Youth Vote

The younger generation that talks about change appears to be caught up with only that phrase and not seriously looking at what the candidate can actually produce. The office of President has limited power when it comes to actually making changes. Congress is the body that the younger generation needs to focus on when looking for change. Members of Congress have become overly complacent when it comes to their responsibilities and American society in general. Greed, pork barrel politics, and self-satisfaction rule the current environment in Congress. My previous comments cover numerous issues that need to be addressed by those members and the younger generation needs to recognize those facts and become more involved in those elections. The condition of American society calls for those issues to be addressed and action taken in order for even small steps to be taken in the desired direction. I call on the “change” generation to become more involved in the entire process of government and actually bring “change” to society.

Term Limits

Term limits is something that should be in place for all elected officials and should be of more importance when it comes to members of Congress. In my opinion, the lack of action by Congress on issues such as drug cost, healthcare, lobbying, economic conditions, social security, and government waste (along with many other issues) can be tied to the greed factor related to staying in office as long as possible and accumulating a large net worth along with a nice pension. Money, as always, is the controlling factor in accomplishing anything in government. If members of Congress were limited to two terms, maybe there might be some interest in working to perform the duties associated with the office. The goal of government has been lost for many years and seems to continue drifting away. Of course, term limits is not the miracle answer to problems associated with the U.S., but it would be a step in the right direction. Yes, certain members of government will say the more seniority they have, the easier it is for them to get things done. I say this relates more to pork barrel spending than really accomplishing things that are important and need to be done for the public in general. Corruption can be tied to new politicians, but longer-term members are better targets for individuals or groups interested in buying influence. Since members of Congress are the ones to implement such a change, this can only happen by the public demanding for such action and voting out all members that have been in office more than two terms. The chances of this ever happening are slim, but wouldn’t it be nice to have a more efficient and productive government!

Lobbying & Washington

The relationship between politicians and lobbyists is completely out of control and could be considered a large factor in the potential destruction of American society. The thousands of lobbyists in Washington is an example of how greed has taken over society and made life for the average citizen very difficult. This segment of government operations is long overdue for a complete overhaul. The public needs to demand that Congress make drastic changes to eliminate this destructive aspect of government. The American public suffers in the areas of drug cost, gas prices, bank fees, healthcare, credit card interest rates, predatory small loan companies, and numerous other areas. This is caused by lobbyists utilizing the greed of politicians to prevent regulations and/or controls that would protect the citizens. Over the years the process of lobbying has been allowed to more or less control how government operates. “For the love of money is the root of all evil” could be an appropriate phrase to apply to the current situation. There is always talk about this subject around election time when promises are made that will never be addressed again or any action taken to correct the situation. Is it possible for any representatives of the people in Congress to actually take steps to correct this situation? Regulations to control members of Congress becoming a lobbyist or setting up a lobbying firm are circumvented in simple ways such as retiring early to beat a deadline. This needs to change and lobbying should be taken out of the equation when it comes to how government operates. If you agree, voice your opinion to your representatives.

Military & News Media

A few days ago I read an item that brought to mind past thoughts related to how the news media covers different aspects of society. This item was about a group of U.S. Marines returning home after a year’s duty in Iraq, with some having completed a second tour of duty. They arrived at a local air center and were taken to a Marine center where they were greeted by their family and friends. Missing from this event was the news media. They were apparently notified about this homecoming, but must have felt that this was not newsworthy. A large percentage of Americans may disagree with this conflict or war, however you want to classify the military campaign, but the country needs to pay more attention to these men and women as they return home. These members of the different branches of the military are involved in something they believe in and are putting their lives on the line. They do represent, serve, and protect the American public and even if they are volunteers, they are still our military. The media gets so involved in ratings wars that they seem to forget about covering news that could be important to the public. The news stations are too involved in sensationalizing the murder or other crimes along with giving away a car in order to obtain that top rating. Certain network news anchors do try to include a feel good story and I applaud them for taking those steps. I realize that society is burdened with tragic news every day, but it would be acceptable to include some good news stories.