our belief that we are part of the larger whole that acknowledge those protests as legitimate.

In most all cases, mainstream media and politicians alike support our protests.  Whether for reasons of pragmatism or hopefully due to the nobler motive of moral commonality, our elected officials in most every case support or at least give silent approval to even the most radically leftist protests.

So when politicians, that we have chosen to represent our views, wants and needs, ignore them or worse yet, depict concerned Americans as fringe, extreme or part of devised schemes to spread disinformation, we the people realize that they are not doing their jobs and what’s worse have no intention to do so.

Representatives are selected to make decisions that represent the wants of their constituencies.  We elect them, not to vote in our best interest, but to vote to ensure our desires regarding specific issues are conveyed to the federal government.  

The progressive/liberal wing of the Democrat party has taken aim at Libertarians, Independents, Republicans and Democrats alike in a move that defends legislation that, may be in our best interest according to progressive/liberal think, but is not what the American people want.

Everyday Americans are waking up to what the politicians, who we originally elected to represent us, are forcing through both houses of congress.  People are standing up.  The once complacent American people, usually satisfied to let others represent them in protests defending human rights, prevention of animal cruelty and common sense ecological protection are now beginning to stand and make their voices heard regarding irresponsible government spending currently being forced through by the Democrat Party.

Today in America, people from California to Florida to Massachusetts are standing up and protesting to make their voices heard.  People are making themselves heard in Town Hall meetings, “Tea parties”, through email communications, phone calls, faxes and internet petitions on how they feel about unprecedented spending and the attempted removal of choice, freedom and liberty in bills before legislators such as Healthcare Reform and Cap and Trade. 

However, instead of recognizing the widespread concerns being voiced by the American people toward both legislative bodies, liberal Democrats are not only ignoring their constituents, but acting in a way that appears to be a coordinated de-legitimization of the American people’s efforts to hold Washington accountable.

As a great man recently wrote; “The government by, of and for the people has been turned on its head.  It is now a government by the government, of the government and for the government.”  Our representatives, people we sent to Washington to hear even the quietest or most radical of voices are now either so far out of touch with the American people or much worse strategically positioning to marginalize voices of concern that endanger passage of their agenda.

Conservative," House Minority Leader John Boehner, said in a statement this week; "that isn't likely to sit well with Americans outside of Washington who are struggling and wondering when their elected leaders are going to wake up and change course."

While Americans of every color, creed and political stripe all across this great country voice concern, head of the Democratic National Committee (DNC) Jen O’Malley, attempted to undermine the very power of Americans to govern themselves, expressing in a statement earlier this week; "It's time to expose this charade, before it gets more dangerous," and urged recipients to pass her message along.
The Republican National Committee disagreed in an e-mail to its members titled "THE MOB? Hey Democrats, They're Called The American People.”  The e-mail provides a links to stories and polls revealing a growing number of Americans who now doubt the Obama administration's economic strategies and domestic agenda.

The Libertarian National Committee spokesman Donny Ferguson expressed that the former community organizer, President Obama, must reconsider approving a government-sponsored marketing campaign which assaults communities for organizing, regardless of target.  If he does not, he does not represent the will of the people.

Ferguson said; "Libertarians find it ironic a community organizer is now using the government to try and stop people from organizing their communities.  Instead of using official edicts to smear, slander and intimidate everyday Americans into silence, Democrats should listen to the majority of Americans and drop their plans for a radical government takeover of their health care."

While the Republican and Independent Parties may appear to lead representation of the people in this instance, they are not above reproach in this debacle.  Many of their own have ignored basic American wants and needs and jumped on board the unprecedented legislation now coming out of Washington, doing so purely to add to their stores of political capital or to ensure their own re-elections.

The story here is not the Republican, Independent or Democrat side of the argument, as they are all sullied; it is an unquestionably legitimate reaction by the American people to retain their sovereignty over a government put in place to represent their will.

Our message remains unchanged; Sirs and Madams of the legislature do your job, the job we sent you to do.  Represent out choices, read the bills you have written and without question do not forcibly fast-track legislation that will outlive our children and have wider reaching ramifications than you can possibly comprehend.

In what you must consider a coincidence, the polls you so often pander to mimic the numbers represented at town hall meetings.  We are the American people, sentient, brilliant and no longer slumbering.  If you do not heed our message, our constitution provides for your removal, by vote and yes, if necessary by community organization, provided by us, your supervisors the American people.