Our government is entirely dysfunctional. It has failed the American people for decades. With an illegitimate president in the West Wing, it has become worse. We no longer have a two-party system. Trump has chosen to attempt to accomplish his vile agenda in a totally partisan manner. Democrats have not been consulted about a single issue in 15 months and 9 days.

So, how do we fix Washington? More importantly, how do we force politicians to adhere to the demands of the majority of our nation’s people?

It all begins with the most powerful weapon in the world; your vote.

Millions of Americans believed that their votes did not count less than two years ago. I understand that feeling. The Electoral College is not democratic. In states where all of its electoral votes are given to the winner of the popular vote, although one candidate defeated the other by only a handful of votes, nearly half of that state’s voters had their wishes ignored. The Electoral College removes the importance of every vote, and must be repealed. This would be the beginning of positive change in our government; insuring that every man and every woman can be certain that their vote could make a difference would encourage a larger voter turnout.

We learned how important each vote could be during the 2000 election, and once again in the 2016 contest.

In 2000, Al Gore won the popular vote. The closest election in history was decided by the Supreme Court when it halted a recall election in Florida. George W. Bush was gifted the Electoral College.

In 2016, Hillary Clinton won the popular vote by a large margin; nearly three million votes. Michigan, Wisconsin, and Pennsylvania decided the winner of the electoral vote. Trump won all three states by a total of just 78,000 votes. If just a few more million voters had cast their ballots, our nation would not be experiencing the effects of an illegitimate and the worst president in American history.

Voting is where it all must begin. 535 politicians in Washington rule over us; they no longer serve the majority. Old, white men are the problem. They fail us every day. Demographics reveal what is sorely needed to alter the direction of our failed government.

Women compose 50.9 percent of our population, but less than 15 percent of those serving in Washington. Our government cannot accurately represent our nation’s people until more women are involved in the decisions which affect their lives and their future.

Secondly; The average age of all Americans is 37.8 years of age. The average age of all 535 men and women in congress is about 60. There are eight senators age 80 or older. 16 senators are in their 70’s. Once again, it is impossible for old men and women to understand and then serve the needs of most Americans.

Our nation is becoming younger, but since 1993 or congress has been getting older. This brings me to the desperate need for term limits.

There is no honor in the mere fact that a member of congress has held a seat in Washington for multiple terms. A politician must be rated according to his or her accomplishment. All too frequently those who have served the longest have accomplished the least.

Let’s use the example of the ultimate obstructionist in the senate; Mitch McConnell. He has accomplished nothing of significance in 34 years. What he has accomplished is accumulating a bank account of nearly 30 million dollars of net worth. He has been a traitor to the majority of the American people and to those of the state of Kentucky throughout his career; his party comes first.

These are the most critical changes which are mandatory to return our government to an organization which works for the people; all of the people of the United States of America.

However, through our voice and our actions, we, the people and force other changes which would reunite our nation’s people and permanently defeat the enemy; those who call themselves ‘Republicans’ today.

Become active. I am 72 years of age, and as with most baby boomers, I am involved. Women are taking action as never before in our nation’s history. I am speaking primarily to millennials. Get involved! Follow the example of your brothers and sisters who are still in high school. America needs you, and now that your age group is the largest demographic in our country, you have the power to control your future and the future of our nation. In addition, consider running for office. To become a member of the House, the requirements are that you are a citizen of the United States, and are at least 25 years of age. To become a member of the Senate, the age requirement is 30 years of age. If you should want the most challenging job in the world; President of the United States of America, you must be 35 years of age, a natural born citizen, and have lived inside of the United States for at least 14 consecutive years.

Two final changes would improve our nation and give it an opportunity to become ‘great’ for the first time in history.

Stop watching television “news.” Those who call themselves television ‘journalists’ are not; they are entertainers. They offer half-truths and opinions as facts. The full truth is not important; advertising, and therefore profit, is the priority.

During the 2016 campaign season, television personalities held Hillary Clinton to an impossibly high standard while offering Trump a virtual ‘free pass.’ The standard he was held to was so low, it was virtually non-existent. They ignored his obvious racism and allowed the fact that he was a sexual predator to simply fade away. I promised myself on November 9, 2016 that I would never again watch broadcast news; I have kept that promise.

Finally, if you watch FOX Noise, you have been subjected to right wing propaganda for nearly 21 years. Bill O’Reilly, Megyn Kelly, and Sean Hannity are guilty of increasing the division between our nation’s people more than any other factor. Lies and misinformation continue to be rampant today on this pretend news network.

The plan for FOX in 1987, established by Rupert Murdock and Roger Ailes, was to become the highest rated network on cable television. This would offer FOX enormous revenue from advertisers. The truth, and facts were unimportant. The motto was ‘tell viewers what they want to hear;’ the truth was inconsequential.

Today all television news supports these ideas. Personalities on ABC, CBS, and NBC are paid millions of dollars to entertain, not inform their viewers; they fail. Walter Cronkite, undoubtedly our nation’s greatest journalist, received his largest salary in 1988 at $850,000.

If FOX no longer existed, and broadcast news returned to facts and not opinions, the American people would be far, far more informed.

The road to reforming our government is murky at best. It will take an enormous effort by our nation’s people to accomplish this greatly needed goal. We cannot expect any assistance from our failed and incompetent politicians.

The next date we can vote a large number of useless men and women out of Washington is November 6, 2018. Please vote and take your country back. Thank you, and thank yourself.

Op-ed by James Turnage

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