How Partisan Politics Are Hurting You...Right Now.

Over the last several years this country has increasingly been defined along ideological lines. This phenomena can be summed up in the phrase "Red State Vs Blue State." The political establishment and the national media would have us believe; that we, as a country are divided down the middle along Conservative/Liberal lines. Why has it gotten this way? Because the vast majority of us who are not an Ultra-Conservative Right Wing Nut job or an Ultra-Liberal Left Wing Lunatic do not raise our collective voices. The exceedingly vocal minorities on either end of the spectrum and their envoys (better known as lobbyists) have taken over your government while you were busy going about your life.

This hurts all of us, on either end of the spectrum. The simple fact is; that these small groups are the ones pouring money into the campaigns of our elected leaders. Therefore; their wants, opinions, and requests our the ones most valued by your congressmen and senators. This situation has created a political traffic jam that would even make most Los Angelinos cringe.

This inaction by congress has now reached the tipping point, a critical mass if you will. We have moved from what one could call partisan politics into, what I as a former military man would call; dereliction of duty. I do not use that term lightly either. In the military you take a sacred oath to defend America and obey the orders of the men and women appointed over you. When you fail in your duties to this oath, you are charged with dereliction of duty. To be charged with this is a disgrace your career may never recover from, if you are lucky enough to survive the charge with a career at all. Let me explain why I think Congress is now in dereliction of their duty.

Right now our country is embroiled in a very serious economic crisis. Banks are dropping like flies. Action must be taken, everyone knows this. Your much embattled President and his top economic advisers have a plan. Last night our President called together all the leaders of Congress and his relevant cabinet members to; discuss their plan and hammer out the fine details of an economic bailout package. This package would have eased tensions in the market and had far reaching positive effects on the economy as a whole. What was the result of this meeting you ask? Nothing happened. Shocked? I'm not...

Instead of rising above party/ideological lines and producing a smart and useful piece of legislation that could help Americans right now and not 5, 10, or 20 years from now, they blew it. They could not see past the end of their party's own rhetoric. Had they come together and got this done both sides could have claimed victory, which would have been fine. At least the average Joe would have received the help he needs from his Uncle Sam. Instead, we have more of the same. One side blaming the other for inaction and that side is blaming the first for irresponsible ideas. Haven't we heard this song before?

As I write this the three major U.S. stock indices (DOW, NASDAQ, and S&P 500) are down and average of 1% and they have only been open for 45 minutes! Wall Street is taking the news of Washington's inaction as badly as they should. However, the question is; will you?

Will the economic crisis and Washington's failure to act finally shake the silent majority out of it's apathy and galvanize you into action; forcing our leaders to take measures which are sorely needed to give our economy time to right itself? If recent history is correct, the answer is; sadly no.

So, if the answer is no and we collectively bury our heads in the sand, than we are the only ones to blame. When gas is $4.50 or gasp! $5.00/gal, blame yourself. When taxes have been raised to record rates and energy costs are through the roof and you wonder; "Where did my paycheck go?" blame yourself. For your inaction, has now become as derelict in your duty as a citizen of this country, as the inaction of your elected Representatives.

This has been my slightly obstructed view...from the cheep seats.