Gideon Yilma
Considering myself a Democrat, I never thought I’d find myself quoting Republican President Ronald Reagan who said “Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn’t pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same.”
But just about about 20 percent of Americans say they trust the government in Washington now.
This is the lowest point it’s been in half a century. Go ahead, look it up. And just when you thought things couldn’t get any worse, the Supreme Court repealed a decision that greatly restricted the influence of corporate money in our elections. That’s right–corporations have the ability to indirectly sway an election now.
The year 2010 is becoming the most expensive non-presidential contest to date, with spending close to reaching four billion. About three billion was spent on the 2000 presidential election, to put that into perspective. Lobbyists spent more than $848 million just in 2009 alone. Once again look it up. Let’s not forget about America’s privatization of war in the past decade. Private corporations and the military have established such a solidifying connection with each other, many are questioning the line between the two.
This is a problem due to the many reports throughout the years of civilian killings and unethical war practices. With no type of oversight over the contractors you can begin to see why it’s a growing problem. We haven’t even delved into the widespread Wall Street corruption that almost brought us into another depression. Wall Street’s latest fiasco includes a potential bigger housing crisis then once thought, with Bank of America now being scrutinized for its foreclosure practices. Some are now considering the possibility of a double dip recession.
The more ignorant and passive as a nation we become, the worse it will get. If we are to seriously combat this nature of corruption in our economic and political centers, we must hold their feet to the fire. Hold politicians accountable. How? True transparency begins with an informed people willing to call out their leaders. Whether you are interested in this or not is irrelevant. Whatever your affiliation is, know that Republicans nor Democrats shouldn’t have a monopoly on your loyalty. Pay attention and listen up. You may just be America’s last best hope.
