It Depends On You!

Posted by Larry Miller on November 7, 2010 under How | 2 Comments to Read

A few days before the election received an email blast from the Republican Party of Virginia with the heading Countdown To Victory: It Depends On You!. It’s just a few days to Election Day and the people running the party are calling on the rank and file party sympathizers, the grassroots activists, many of whom are tea partiers, to do the work to keep these leaders and their selected candidates in charge and expand there power base.

If only they would exhibit such concern for the little people when it came time for candidate selection or policy formulation, many more would be out knocking on doors, waving signs, working the polls, talking to their neighbors and a whole host of other activities necessary in winning elections.

It’s sad, but so often we see people entrenched in their positions, more intent on preserving their rank than serving the people who put them there. This should not be interpreted as a rant specifically about RPV, but a general condition in many states and nationally. People in leadership and consulting positions want us to defer to their supposedly superior knowledge and wisdom in picking candidates they deem to be electable, then fall into line and lift these people to be victorious benefactors of the citizens, who are often profoundly disrespected… can anyone say Delaware?

In my own district, our incumbent Republican congressman refused to hold town hall meetings and refused to debate his opponents. Both the opponents, a Democrat and an Independent, were treated as an annoyance not worthy of being addressed, along with his own constituents who wanted to communicate with him in a public forum. It’s as if he were expecting to beaten around like Arlen Specter by angry constituents.

He may have been right, but that would be a result of his voting record in congress. If this was a concern, perhaps votes cast for such wasteful and intrusive schemes as TARP and No Child Left Behind should have taken public sentiment into account. The same could be said for dealing with our immigration situation. In fact, that very same day, I also received an email from NumbersUSA, indicating a deplorable B rating for the congressman on the issue. The data had to be gleaned from votes and public statements as the entrenched Republican could not be bothered to have the questionnaire filled out. His Independent opponent was labeled as True Reformer. The same situation existed with the states gun rights groups.

Yet, the little people are still expected to show up and do the work to keep people like this in office. This works for a while, but requires a continuous stream of new bodies for the plan to work. I have been involved in party politics for many years and have seen the revolving door welcome hundreds of people in year after year. They come in, thrilled that the congressman, or senator or one of the state legislators reads their name tag and shakes their hand. A few years later so many are gone when then begin to realize that the choices are to quietly do what they are told with the hope that, they too, may achieve some position of importance within the party structure or to become a gadfly, speaking the truth when the opportunity arises. Sadly, many choose neither, and just fade away withdrawing from the battle.

Here is a hint, party people do not appreciate the gadfly approach. However, it can be fun and is as necessary as waking a driver up as he is about to drive both himself and you over a cliff. The truth will set us free, and we cannot turn our country around without it!

We, and our elected representatives, need to get back to the idea that they are indeed, public servants, not public serpents, as one Virginia Delegate is fond of calling them. This can be difficult, with the titles, the press and the public hanging on every word along with the massive amounts of money they believe they have to dole out. When surrounded by throngs of admirers, they are addressed as “the honorable”… a title some live up to more closely than others.

There are some very good people in our legislatures, who are sincerely interested in serving their constituents. However, we need keep in touch with all the representatives, the good, the bad and the ugly. Highly paid lobbyists are always on hand with campaign cash, favors and ego building chatter. Who speaks for the people? No one, if we do not. It’s easy to see who will get their issues addressed and their projects funded.

Breaking through the barriers erected by the political ruling class is difficult, but it must be done if the republic is to be preserved. Sure it can be frustrating, but Galatians 6:9 tells us “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” (NIV) Keep on fighting the good fight in whatever venue you find yourself in… it’s the only chance we have.