Why Don't They Listen? - What happens after we elect them?

INTRODUCTION:

Greetings to all. A couple of quick notes. Normally, next week would be my June video blog post. However, due to many commitments, I will not have the time to put a video post together for June. Therefore, next week will be a written post. My next video blog post will be on July 10th. In addition, since July 3rd. is on a Monday this year, there will be no blog post on July 3rd. Thank you for your understanding.

Now for tonight's topic. Not only can I tell by listening to the news, but I can also tell that it's that time when all the potential candidates start to throw their hats in the ring by the number of emails I receive asking my opinion on various topics. Part of the behind-the-scenes look at creating and producing The Author's Pen Blog is reading all the emails I receive requesting the various topics I discuss. On the surface, that may seem like an easy task. However, it is not. It is time-consuming.

I need to read each one because people express their views differently and may not always get to their requests in the first or second sentence. One phrase I am known for is this. "Everyone has a story." Everyone has something to say. Call it their opinion or whatever you would like, but it is a story non the less.

After reading them, I break them down into similar topics. Often people ask about the same thing but in a different way. Once that step is complete, I separate them by those who want to be mentioned and those that do not. Unfortunately, when many emails refer to the same topic, it is impossible to say the names of all those who may have written me. Honestly, very few want their names mentioned. However, if they do. I certainly try.

I do not write about a topic by the order in which it was received. Instead, I write about topics I have received the most emails to discuss. Tonight's topic is one example. When I write about politics, I am not biased toward the left or the right. But of course, I have my opinions and preferences, and when I state them, I make it clear they are MY OPINIONS. What I do is write and discuss issues that we all see, hear about, and experience. With that said, let's move on to tonight's topic.

WHY DON'T THEY LISTEN?:

That is the number one question. Why don't politicians listen to their constituents? Remember that constituents are not only those that voted for a candidate; constituents are the people that the candidate represents. Whether they voted for them or not. How does the process occur? First, we listen to the debates, the campaign promises, and all the other rhetoric that goes with it. Once we have heard it all from each of them, we make a choice and cast our vote. Or we should.

We need to make something clear. I believe NO candidate should ever make a "Campaign Promise." Instead, they should state they "would try." Why? Because when you have a House of Representatives and a Senate, you have a diverse group of people with their ideas and opinions. Add to that the different sides of the political aisle, meaning, Democrats and Republicans, and now the extreme left wing and right wing folks, and it now because about making deals. Compromise. You vote for my bill, and I'll vote for yours.

The issue is, what is more important? Which bill matters more? And is it in line with their campaign promise? As former President Trump put it, it's "The Art Of The Deal." No one always gets their way. Politics is about making a deal. Compromising. This is why we call ourselves a democracy, not a dictatorship. Therefore, it's not always that they don't listen. It's a matter of which fight is more worth fighting.

The truth is many elected officials where many faces.

Especially during an election cycle, depending on the audience they are speaking to and trying to attract. However, they must take a stand at some point on specific issues. Choose one side or the other on a topic. This is not always popular with everyone, and I believe it is something they choose to avoid until they are elected.

Once elected, we ask ourselves, why aren't they listening to the will of the American people? The southern border crisis is a perfect example. The economy is another. I can write and quote all the polls listed on the news. What's the sense? You know that already. President Biden's polling numbers are in the swamp regarding handling our southern border and economy. However, does he listen? I think Not.

I must also add that, as people, are we listening to what they are saying or what we want to hear? However, once elected, they seem to do whatever they choose regardless of how the citizens they represent feel. Until, of course, it gets close to election time. However, by then, the damage is already done.

The problem is that there is very little we, as people, can do between elections. Suppose we do not like what they are doing. As citizens, we have little power except to write our Senators and representatives in Congress. Here is an excellent article to read regarding how the process works. PACIFIC LEGAL FOUDATION. Once again, we are at the mercy of our representatives. Therefore, until election time, we have little say. To add more fuel to the fire, by the time elections come around, unless people are outraged, they become so disgusted many do not go out to vote. Yet, after, they will sit back and complain.

There needs to be some form of accountability that works when we, the people, are unhappy. My following comment is not intended to take sides. It is simply a fact. You have all heard this asked on the news. "Do you think you are better off than you were two years ago?" I believe anyone who thinks we have a better economy now, an equal or higher standing in the global community, are still energy independent, our financial standing is stable, and have a secure southern border, is either completely misinformed or ignorant about what is happening around them. I don't care if you follow the left or the right. Things are NOT better now than they were two years ago. Gas prices, cost of goods and services, medical expenses, our global position, financial markets, and more are all going up or tanking.

Yes, our unemployment rate is down. However, is that more because since the official announcement of the pandemic's end, more people are returning to work? I believe that is the case since many larger employers have cut staff, and many large chain stores have closed their doors in many crime-escalated cities. These represent a loss of jobs. Not to mention the number of lay-offs due to companies hiring cheaper labor or doing more outsourcing of services. Reported numbers can be deceiving since what is reported only represents one aspect of a larger picture.

People seem to forget that when the government spends billions after billions on things such as open borders and supporting Ukraine, I believe we should support Ukraine. However, NOT in the way we are presently doing it. If the goal is for Ukraine to win this aggression and defeat Russia, our taxpayer dollars should be used to expedite that resolution. Not prolong it.

Every time more money is printed that our federal reserve cannot back up, inflation increases. Interest rates go up. Also, everything else that affects our daily living goes up as well. It is a trickle-down effect. What is sad is, we do not have the power as the people to stop it until the next election cycle. So, in my opinion, we are the victims of a critical system failure within our government and maybe the system as a whole.

Why do you think any sitting President wants the House and the Senate to be controlled by the same party they are members of? That is because that is like signing a blank check. Until the midterms, that was the case, and look at the results. Look at the state our country is in RIGHT NOW! Do you think it's good? Are you happy with it? Is your hard-earned dollar still going just as far as it used to?

Now, we have a split. The Republican-controlled House holds the power of spending, otherwise known as "the power of the purse." However, whatever bills they pass, with the exception of approving spending or NOT approving spending, still have to pass the Senate, which is under Democratic control. The result is a stalemate. However, I will take that over total control because each side has some leverage, and leverage creates compromise. When compromise works appropriately, it opens the critical lines of communication between opposing sides.

However, this is still not done by listening to what the people want. I will concede that, in many cases, probably most people will not understand all the underlying issues. This is why we have elected officials. This is why we elected them. To follow through on what we, the people, want. I realize that is a difficult task. Not everyone wants the same things. But with that said, compromise serves the interest of the whole, not only the one.

Before I continue, I must be fair. Not all politicians are self-centered and care only about their agendas. Those are the minority. Many do care and listen. Therefore, do not mistake this post as a bashing post against politicians. However, take it for what it is. To bring specific issues to your attention. Should there be a citizen's committee? An oversight committee of citizens that sit and listen and have input on some of the decisions made? The decisions that are made that affect our daily lives? Most people do not make the salaries a member of Congress or a Senator makes. The average salary for members of Congress in the U.S. is $190,909.00. With some representatives in larger states making more. It's public information. Google it. They certainly earn it.

I am NOT stating that they are over or underpaid. But compared to the national average for a single American in 2022, which was only $60,575.00, I find it hard to believe they feel the crunch the same way the average citizen of this great nation does. Again, all public information is readily available with a Google search.

The bottom line to this section is that some DON'T LISTEN after being elected.

VOTING:

Since there is very little accountability between election cycles, the only choice is to make changes if we are NOT happy at election times. We are now entering an election cycle. Different hats are being thrown into the ring. More on the Republican side than the Democratic side, but it's still early. Of course, there will probably be the traditional bashing between candidates and those that will talk about the issues, or try. That's standard in the game of politics. The responsibility to shuffle through the debris is for us to listen closely. Evaluate what we have and what is occurring and decide whether we want to continue down the current path or change it.

Whichever you choose, it is accomplished by voting—one of our most important rights as citizens of this great nation. You cannot complain after the fact if you do not go out and vote.

However, THINK. For decades, people voted for the party they were affiliated with. If you were a registered Democrat or Republican, you voted for whoever was running in your party. That concept has gone out with the Model-T Ford, or it should. Regardless of any candidate's political affiliation, it would be best to vote for who you believe will do the job. Look at their track record. Look at their political past success or failure. For God's sake, take it upon yourself TO DO A LITTLE RESEARCH.

Be sure who you vote for will do the job you want them to do and not be part of the popular position at the time. The one thing that always changes is time, and things change with time. History alone has taught us that, and how your life has changed should have taught you that. Unfortunately, since the pandemic, it seems that politicians and people, in general, have just gone along with the trend at the time. Let's keep everyone happy, even if it's not the right thing to do. This type of thinking does not consider the effects it will have down the road. Otherwise known as FALLOUT. Every cause has an impact. Every action has a reaction. Most of all, every choice comes with consequences. Some are good, and others, not so much.

Walking into a voting booth is much different today than when my parents, and maybe yours, voted. Candidates campaign differently. Dirt was not thrown across the room like today. Candidates debated the issues and stuck to the issues. Although I was too young to vote during those times, I was old enough to understand and am now undoubtedly old enough to see how the process has drastically changed.

At the end of the day, a great leader does what is best for the people and the nation. Not what is best for their agenda or what they do for those that donated heavily to their campaign. This has always made America the world's greatest, most robust, and economically stable country. I want to think we still are. However, the facts do not bare that out any longer. We MUST get that back to survive the new world threats we are and will be facing. Our survival as the nation we want us to be relies on that.

IN CLOSING:

Yes, I am a patriot. Yes, I love my country. Yes, I wouldn't want to live anywhere else. However, we are at a critical time in our development. A crucial time that will define our future. Not only in our nation but on the world stage. This is a considerable challenge. One that should not be taken lightly. To get this back and more, it will take outstanding leadership and cooperative leadership. Do I believe we can achieve this? I do not doubt we can again be the great nation other nations have looked up to for decades. There is nothing more I would rather see while I have time left on this earth.

However, I am also a realist. Based on the past two years, I know this is NOT the path that will get us there, and the polls seem to show that most of America agrees. It's time we stop wondering why our leaders do not listen and ensure they know they had better listen. Our true power as citizens of this great nation sits in the ballot box. The power and right to vote. Never forget that.

Be safe, stay well, and focus on being happy. And remember to always: