Over this past weekend, Senator Trent Lott said that, “Talk radio is running America. We have to deal with that problem.” In response, talk radio all over the US had a field day declaring that if they had so much power, why don’t they represent the American people?
With all joking aside, that might not be a bad idea.
Think about it. When we elect our representatives, they are supposed to represent the majority and prevailing ideals of the constituents in their districts. Theoretically, that’s the way it’s supposed to work, but when our representatives get to Washington, lobbyists (and other factors) take over and our elected official’s personal ideals supersede the constituents that elected them. Because of this, a disconnect forms between Washington and the home front.
To prove this disconnect, the Gallup organization released a poll yesterday that shows confidence in Congress is at an all-time low – a 14% approval rating. Our representative democracy is something that every American should be in awe of and is probably one of the most prestigious institutions of government to ever be conceived, but regrettably it is balked at and frowned upon by a majority of Americans.
Now, let me also say that there are people on the other side of the coin. Not every representative we elect is like this. I’d even say that the description above represents a minority of elected officials, but unfortunately that minority runs the majority which is where talk radio kicks in.
The voice of the American people is no more prominent than on talk radio. Radio hosts go on the airwaves every day from Glenn Beck to Sean Hannity to listen to and discuss the politics at hand. Granted, talk radio is dominated by conservatives, but at the other end, printed press is dominated by the left. Either way, the every day American is flocking to the media to have their opinions heard because our Senators and representatives in congress have a deaf ear. They’re too tied up in their own political gain and self image.
Politics is a passion of mine and I love the debate and pragmatist nature of it, but if I were to ever be elected to public office, the voice of the people would always be my first duty. To make this point more clear, I’ll use my opinion on the current immigration bill as an example.
I personally think the bill presented by Senators Kennedy and McCain is a very good bill (read previous blog posts for more detailed opinion), but when it comes to immigration, I’m in the minority of my party. Most Republicans don’t like this bill and want it thrown out of debate all together. Even though my personal ideology clashes with the majority of my constituents, my vote would always be representative of the people that elected me. That’s the way it’s supposed to work and that’s the way the founding fathers intended it to work.*
I write this not to jab out our system. I admire what we have created and what America is, but just as our Constitution is a living document, our republic is a living and ever changing democracy which requires our awareness and vigilance. It’s so very important that we, the people, remind our elected officials that representing us is meant to be an honor and a privilege, not a right to power.
Talk radio and the media – whether it be the left or right - will hopefully open the eyes of Washington and get them reconnected with the people they serve. It will hopefully remind them that they are there for us, not them.
ER
* Let me note that by saying yes, we are a majority rules society and in most cases the majority gets what they want, but only within reason. We are a republic for this basis alone - not to be ruled by the mob, but to be ruled by reason and deliberation.
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