September 6, 2024 Dear Editor; The year is 2024 and what will history note in 2124 when the world looks back at what has taken place and what is yet to happen in the United States of America? Looking back at the gift that was given us as future citizens of these United States the outlook for the 1770’s and the 1780’s couldn’t have been brighter. What on earth happened?
The leadership in the colonies having survived dictatorial type oppression came up with some grand and good ideas of the kind of government they wanted to live and grow under. They produced the written document that has stood the test of time as the greatest since the Word of God was written. It assured citizens of the U.S. of A. the kind of life that up until then was only a dream. The Constitution of the United States of America became the roadmap to freedom for the entire world.
Considering the opportunity given us by the founding fathers of our nation where did we go wrong. Our constitution is the same and the type of government is supposedly the same form. But, it does not resemble the origional. I have a couple of thoughts, just my own mind you, but I have them. In the beginning election to public office was an election to a duty of public service. Somewhere that got changed to election becoming a politicaly financial reward.
For many years it required that a person be a genuine statesman to even be considered for election to an office. Then it would appear that the electors for public offices, we the people, began to lower our standards. That lowering may have started gradually but in the last few decades the lowering became a plummet. Statesmen seem to have been totally replaced by what has come to be known as professional politicians.
The term honorable has become something of a real joke as applied in the capitol of our nation and in the capitols of various states. Even the smaller units of government are not excluded from the same scrutiny. The county commissioner scandals of Oklahoma brought this truth to Okies a few years ago. It has since been my opinion that that particular net of capture didn’t spread any where near as far as it could have been applied.
It is easy for me to point at what I think is wrong. What can people like you and I do about our situation. To begin we have to hold our elected officials accountable. Hold their feet to the fire. Expect that they report to us regularly their attempts and their successes in service for us. Do not just believe that their appointment to a committe or board position is evidence of production on our behalf. It is not. It is routine.
U.S. Senators and U.S. Congressmen are routinely appointed to positions in Washington D.C. and it is the same in Oklahoma City. Let’s write to them and let them know that you want to know what they are accomplishing on your behalf. Any elected official that is too busy to report regularly to you, his constituents is too deeply embeded in political mire. The same mire is just as deep at the state capitol and county court house. It just doesn’t get spread over as much territory.
When did it become the accepted standard that reelection was to be assured and that we owe a politician a job for life? We do not owe them. They owe us and we should let them know we expect their honest and good service on our behalves. Write them a letter. Give them a call. Let them know you are still alive. I promise you, knowing that will at least give them the jitters.