And the beat goes on

More than a year to go until the next national election and already political candidates are on the stump ‘responding’ to Americans and ‘fighting’ for their needs.

The Republicans have an ex-businessman and Governor who believes corporations “are people,” yet never met a business loophole he didn’t like. People don’t get loopholes unless they have enough cash to make a politician curry favor. The failed Governor of Alaska, who seems to think folksy soundbites directed toward countries she can see from her porch, qualify as foreign policy. A self-appointed “tip of the spear” who believes homsexuality is a treatable ailment. A swaggering Texan who confuses minting duties of the Treasury with those of the Federal Reserve Chairman in publicly issued insults aimed at grabbing headlines.May their runs for office remind us to value lessons on the separation of church and state, history and geography in our schools.

Meanwhile, the Democrats offer the President who believes socialized medicine will save the nation without asking if the nation is willing to pay for it; that mandating insurance is not contrary to the operation of free markets; that ‘freedom fighting’ as proxy of countries that hate the U.S. isn’t killing our citizens, demoralizing our military and wasting our money; that Congress will act for the good of the country without being publicly flogged; that K Street lobbyists, many former members of Congress, see ‘hope’ and ‘change’ as strategic goals; that his program to create desperately needed jobs can wait until we get closer to the 2012 election or at least until it’s convenient for Mr. Speaker, John Boehner.

I hope we will be able to use our votes to change the way DC functions, to get their attention, maybe through a plebiscite that sets job performance requirements for Congress, before it becomes necessary to take to the streets. Voters, take time to communicate your displeasure with DC’s lame political posturing. Ask what the too big to fail banks created of value to anyone other than more cash for the two percent of the population who already control 90 percent of the wealth. Ask why your property value has diminished while your taxes have increased. Ask why our tax code is so complex that not even the IRS will stand by their own advice on your tax filing. Ask a thousand questions, propose at least a few solutions and be very clear that you will no longer tolerate the status quo in what currently passes for government.

Jim Cartwright, Canfield