Advice from a small town girl

I have news for you, people!

Mitt Romney is not going to single-handedly restore the American economy.

Neither is Barack Obama.

Or any other politician, economist, businessman, corporation or political party.

No, I’m afraid that what it all comes down to is us.

We the people.

I’ve been convinced for some time now that our system is broken.

“Broken” might not be the right word, though.

“Corrupt” might be more accurate.

We the people have allowed our voice to be, if not silenced, definitely drowned out by other influences.

Sometimes, when listening to political rhetoric, I have to laugh, although what I’m hearing is not amusing. Both sides tend to use the same words to describe influences on congressional decision-making.

“Special Interests” (always pronounced with capitals) can include big business, wealthy individuals, PACs (political action committees), labor unions, consumer protection organizations or foundations. It just depends on which side of the aisle you’re on.

I think we need to turn “Special Interests” into “special interests” and we need to do it now.

And the only way to do that is to enact campaign financing reform.

I find the concept of corporations (or any of the other “Special Interests” listed above) as “persons” to be more than unacceptable. It’s offensive.

In my heart, I still hear this small voice that says, “one man, one vote.”

Even though the Supreme Court ruled that corporations are “persons,” that is supposed to only ensure that they have a voice. They don’t get to vote.

That being said, their voice can be louder than anyone else’s, because they can use their (sometimes vast) resources to make it so.

And that’s where I have my quibble with corporations as “persons.”

I still have this unreasonable, childish belief that we should all have the same amount of influence.

Not realistic, I know, but regardless of how unrealistic, I think it is something to strive for.

So let’s take back our power. Let’s take it back from politicians who cater to campaign contributors and “Special Interest” groups. Let’s give it to “best interest” groups instead. Groups made up of ordinary citizens like us.

And, in the meantime, I think we all need to become skeptics, because there are very few politicians, economists, businessmen, corporations or political parties who actually tell us the truth. And, I’m convinced, so-called journalists as well.

It’s really easy (for me, at least) to only listen to the voices that agree with what we already believe. But when we do that, we are not only failing to take into consideration the other side of the argument, we may also be allowing ourselves to be manipulated into an even more biased opinion.

We must be vigilant. We must be honest with ourselves. We must do our own fact-checking and not allow ourselves to be led astray by others whose interests appear to match our own.

Because maybe they don’t.