I know, you really thought that the person you voted for represented your values well. He/she even had a remarkable, relatable story of how they overcame odds and obstacles in order to get here. They were supposed to be a champion of the people. I’m sorry, but it was a lie to get your vote.
I suppose it is possible that a small percentage of politicians may actually be decent people, but they are the exception, not the rule. At the founding of our great nation, our representatives (flawed as they were) were not political by trade. They were average men who had real jobs and served colony and country as volunteers.
Nowadays, as everyone knows, we have career politicians who live well beyond the means of those they claim to represent. Even the ones who call for term limits remain in office much longer and continue to become much wealthier than they ought. And, instead of being outraged and demanding change, we complicitly vote them back in, year after year.
We believe the lie that their way is the only way. The lesser of two evils becomes the moral high ground. All the while, we are lulled to sleep by promises and plans that never come to fruition. Let me suggest that fruit fails to grow because the tree is dead.
Take the Second Amendment for example. It is touted as if it is about gun control. Democrat and Republican leaders alike are willing to go along with that narrative so long as it distracts you from the fact that it is really about checks and balances - something extremely lacking in our government today. A little research into 2A will quickly reveal that the real heart behind this unique amendment is the right to defend yourself against a tyrannical government.
“The right to bear arms” is not about whether or not we, as Americans, are allowed to own weapons, but what we are allowed to do with them. Getting to the point, you have the right to organize a militia to protect yourself against a government that goes off the rails and fails to represent and protect its constituents. The government does not have the right to confiscate our arms or infringe on any of our other constitutional rights without repercussions.
Don’t get me wrong, I do not support the capitol “insurrection” that took place on January 6th. While some of those individuals may have had democratic motives, I think it is pretty clear that most were just glorified cosplayers vying for their fifteen minutes of fame. I would, however, support an organized militia marching on Washington DC to stand against the powers that be, because that is what our Bill of Rights allows.
We seem to forget that the United States of America was founded by men and women who had a general distrust of arbitrary rulers. The worst part is, we are taught to scrutinize the prejudices and shortcomings of past leaders while ignoring the blatant failures and indulgences of our current leadership. The American Revolution was fought and won so that we would have a government “of the people, by the people, and for the people”. And yet we continue to recognize a ruling class and perpetuate the dynastic monarchy by voting for the same liars time and time again.
This open practice of insanity has become so commonplace that we don’t even see our own power to rise against it. We tell ourselves “that’s just how our government works”, but if we’re honest, our government doesn’t work at all. We do the work. We pay the taxes. They live on vacation in multiple houses and check in when they are required to so they can do the minimum work required and give themselves raises every chance they get.
When will we awaken to the truth that our politicians don’t love us? Do you understand that the vast majority of them are so caught up in power agendas that they just say what you want them to in order to placate you? Do you not feel patronized and infantilized by the constant and incessant pandering of Washington DC?
If you don’t, I sincerely pity you. You have heard so many lies that you actually believe them. You have fallen prey to the classic blunder of thinking that people with power actually care about people without it. Allow me to remind you of an important truth to carry into all thought regarding the United States government:
They work for us. We don’t work for them.