There was a time when most of our government officials were serious people, serving in their elected and appointed roles after establishing their bona fides as successful, contributing members of society. Government service was not a path to personal enrichment, and Country came before Party.
Today we elect and appoint people with no history of accomplishment, only possessing abilities to pander to aggrieved minorities and special interest groups. Creators of nothing, at their core they are grifters.
Understanding and respect for our history and heritage are unknown or ignored, and self-enrichment and partisan politics rule their agenda. They use their positions to build their personal wealth in ways that would land the rest of us in jail and engage in legislation and rulemaking while exempting themselves from the impact of their edicts.
There was a time when the electorate grasped the issues of the day and cast their vote in support of Country and self-interest. By and large, they were invested in the success of this nation and did not elect ignorant or self-serving people to office.
We want to thank Ted Ropple for this Op-Ed.
Please direct yours to Editor@GraniteGrok.com.
Today, if it’s breathing, it’s voting. Sometimes breathing isn’t required. And while there are still informed voters among the electorate, they are completely outweighed by the single-issue, low information voters, combined with a significant segment of the population that votes for whoever promises them the most.
On the leadership end of this parasitic monster controlling our country is the “elite” class, both elected and appointed. They offer nothing but lip service to their divisive constructs intentionally designed to distract the people from real issues while lining their pockets and those of their financial supporters. Rather than address fundamental issues challenging their constituencies- local, state, and national- they’d rather “fight” for solutions in search of a problem.
Nationally, our ersatz leaders focus on climate change, not a rational energy policy to secure our country. Transgender rights rather than a secure southern border. We must root out systemic racism in the military rather than engage and contain China, or Iran. And don’t forget to appoint someone to the Supreme Court because she is a black woman. It’s not important that she won’t, or can’t define what a woman is.
The trio Vermont sends to Washington is about as low-performance as you might find from any of the fifty states. Take a look at their legislative records.
One of our senators seems to be more interested in appointing trustees to the Smithsonian, while the only thing of consequence the other has done is name a couple of post offices. Our sole representative to the House has been nothing but a reliable supporter of the Progressive Left agenda, and nothing more. Now he wants to be a Senator. All of them have become very wealthy during their “service.”
At the state level, it is just as laughable.
Rather than address rising crime Burlington wants to defund the police and legalize prostitution. The State Legislature prefers to expend its energies combatting the climate change bogeyman, piling more and more regulation and costs on Vermont residents, rather than foster programs that have a chance of expanding and invigorating the state economy. Ignoring one of the larger elephants in the room, they’re going to wait until the day comes when Vermont’s education system has more employees than students before discomforting that reliable voting bloc.
But, these people get elected, and the elected make the appointments of their fellow travelers. I certainly don’t see an easy way to break the cycle. For the past fifty or sixty years we’ve allowed our children to be indoctrinated by the State; it’s no surprise why we’re at this point. We’ve generations of voters who are quite ignorant of America’s great accomplishments, great growth and promise. They’re perfectly fine with absorbing the soundbite of the day and reacting as directed, both with their actions and their votes. Sadly, the parasitic masses get nothing but crumbs compared to what’s garnered by their parasitic leaders.
It is said that the ascent of a nation or culture is steady and prolonged, but its descent is rapid and swift. Many see this country as already having begun the descent phase. If true, the chances of stopping it aren’t good, as no civilization or society has yet managed to prevent their decline.
A nation’s government should have a symbiotic, and not a parasitic relationship with the governed. If a way is not found to reverse our current course, waiting at the end of the ride is times as hard as they come. The Depression will look like a picnic in comparison. And there’s nowhere else left to go.
These are my thoughts. I encourage you to express yours.
Ted Ropple is a native New Englander residing in West Charleston, Vermont. He can be contacted through his website at www.tedropple.com