What are you going to do?
June 9, 2008 11 Comments
Today I want to write about a subject that may upset some people. That’s okay, I think that it is time that people get upset. Maybe then they will get off their rumps to do something. I want to ask each of you reading this, just what you have done recently to make a difference? What have you done to change things. Have you simply and anonymously complained about what is going on with your government today? Or are you one of those people that, to put it mildly, bitch and moan about how your government is not representing you any more? Do you not get off your butt to make a difference? Do you say, someone else can do it, I am too busy to do anything about? It is this attitude that has brought America down the path that it is on.
All too often Americans just sit on the sidelines and watch other people make the decision of who is going to run this country or who is going to run this state. All too often Americans take the passenger seat and let others decide their future. Instead these people complain about the state of our government, but they are too lazy to do something about it. We all know who these people are. They can be your sibling, a parent, a friend, or about anyone. They are the ones the complain, but do nothing to change the situation. They are LAZY and SELF-CENTERED. These people throw away the rights that the founders of this nation fought and died for. They forsake the heritage and the principles upon which this country was founded. They are just as bad as the people that go in to the vote by pushing one button and never knowing who they are voting for. They are going to be the downfall of the country, the disinterested citizen that will not voice their opinion on the government.
So in closing I want to ask our readers again. What are you going to do? What are you going to change?
I have done a couple things to try to fix things in the Iowa Republican party, from the ground up. I am just a regular person. I have no title, I have no position or money. I have started to attend my county party meetings. These monthly meetings allow me to voice my opinion. I joined the ranks of poll workers. This past primary was my first one. It made for a long day but not enough Republicans participate in this thankless endeavor. I restrict my political contributions to people running for office who are of like-mind. I do not contribute to the NRC or the IRC. I have few funds available and want to target them where they will do the most good.
It may not seem like I am doing much to those that work at much higher levels but if more people were like me and got off their apathetic butts we could fix things and make great improvements.
Mia, I am glad to hear that there are some people going out and doing something. There are all to many people that are content to sit on their butts and complain. When you ask them to do something, do anything, they won’t.
If enough of us “little guys” do go out and do something then we can make our voices heard. That is one of the reasons that I got involved with my colleagues (The Iowa Brigade/Iowa Defense Alliance), to make a difference. The more people that you have in your group, the more likely your voice is going to be heard. Go ahead, voice your comments about any politician or public figure that you want in the comment section. As long as your comment is not vulgar or offensive we will not block it. We will give you an outlet for your voice.
abregar:
Thanks. I appreciate that. I recently found this blog and enjoy what is going on here. I like that there are more conservative blogs based in Iowa popping up. TRS and Iowa voice (now Liberty Pundit) were all I could find until recently.
Grassroots rebuilding of the party is all we can do. Iowa is suffering the same internal problems as the National party. If it wasn’t for this blog and a few others I would have voted for Teahen. Thank god we have Reed. Maybe we have a chance against Harkin. I am always an optimist, but too often a cynical one.
I endorsed Reed for the primary. However in order for him to beat Harkin he needs to have a grassroots support network in place similar to the one that Mike Huckabee had here in Iowa. We will not have the money to challenge Harkin that way, we will need to battle him on our turf not his. Finding our turf, the area that we will excel in is going to be the difficult part.
I know that myself and the other members of the Iowa Brigade are ready to go toe to toe with little Tommy.
I forgot to mention that I also write letters to the editor in the local paper. Every one has been published. I get complimented on them all the time when I talk to people, even by dems. Even people who don’t know me, when they learn my name they say: “You write letters in the paper don’t you? I like what you write.” It has a reinforcing quality to it.
Congratulations Mia on doing your part. Every little thing you contribute will make a difference. When the sum of those little parts are added up then………………WHAM! We can make a difference!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I applied to join the military last month. However, that in and of itself is not making a difference because the role of the military is to serve as an extension of U.S. policy. So, I guess military service does not meet this criteria in this regard.
Maybe your question would be better if restated to what I believe your intended message was: “What have you done to shape governmental policy, either local or federal?” And I think you are suggesting in your post that the only acceptable answer to you is that a response that the posters was involved with something political (campaign, voted, supported a cause, protested, etc).
I think a more important question to ask is “what have you contributed to make your community a better place?”.
Becoming involved in politics (a campaign, a grassroots cause), supporting your a charity financially or with your time, picking up litter, reading to elderly, volunteering at a hospital, etc, are all just as noble as supporting a political cause. I believe it is the duty of EVERY able American to serve their country. You can choose to do it in the military, or in your community. I believe the people that volunteer their time at the Animal Rescue League are just as vital to our country as those that serve in our military or support a political cause.
I do take some issue with the original post. Although I understand your point, I think some of your comments were a bit presumptuous. Not everyone that does not go vote or support a candidate or cause is lazy OR self-centered. They may simply be apathetic to the issues. That would be akin to saying that if you don’t join the military then you are lazy and self-centered. In my opinion, that argument simply doesn’t hold water.
> They are going to be the downfall of the country, the disinterested citizen that will not voice their opinion on the government.
Why do you think that? You make the assertion, but don’t provide any reason for it. In the 232 years of our country’s independence, I’d argue that MOST voters have been disinterested in government. That why to this day that most voters are undecided up until election day — because they don’t take the time to analyze the issues and the candidates. It isn’t a priority in their lives. But that doesn’t mean the country will fall to pieces.
In fact, most people don’t vote in the presidential election (or any other election for that matter). However, I believe the people that do go and vote likely have some idea and some reason for their decision. They have done some analysis of what is important to them in a candidate. I would be more inclined to agree with your post if everyone was required to show up and vote, but thankfully they are not.
That is our freedom – that you are allowed to be as involved or even completely abstain from politics or selecting your leaders. I believe it is the natural distribution of any free society – some will care and some will not. Those that care are very fortunate because they have the ability to shape the direction of their country. If the elected officials get too out of control, the other half that hadn’t paid attention may begin to wake up and become politically active. It is the natural ebb and flow of politics.
Regards
Concept, Thank you for taking the time to read my post. I wrote this article after talking to a woman that would not vote in any election. Her reasoning was that it wasn’t her problem if she didn’t vote for it. I could not pound it into her mind that even though she doesn’t vote it is still her problem because it affects her too.
The more I think about it the more I agree with you that we are lucky that most of these people do not vote.
>commoniowan
I understand. I have felt that way myself before. I’m glad you wrote the article, because the discussion is very important. I thought, after reading your article, that you may have been venting a bit of steam. Trust me, I’ve been there!
It reminds me of the old adage, you can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make him drink. You can tell them that their rights are being taken, or their taxes will be raised, but you can’t make them care.
Regards
As one who has rarely, and I mean RARELY, voted in the forty years I’ve been able to, I can think of lots of reasons why people don’t vote.
Cynicism and the apathy and paralysis it engenders is one of them.
Another I think is that many people are so busy with their lives–families, homes, jobs and the challenges of keeping these all together in the current social and economic climate–that it is difficult to become informed about the complex political scene.
Much of this scene is played out, possibly purposefully, below the radar of the average citizen. Since we can’t trust the mainstream media to present facts, we are forced to spend hours investigating the truth on the internet or else traveling actual physical miles to see people and situations with our own eyes. I don’t think most of us have the time and energy for this. I would not blame people who prefer to go do something relaxing in what spare moments their busy lives allow them.
I agree with concept 0399 that there are many ways to contribute to our country besides becoming politically involved and voting.
However, different times inspire different concerns.Right now I feel our government is in deep trouble and our main focus needs to be on the political scene.
I am afraid we are close to a crisis, and the way of life Americans have come to take for granted will not continue much longer.
The days of plentiful resources and commodities are coming to an end and there is a movement in Washington and in the individual states to build the government even BIGGER and more powerful.
There is a movement at the state and federal level for government to provide more, not less, “direction” in the business world and in our personal lives.
But wait a minute! This is OUR government that THE GOVERNMENT is talking about……. That’s right OURS!
Think about it.
If we love our freedoms and our country and her citizens, we must stand up and make ourselves heard. One way we still have available to do that is to vote.
Well put, neighhay. It is our government. They work for us, remember? I believe that a very wise presidential candidate once said that a politician should be a servant to the people. We are their boss.