Minnesota Farmer

As elections near, all of America seems to be taking sides.  Everyone is telling you how bad their opponent is, and very few are telling us what they really believe in and how they will make life better for all.  In the midst of all of this negative I read an article in Time by Joe Klein.  A statement, that is not new to him, stood out in that article.  ”…No matter where we come from, the things we have in common as human beings are more important than the things that divide us.”

Two years ago candidate Obama’s campaign was all about the possible.  ”Yes, we can,” became the viral chant of so much of our nation.  But the election was barely over before politicians and the news media were dividing us again.  The possible again became impossible because we were divided by petty issues.  What few laws were passed were so messed up that it will take an army of civil servants to figure out what they mean.

Our founding fathers had a vision for the future.  It was a future without kings.  A future where the people were in charge of their own lives.  It is a vision that keeps bringing people to our country even today.  A future where “you can” because there is no king telling you that you cannot.  A future where opportunity is open to all.  A future where the strength of your mind and your hands will allow your children to live better than you did.  That future is in danger because of the new kings of the day.

Here’s another quote that I do not know the origin of.  ”Government is the art of serving the people.  Politics is the art of consolidating power.  The two come together, but not very often.”  Most of our present day politicians start out with the goal of serving the people, and all too often end up consolidating power.

I was once an idealistic worker in politics.  My conservative nature drew me to the Republican Party in an era when the Democrats were in power.  I continued my activity with the Republicans through some of the darkest days of the Nixon administration and into the heady days of Ronald Reagan’s glory years.  I learned a lot about politics.  Not all of it was good.

I do not like the politics of division that takes hold of people when they do not have a grand plan to work for.  I have seen people come to gladly work for a Reagan or an Obama when the cry is positive and have seen them disappear from politics all together when division occurs.

We need another “Great Communicator” to draw us together and put American to work again.  I do not think our economy is in such tough shape that we need another “New Deal,” but a clarity of vision would help.  It is time for our politicians to stop fighting over power and get our country moving again.  Perhaps what they need is more time working with the people and less time in Washington.  I think we could use some new blood in politics, and some “time out” spent by those in power now.

The founding fathers vision of America did not include the “kings” of politics we have in Washington today.  We need to get back to the citizen legislator.  We need term limits and fewer perks for our politicians.  It’s time politicians started living by the laws that they impose on us.  It is time for those in Washington to go back and spend some time with the people they represent.

Michael