Ghost Writer

If I Were My Own Representative, Part V: A Positive Message

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on 01-31-2010 at 08:30 AM (390 Views)

This series has been fun for me, like the other fiction I try to write. But I feel that this fiction needs to have a message. So If I Were My Own Representative, I would carry a simple message wherever I went. Whether I got to speak to a Rotary Club or a school or a TV talk show, I would try to take the opportunity to remind people that the U.S.A. is still the greatest nation ever conceived by human beings.

(Image from Flickr, by Elaron, licensed under Creative Commons. Click to enlarge.)

We're not perfect. We're not likely to be. We have problems, and faults, and failures, and we're unlikely to ever agree completely on how to correct them.

But in our ideals -- "we hold these truths to be self-evident," "bring me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free" -- in the freedoms we afford our people and are willing to help others achieve, and in our drive to improve, grow, and rise above the status quo, I believe we are the greatest hope for peace and prosperity in the world.

I understand that some people will disagree, and that's okay. If you become your own Representative, you can bear any message you like.

Call me a patriot, call me a fool, I will remain positive and hopeful about these United States.

Tags: patriotism, politics

Categories: Politics

« If I Were My Own Representative, Part IV: My Touchstone for Voting Main Shuttles and Deltas and Thors, Oh, My! »

Comments

dbergeron - 02-02-2010 12:18 PM

I’ll jump on board with my 2 cents worth. I both recognize and empathize with your distaste for running for office, but in order to be a representative it is, more often than not, a requirement. A campaign should be a time to understand where a candidate stands on issues that are important to the electorate. To that end, as a candidate for office, I would tell my prospective constituency not only where I stood, (unequivocally, assuming I felt strongly on the issue), but also why I choose to stand there and the rationale and values that led me to that stance. This would help them to understand where I might stand on other issues that do not come up in the election. We live in a federal republic. We hire people to represent us in Washington. The constituents need to understand how I, as an elected representative, make my decisions in order to decide whether they should vote for me.

I would not be afraid to anger potential constituents by trying to “walk the minefield” of public opinion. This would probably make me unelectable as well, but at least I could look myself in the eye every morning. As a general guideline, I would always vote for or against legislation based on what made our country a better place to live, stronger, or increased opportunities for all Americans… It is the electorate’s responsibility to vote for the people that best match their views. It would be my responsibility to follow through with the ideas, positions, and values that got me elected.

One other thing. When I voted on any legislation, I would inform my constituents how I voted and why I chose to vote that way. I’m tired of hearing “this candidate voted against motherhood or apple pie” during an election year. Legislation is generally complex and there are many reasons to vote against a piece of legislation without being against the basic premise of the law.
Keep going Gray, I’ll continue to jump in when I get these random thoughts!
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Gray Rinehart - 02-04-2010 04:48 AM

When I voted on any legislation, I would inform my constituents how I voted and why I chose to vote that way.

That's a great idea. I envision lots of blog entries along the lines of "here's why...."

As a general guideline, I would always vote for or against legislation based on what made our country a better place to live, stronger, or increased opportunities for all Americans.

Hear, hear!
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