Is it really Mission Impossible?

Everyone, and I mean Everyone, looks at their world, tries to make sense of it, and then narrows their view so that the incomprehensible becomes tolerable.  When I hear the phrase "tend to your own garden before you try to change the world" I see someone who has narrowed their view of the capability for change to their immediate surroundings.  Tending your own garden is not wrong but it fails to recognize that change can occur in all areas of our lives.  This perspective while good for the individual does not address most of the issues facing us.  

I cannot begin to list all of the groups who are assertively protecting so many of the areas that affect our immediate lives and the quality of our life, even our survival, far into the future.  It is these groups that push very hard against the self interest of our governing representatives.  They win many battles, but lose quite a few too.  The reason that they lose is because those who lead us either ignore the issues raised (hoping they will get tired and go away), or just don't care to listen to the issues raised.  Some of our representatives are beginning to speak out and confront their colleagues. Those who disparage the attempts of their own to speak out and confront are those who need to be replaced.

If it is really mission impossible to get our representatives to honor their position by accepting the responsibilities of their office, to read the bills, to consider the impacts of their decisions or lack of, then we are in a greater mess than even I can imagine.  At this moment it is all about their self image, their power, their next election, and protecting those groups that feed them.  It is not about leadership, it is not about forward thinking. it is not about representing the citizens of this country, it is not about our survival needs beyond the noise of the moment.

I got a poll from one of our Texas representatives.  I won't embarrass him by mentioning his name, but the poll was simple minded and did not in any way ask the right questions in a way that allowed my real opinion to be heard.  It was totally biased toward getting the answer he wanted.  These narrow polls that the press and our representatives are so enamored with should all be looked at with a critical eye.  Will the answers you want to express represent your true feelings and opinions or will the result of your taking the poll meet solely the objectives of the one directing the poll.   I take quite a few polls and sign quite a few petitions but I always have to write a paragraph or two telling them what the real concern is.  Of course these paragraphs are probably discarded.

So how do we elect those who will be leaders and statesmen, who will lead us past this crisis of an unethical, less than moral, even ignorant climate of failure to think. 

In the next election and in all future elections, we must demand that the real issues be talked about, that they will fight for election reform, and that whoever financed their election or reelection does not turn off their brains.  We do this by refusing to listen to irellevant assaults against their opponets.  We interrupt when we have the opportunity.  We email or write the press when they waste our time with nonsense and fail completely to address the serious issues facing us.   The press, the commentators, the pundits are all part of the problem.  It would be great if they were all part of the solution.    

A critique of some of those who need reminding or need to be replaced