I don’t trust establishment politicians. I don’t trust the establishment media. I don’t trust that the two groups don’t have unwritten agreements to scratch each others backs. I don’t trust the establishment, period. The establishment is not out to look after my best interests, your best interests, or the best interests of the common folk on the street. The establishment is out to look after the best interests of the establishment, and unscrupulous people inside the establishment will stop at nothing to make sure they maintain their power and keep their wealth stream flowing. There isn’t a principle they won’t forsake nor a law they won’t break in order to protect their interests, including trashing any system that may help protect the interests of the less powerful individuals within society.
One of the basic principles of a democratic republic is the right of the people to be able to fairly and honestly select a representative that a majority of the populous can agree on. While the merits of this system are debatable, the reality of its effects is not. The vast majority of people will see this system as legitimate and go along with its dictates so long as the laws passed and requests made of the populous remain reasonable. In order for this type of system to maintain its perception of legitimacy, it also must remain transparent. Both these requisites have become extremely compromised over the past decade and more and more people are adopting the perception that our system is no longer legitimate.
Consider this, polls say that the approval rating for Congress is only 11%. I can believe that. That seems right. But when polled, often more than 11% of the people are planning on voting for their incumbent congress critters. That just doesn’t seem to make much sense. Why would so many disapprove of the job their “representatives” are doing, but then go ahead and re-elect them? Where’s the disconnect? Is it apathy? Could it be because they see both major parties as bought and paid for so they don’t think there’s any difference between the two candidates? Is it the “devil you know versus the devil you don’t” meme? Perhaps it’s the “lesser of two evils” saying at work. Whatever the case, it seems to me that a decent third party or independent candidate (with the exception of one Joe Lieberman) might help and a principled one reported on in a favorable light by the mainstream media outlets might have a chance.
So, go to the polls next Tuesday and vote. Vote the incumbents out of office. Vote for candidates that seem to you to be the most anti-establishment. Vote for those who claim to want to shrink government and give the common folk more power. Vote for whatever candidate you feel will best represent your interests. Just don’t expect too much. Don’t expect too much to change. Don’t expect the system to roll over. Don’t expect honesty. Don’t expect truth. Don’t expect any real investigative reporting from the media. These are things the common folk will likely have to do on their own. The system will not change until the common folk stop paying for and putting up with it. It will not change until we make it known in no uncertain terms that we’ve had enough.
