No journey is ever begun until hope fills the first steps.
The American people want a capable government, able to bring back a robust economy, and healthy future for all American's benefit. Poll after poll reflects an approval rating of Congress in the teens or less. It is a gross distraction under any president's administration to accuse the president of being responsible for the incompetence and ineptitude of Congress. Our Constitution stipulates that Congress legislates and our President executes what Congress legislates. We are entering a presidential election year, and while the media wants to focus on the presidential race, it is the Congress which voters must attend to.Failure to execute current law is not the source of
most American's loss of faith in government. The source of the problem
is this. Too many in Congress are unable or unwilling to act in the best
interests of the people and
the nation. They are acting instead on behalf of their special interest
campaign donors, their Party or, a gerrymandered percentage of their
constituents in their home state.
Unless voters
can encourage themselves and each other to vote out incumbents
routinely, until such time as Congress is filled with those dedicated to the welfare of our nation and all her
people, America literally has no plan for curing what ails her. Our
Congress is riddled with the cancer of greed and power, money influence
and special corporate interests. And that cancer is growing inside our
Congressional body. The American voters must administer the radioactive
treatment on Election Day after Election Day, which will force this
cancer into remission.
It is a daunting task to ask Americans
to find hope and courage to act when the fate of our country is looking
so bleak. The challenge remains, however, to go out and actively help
fellow Americans to accept the reality of this cancer, and to accept the
cure. It is a challenge because it calls for voters to abandon
political party and ideology. The goal however is worth the challenge.
We will restore to our nation a Congress of, by, and for the American
people. A
daunting task - a worthwhile end.
We each, individually and collectively, will continually suffer the
consequences of a failed America. Go
forth and vote for individual candidates who are committed to the
reforms which will eradicate this cancer growing in our Congress, our
political parties, and within the body of our nation's future.
Fear of, and cowering from, the future is not an option. We are not North Koreans. Action requires the
courage to step forward. Action requires hope filling the first steps
toward achieving the objective. Our forefathers and mothers mustered within
themselves the courage and hope to act appropriately when our nation's
future was threatened. Are we lesser Americans than they? It is a false
pride that says, "I am an American", while failing to act appropriately
on America's behalf.
January 2, 2012 10:42 PM
I agree whole heartedly with your accessment of congress but you seem to give Obama a pass by arguing that the problem lies only with those who enact the laws (congress) but not with those charged with executing the laws (the president). That's total BS and you know it. Obama is an abject failure as a leader and if he's not included in your movement to vote out all incumbents count me out.
January 3, 2012 1:52 AM
Jerry, thanks for your comments. It is up to each individual to decide whether the President's or their Congress person's performance meets their expectations. VOID takes a position of anti-incumbency specifically toward Congress because Congress Legislates and the legislative process is broken, as is the political system. The powers of the office of the Presidency are in Congress' and the courts hands to limit. If there is fault with the powers of the presidency, it lies with Congress and the Courts. If a voter finds fault with the execution of the powers granted to the presidency under Obama, then absolutely, that voter should vote anti-incumbent regarding Obama's reelection. That should however, go without saying, I should think.
Unfortunately, for far too many voters, a presidential vote is one based on popularity, good looks, or charisma, and not executive leadership. There are many who call themselves liberal who would agree with you that Obama has failed to live up to their expectations. However, the office of president is already term-limited, Constitutionally. That is not the case with our broken Congress, and therein lies the responsibility of voters to vote anti-incumbent toward their own Congress person, since, more than 3/4 of them were reelected in the last election despite majority voter disapproval of Congress' performance.
January 3, 2012 9:01 PM
I think David your rationale for excluding the executive from your campaign to remove incumbents has textbook logic but ignores reality. Obama (as his predecessor, "W")has absolutely refused to see that the laws are faithfully executed (his sworn duty) in many areas including immigration law as well as enforcement of criminal laws against Wall Street CEOs. Our recent presidents, including Obama, seem to think they have some G-d given right to ignore the Constitution and choose which duly enacted laws they will and will not execute! Thus rendering us a nation of men NOT "of law". Unless this movement includes the executive branch we may well find ourselves with a congress that passes responsible laws (for a change) but an executive that arbitrarily and unconstitutionaly refuses to enforce ("execute") those duly enacted laws.
January 4, 2012 10:35 PM
Jerry, it is not for me to recommend to others their choice of president. In November 2012, voters will make a choice from among, essentially, 2 candidates. Presidents are already term limited. The decision of whether a president is to be a one term, or two term president, is up to the voters. Last poll I saw, had nearly half of Americans approving of Obama's performance, and the other half, not.
The Presidency is not broken. The Congress is. The president is the people's choice, and they are as aware as they want to be, about the performance record of Obama. Congress, on the other hand, has institutional problems that prevent it from functioning as intended by the Founders, and a majority of voters, I believe, are NOT informed as to the source of the dysfunction, nor the remedy.
Hence, VOID was chartered specifically as an anti-incumbent organization whose efforts are aimed directly at the U.S. Congress.
You will have to enlighten me as to the claim of Unconstitutional behavior by Obama. I have not yet heard of a Supreme Court case which has rendered an action by Obama as unconstitutional. If you are referring to the Affordable Care Act, you are referring to an act of Congress. If you are referring to Obama's recess appointment for the Consumer Agency, that has yet to be tested in the courts.
The courts determine Constitutionality, not voters. That too is in the Constitution. If you support the Constitution, then you must support that prescription, as well.
March 11, 2012 6:57 AM
Well, you got my hope and courage up. Thank you for creating this organization. I will be joining as a member next pay day.
Lots of anti-incumbent web sites out there, but, I have never seen a registered PAC based on anti-incumbent voters before coming here. Outstanding. Keep up the great work.
March 29, 2012 12:08 PM
JimK, thank you for taking the time to leave your positive comments. And yes, you are right that we are the only registered PAC based on anti-incumbent voting as a means to forcing better governance.