Stop Shutting Me Out

This blog is dedicated to all the Democrats in Congress who keep saying they want bi-partisan support but that they won't wait forever and that they will pass bills without Republican support if they have to.

This is one of the statements I am most tired of hearing. It represents collective up-turning of the Democrat nose to the American people and nobody should stand for it. There is this sense that these people honestly believe that the election of all these Democrats to Congress is a mandate that they should get everything they want and that the opinions of others simply no longer matter, especially those of their Republican counterparts. I've heard President Obama repeat this over and over again. And every time I hear it, I want to scream at the television.

In the past, Americans have voted in their representatives to represent all the people. If they have specific political leanings and that helps them to get elected, that's fine. People should vote for those who will represent their opinions and beliefs the best. Even so, all of our representatives have the basic task of protecting the basic (inalienable) freedoms and rights we enjoy in this country. So when a senator or a party takes steps to silence the opinions of those who disagree, we have a problem. Those freedoms and rights are taken away by those who have been given the mandate and the power to maintain them.

Everytime the Democrats in Congress threaten to pass legislation without the support of those Republican dissidents (who are obviously out of touch and don't represent the opinions of anyone in this country) they are forcing their will on the process and stifling my voice. This results in an unwinnable situation for the opposition and signals to them that the Democrats are not willing to compromise, let alone seriously debate the issues. And, so far, that's what we've seen.

The tactics we are seeing on the Democrat side of the aisle are meant to silence the opposition. But we live in America where the opposition has always been free to disagree openly and without fear of reprisal or marginalization by those in power.

I accept that America has voted in more Democrats than Republicans. I don't like it, but I accept it. It's the will of the people. I also accept that it's harder for my ideals and values to be maintained given this current situation. I do not accept that these ideals and values are out-moded or out-of-step with what America needs. And as for the ratio of Democrats to Republicans in Congress, I'd be surprised if this doesn't change dramatically in 2010. I say this because, regardless of our differing political views, the tactics of this current set of Democrats that run rough-shod over their opposition stifles free speech and promises to erode the freedoms of our once-fine country. In America, when you politically run rough-shod over your opposition, you run rough-shod over every American, whether they agree with you or not.

So I say this to the Democrats in Congress: Stop shutting me out! There are representatives in Congress who represent me and my voice. I want them to be heard. When you shut them out of the process, you eliminate the voices of a great many of the people of your country. You act as if you have 100% support of the American people and the actual figure is much closer to 50% than you're willing to admit. You're actions are further dividing the people of your country and they are setting this country up for a major political transition. I can only hope that the next elections restore some balance to the voice in our Nation's capital. If not, our country may be lost before 2012.