Are We a Government of the People, or Not?

Society in every state is a blessing, but government, even in its best state, is but a necessary evil; in its worst state, an intolerable one.
Thomas Paine, from Common Sense

Our government is sticking its fingers into every aspect of our lives. Our founding fathers did not want that. Our current elected officials in DC have forgotten that our founders wanted individuals and states to be more powerful than the federal government. For the most part, our Representatives and Senators have been inoculated with the DC vaccine that prevents them from caring about you and me.

As leaders, they believe they are untouchable. But we have a strong way to fight back. Let’s stop re-electing the same foolish and arrogant people. Just because they have a famous name or have been in office a long time does not mean they are doing a good job.

Look at the voting record of your elected officials. It’s not that hard. I get an email every week from http://www.congress.org. It tells me what my representatives and senators voted on and how they voted. It also tells me what upcoming votes there are so I can call them in a timely fashion if I want to let them know how want them to vote.

Remember, they are there to represent us but they cannot do that if we don’t tell them what we want. We have a responsibility to speak out, know the issues, research them, and vote. It is imperative that, as parents, we do this. So much of what we decide as voters affects them more than us.

Set a good example for our kids. Talk to them about civics and current events. Encourage them to be active. We are in this mess now because of apathy. We are the only way out.

It is time we take our constitutionally guaranteed power of the people back from Washington!

A Chance to Live History with Your Kids

My daughter took her 3 yr. old out of preschool early so they could watch the inauguration together and she could talk to him about it. She did not vote for Obama, but realized the historical significance of the moment. He may not remember, but she did the right thing and I am proud of her.

President Obama is of African American heritage. When I was little girl growing up in the south, his father would not have been served at many restaurants, had separate water fountains, separate restrooms, and was forced to sit in the back of a bus.

I was teenager in the 60’s when there were riots weekly on the streets. Other young black people were trying to find their rightful place in this country in a peaceful manner. I remember the first attempts at integration and the prejudices that tried to prevent it.

Now Obama is the leader of the free world. It is a wonderful testimony to the ability of Americans to overcome challenges and adapt to changing conditions in the world. It speaks to the tolerance that we are famous for—we have always welcomed the people of the world here and now we see their children succeeding in the American dream in business, the military, politics, and many other areas of life.

His election shows that what ever you set your mind to, you can achieve. It takes hard work and perseverance. I am sure he would not tell you it was easy. But he believed in himself and in his dream. He did what was necessary to make that dream happen.

What a great lesson to our kids. He does not speak ebonics, he does not wear his pants down below his butt, he is well dressed, he is well spoken, he looks the person he is speaking to in the eye. This is a man who works hard and has learned how to inspire others. Those are characteristics a parent can point to and say this is a good role model rather than some gangsta rap or nearly naked pop star. These are the qualities we should teach our children to emulate.

Be a part of history together.

Should Hillary Clinton be our next President?

Should Obama? Should Romney? Should McCain Should Huckabee?

What do you think? Do you know what you think? Do you recognize the names?

As parents it is our responsibility to know who we are electing and what they stand for. Know what issues are important to you, to your family, and to the country. Don't just listen to TV, radio talk shows, or read print to find out what you should believe.

Too many people in this country will vote for a candidate because:

• of gender (for or against),
• of race (for or against),
• of religious persuasion (for or against), or
• because someone else said they should.

None of these reasons are good enough to use your sacred privilege to cast a secret ballot on a single individual. Where do you personally stand on national security, illegal immigration, the tax code, the trade deficit, the housing 'crisis', the environment. These are all vital issues to be addressed in the next four years.

Pay attention to how these candidates have stood on these issues for the past decade, not just on what they are saying in a campaign speech. Or, worse yet, don't let someone else tell you what these candidates stand for. Check it out your self. Make it a family project.

Use this as a chance to get closer to your children and teach them how to vote and how to vote responsibly. It is disgusting to me that in the FL primary yesterday everyone was so excited about the fact that in some precincts almost 40% of the eligible voters turned out to vote.

When I was in school 40% was not a passing grade! Where in God's name are the other 60%? Be a good citizen and a good parent. Vote for the candidate who most fits your values. Your children's futures are dependent on what we do as voters. Teach your children how to compare candidates and vote intelligently.

On the other hand, if you are not an informed voter, please stay home.