It’s the system, stupid — or is it the Stupid System?

(Please understand I'm just trying to get your attention) I wrote this in 2017. The system is the same the numbers just larger! I am hoping by writing this many of you will research things I point out and take action by getting involved.

I believe in government, through my experience and observations as a state official and as a state (public) employee afterward and I still believe in public service. I look back at the hundreds of people I have served with, almost all of whom I consider decent, honorable people. No matter which political party they belong to or whether I had major differences with them on public policy. I don't question their integrity or desire to serve their constituents or to serve their state. But with knowledge of significant bureaucratic difficulties and sometimes political roadblocks. So, let's start with this. We all want ethical, moral and competent government. To achieve that, we try to elect people we think have an ability to serve us and then we send them into a “system” designed to serve those who have gamed the system. It is my belief we have allowed governmental systems to slowly morph into what they are today. Of, for and by the powerful, designed to get us to keep sending people who will serve the system. The only way out is knowledge!

Let me explain. When I think of this, I think of the “Pareto Principle” (80/20 rule) eighty percent of the problem is the system and twenty percent the people operating the system. It's the system...but only people can change the system, which brings about the question “How.” There's the system and there is the politics that perpetuate the “System.” In many ways government has devolved into being user friendly by powerful interests on all levels, city, county, state and federal. Those interests are not necessarily bad or evil, only “actively taking care of their own needs.” Those same interests start early in investing in people they believe will perpetuate their needs through the electoral process.

There was 3.37 billion dollars, YES!, (Three billion, three hundred and seventy million dollars went into lobbying in Washington D.C. In 2017.)  There are 15,000 registered Lobbyists in D.C.  Churches and religious groups alone, have 212 offices and employee over 1000 lobbyists there. That's a lot of politicking from the pulpit. Every country has an embassy and “lobbyists” there, corporate and religious leaders although not registered lobbyist often testify before congress to shape legislation. There are 177 Foreign Embassies in D.C. There are 535 people in the U.S Congress, so, you do the math! 

It costs over a billion dollars to be elected president, to get their Man, one per-centers are willing to spend it. They are investing and selecting, amplifying their voice and deciding who “you” need to represent you. (In their best interest)

None of this happened overnight, it has slowly taken place and special interests continue to be served. So let's look at how we got to here.  I believe one of the major reasons it sped up in recent years with corporations moving their legislative affairs offices to Washington, D.C.  (Please google a synopsis of the Powell Memo.Author, Lewis f. Powell, (Tobacco Lobbyist/Supreme Court Justice) Which sped up  the move of corporate lobbying to D.C. Another is Political Action Committees (PACs) they have  proliferated in recent years.  Please look up “Dark Money” and “Citizens United” and who supported it.

Time to get pragmatic folks! Your only chance is to be informed and use your vote wisely. The only way for change to occur is to know who is fighting for and whom against it. Please look at the voting patterns of those who represent you. You may have someone working hard to represent you or you may have someone vested in the system. The powers that be, have divided and conquered for many years.

If we continue, to allow ourselves to be divided, if we fall into our nativist beliefs, religious or tribal groups, we are playing into what allowed the system to develop as it has and we will be perpetuating.(This is a excerpt from my memoir on politics and the new political paradigm, I am sure I will be posting more.)  If you are interested in more let me know.

Second Part:

Time to get pragmatic again  folks! They are simply, investing and selecting, amplifying their voice while deciding who you need to represent you.

In many ways government has devolved into being user friendly by powerful interests on all levels, city, county, state and federal. Those interests are not necessarily bad or evil, only actively taking care of their own needs.  And their interest always seem to get served and their issues always addressed. The legislative process is difficult, it requires step by step knowledge of the rules in and out of committees requiring majority votes along the way. Many bills die here without ever getting on a floor vote.  Pressing public needs many times become back burner to their interests. So why is that? Usually, because special interest needs are nudged through the process, no matter how many more pressing issues there are, by powerful legislative or rule making leaders. (Speaker, Majority Leader, Committee Chairs)  Time on the legislative floor calendar in Washington D.C. is incredible currency, it can be worth millions and sometimes billions. And nothing happens without the leadership agreeing. Let me again state, this happens to some degree at every level, city, state and federal and leadership at all those levels just don't magically appear. Your senator or representative may be laboring diligently, doing what they can,but if not assisting leadership when asked, committee assignments and legislative accomplishments small. 

Why Term Limits Don't Work?
(We already have them, they are called elections!)

Finding people with the skills necessary to rise to the leadership level mentioned above requires investing in promising candidates from all those levels, sorta like excelling in college, then going to the NFL. Cream rises to the top.

The powerful are simply investing , selecting, amplifying their voice, and deciding who you need to represent you. (in their best interest)

So why do their issues get on the table or front and center? it takes knowledge and ability to get through the process and to get it there.  Getting into a position be able to put something on the political calendar requires being very politically astute or in a leadership position, getting into that position generally requires time, effort and you guessed it money. To get elected now takes way too much money and getting into a leadership position way more! Astuteness comes from learning the process.

Here's where the politics come in — once in power it is hard to give up. What is now reflected in our political discourse is perhaps,what we have become is a nativist and tribal nation and those in power play upon our fears.  And encourage following the rules of the pack, fearing the the demographic changes which seem inevitable. A divided nation will always have a hard time in dealing successfully with issues if half the country is opposed to the solution offered.

While we are seeing this clearly reflected in Washington, the same thing is happening at state and local elections, even local school boards.

Time on the legislative calendar in Washington D.C. is incredible currency, it can be worth millions and sometimes billions. Those coalitions are constantly investing in state and local elections and give them a bench to call on in the future.  They are simply, investing and selecting, amplifying their voice and deciding who you need to represent you. So why do their issues get on the table or front and center? it takes knowledge and ability to get through the process and to get it there.

None of this happened overnight, it has slowly taken place as people are not served and special interest continue to be.  I believe one of the major reasons it sped up in recent years is corporations moving their legislative affairs offices to Washington, D.C.  (Please google the Powell Memo) Political Action Committees (PACs)

Let's face it — we need to keep the trains running, roads paved and schools open, we need the military and  police keeping us safe and so many other necessary services. We also need to live up to the “Social Contract”our nation has with its citizens and democracy. 

In his 1961 Farewell Address: President Dwight D. Eisenhower warned against the "unwarranted influence" of a newly permanent "military-industrial complex." He urged an "alert and knowledgeable citizenry" to protect democratic processes and ensure security and liberty grow together, cautioning that its influence could endanger U.S. Liberties. (Please look up the speech!)

The current  president recently said, the military needed to grow and was the most important of government, and added that the federal government could not afford Medicaid, Medicare & Social Security.