Our representatives from the President on downward should be making a searching and fearless moral inventory of themselves and see where they are not only going wrong but doing wrong as well.
We made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves.
For those of us recognizing the sinner in the mirror, this is a daunting task. It requires honesty, integrity and the recognition of truth in what we see and know. Looking into a soul is far and away more important than simply proclaiming the existence of one.
We need to occasionally take stock of what and who we are. Are you really the champions of the oppressed looking to better the lot of the common men and women you ask us to send to Congress? Or, are you opportunistic egotists looking to tighten your grasp on the reins of government that will force the commoners to appreciate just how wonderful you are for sacrificing nothing personal?
It’s difficult to see yourselves as others see you. You want to believe your motives are pure and totally altruistic. You think you want to be of service. You want to be seen as noble and just in your decisions and efforts at representing the needs, wants and desires of those you say you seek to represent.
But, when a person is chosen to represent, where does the whole apple cart begin flipping over? When does the whole kettle of fish start to spoil? What the hell happens to justice, representation and service of the common man?
In the words of Deep Throat, the man who exposed the rotten core/corps of the Nixon Scandal: “Follow the money”. The money is what starts politicians toward public service. Money spent shows power. Money available shows power in reserve. And money fertilizes careers meant to garner more power.
Any governmental house, no matter how grand in its appearance, may be the residence of superintendence or it can be a home for rats and cockroaches. As the number of representatives and senators grow, competition increases because there’s only so much power to go around. 'The Highlander', a television show of some time back said it best: “There can be only one!” And the competition for that Number 1 position is fierce.
Those with enough reality left in their worlds recognize there can be a power behind the throne. That’s when the competition begins again. We see it daily as Congressional Representatives and Senators compete for Committee Chairmanships. They campaign within the ranks to see who’ll whip the ranks into alignment and others work like madmen sacrificing their souls and integrity to be known as Senate Majority Leader or Speaker of the House.
Shakespeare said in King Henry the Fourth: “uneasy lies the head that wears the crown”. For this fact the effort at representation of the people morphs to the point of transition to partisan party politics claiming to represent factions of the populace. It’s done not for the representation of the people back home thinking alike with their representatives, but because when you factionalize you diminish the number of people you’re responsible to so as to maintain your position. It has nothing to do with what the people back home think or want. It’s how you maintain your position in the party hierarchy and ensure the party’s support when you next campaign for office. Party loyalty leads to accessing party coffers and a favorable distribution of funds for your campaign.
It’s at this point we see the pride of the lion devolve into the dishonor of the jackal. Instead of watching over the people in his pride, the lion has become a pack hunter living off of the corpses of their constituents’ hopes. Their hunger for control of not only government but also the governed is despicable. These people become a race apart, a race demanding the control, authority and containment of liberties and freedoms enjoyed and guaranteed under the Constitution and Bill of Rights. They want to assure their “greater knowledge of what’s going on in Washington” remains in their control because Washington is seen as the seat of government. It may be where the butt-heads congregate but the strength, power and ability to rise in defense of our liberties resides where the people sit in judgment. That would be at home; amongst the people who expect so much more than what they’re getting.
Our representatives from the President on downward should be making a searching and fearless moral inventory of themselves and see where they are not only going wrong but doing wrong as well.
They’re employees, not prison wardens.
Thanks for listening
