If you are like me and an Independent, you cast your vote with great diligence. Voting is the only power the people of America possess, and it must be taken seriously. Voting for a party, and not the best candidate proves that the individual is ignorant and wastes his or her vote. That said, here is the sad truth, and possibly a reason not to take that trip to the polls.

First of all, it is important to note that your elected official in Washington is only expected to work 100 days each year. The other 265 are spent campaigning for reelection, or taking luxurious vacations paid for by lobbies.

How hard do they work during those 100 days? John Oliver exposed a truth you will never hear from the major media on his show ‘Last Week Tonight,’ broadcast on HBO Sunday evening. Even when they are in session, your Representatives and Senators spend only one-third of their time performing the duties for which they were elected.

Both Democratic and Republican party leaders require members of their parties to conduct fund raising efforts during most of their time spent in Washington. They average four hours each day at call centers contacting supporters and asking for donations to their future campaigns.

That’s only the tip of the iceberg. They are also expected to conduct fund raising events at breakfast, lunch, dinner, and even during birthday and anniversary celebrations three times each week.

If you have ever asked the question: “Why doesn’t anything get done in Washington,” you now have the answer.

Congress no longer serves the people of the United States. In denial of the intentions of our founding fathers, the two political parties are more concerned with elections than doing their job.

If you are a regular reader, you know that I do not believe in political parties. Both have no intention of working for the American people; their efforts are centered on elections and securing their positions which make them wealthy and allowed to live lives of privilege.

There are 435 members of the House of Representatives, and 100 Senators. They are a club which the media will never expose; all of them are millionaires, although their base salary is $174,000 per year. They have the best retirement and healthcare benefits available in the United States. Although they are employed by you and me, they are not required to depend on social security and Medicare for their future needs. Unlike you and me, they vote themselves a pay raise whenever they decide that they need more money.

How do we rid our nation of the dead weight in Washington? There are only two ways which would be effective. First of all, we must never vote for a candidate who is an “incumbent.” If there is an “I” next to their name, reject them. The most important change is to demand that they have term limits similar to those of our president.

There is no honor in holding office for decades; it is a blight on our nation’s government. There should be no ‘professional politicians;’ that was never the intention of our forefathers.

Washington is not broken; it has become a failed experiment. A total overhaul of our political system is necessary.

I have always known that hero worship is idiocy; if you admire an elected official, you are a fool, and you have been fooled.

Op-Ed

By James Turnage

Source

Photo Courtesy of KAZ Vorpal

Novels and other writing by James Turnage are available at Amazon