Democratic-Republic

I have written blogs about American Patriotism. I have discussed the ideology of compromise.  As a matter of fact I have not discussed any policy issues specifically. Well, that is about to change. I was recently reading a newspaper article from a small town in Eastern Oklahoma. It was written by a current State Senator.  I do not want to be viewed as against anyone elected official so I will not give the name of this senator.

            After I read the newspaper article I became extremely upset.  The senator was discussing the idea of reducing the number of elected officials at the state capitol building in Oklahoma.  This is ridiculous!  I am from a small community in Oklahoma whose population is not near large enough to compete with larger communities. Currently there are towns and counties in Oklahoma which have more than one elected official representing them.  We split the voice of small rural areas. The only benefit which comes from reducing the number of elected officials is whoever is currently in control, and currently it is the republican party. 

            One of the arguments used for the reducing of state legislators is it will save the state millions of dollars.  I will agree to that.  It will save us money, but we will shrink our voice. 

            When the states population begins to move into urban areas rural Oklahoma will lose. representation as it is.  So who will be the people that will lose representation by reducing.  Rural Oklahoma.  My voice my vote is priceless.  Rural Oklahoma's voice is worth more than money saved from reducing the number of elected officials.  I tell you now Oklahoma is better than just taking away our voice for petty party politics.  This is a great country and a great state.  We have the opportunity to elect officials to help guide this state and country.  So why would we want to take away our voice so we can increase the money in elections. 

            Oklahoma politics have always been very intimate.  People get to meet there elected officials and know them by their first name.  It is not about the number of TV ads or signs on the highway.  I promise you that if we reduce the number of elected officials, campaigns will be about who has the most money not who is the best person for the job. 

      God Bless Oklahoma!  God Bless America!

We the People

Bipartisanship is a rarely used term it seems like in today's politics.  Now, it is talked about all the time.  I am still ecstatic that the United States Capitol building is divided.  The best thing for good policy making in this country is for both sides of the argument to come together and meet in the middle. There is more and more of this happening in Washington D.C. today. The Honorable United States Senate is majority democrat.  The Honorable House of Representatives is s majority republican.  By not having one in complete control allows those who are making our laws in this country to have a unique opportunity.  The opportunity to create bipartisan public policy! An excellent example of this is the recent reopening of horse slaughter plants.  This seemed to be an issue that neither side could agree.  However, not only did the republican House of Representatives and the democratic Senate come together to pass this bill, the President of the United States (democrat) signed the bill.  This is bipartisanship at its finest.

            There is a need for both parties.  Not every democrat is correct and not every republican is correct both can be right and both can be wrong.  It takes a strong politician to stand up for his district no matter the party lines.  I was raised to believe that the House of Representatives is the true voice of the people, and being the voice of the people the people elected to represent their congressional districts should listen to their constituents. It is not always about their personal opinion.  A lot of times it is about how well they listen.

            Retail stores have two main rules.  The first is the customer is always right. The second is if the customer is wrong refer to rule number one.  This same rule applies to elected officials. The constituents are always right.  When the constituents are wrong refer to rule number one.  So, with that being said we are approaching the 2012 election year.  Elections are no more than a job interview.  We the people have the opportunity to "interview and hire us a representative" for the length of another election cycle.  

            This election cycle should not be about voting against someone.  Instead try to find someone to vote for!! It is about finding the right person for the job instead of just a different person for the job.  Believe it or not their are good people who are serving in Congress.  So when you begin seeing commercials and reading flyers please, please read up on the candidate (incumbent or challenger) make sure that the person you support is not just another guy for the job, but instead the RIGHT person for the job.  We live in a great country.  The reason this country is so great is because we as a society have the opportunity to let our voices become equal every two years.  When we vote no person's vote counts for more than yours. We become all men and women created equally.  I believe in good people serving in good positions.  This is our opportunity, because WE ARE THE PEOPLE OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA!!!!  God Bless America.

Our home

Every September we have a memorial for an event that was designed to tear this country apart, but instead united this country.  There are two sides to that memorial the side which petrified this country and made us angry.  Then the other is the day after when we all came together and said WE are Americans and no one in the world can take that away no matter the attack.  Now, is it not funny that just a few days later people begin to speak negatively about politics and policy how the other side is trying to destroy this country?  We are all Americans with different ideas and opinions, be respectful and positive about this country.  It takes all different walks of life to make this Nation work.  Not one is completely right and not one is completely wrong.  This is America founded by those looking for liberation from tyranny.  We have a Constitution which to this day is envied by the world.  I Love this country and believe it is still the land of opportunity; the place where dreams can be made and fears can be conquered.  We conquered them before and we will always continue to conquer them until the day comes when those who live in one area look down on those who live in another part of the Country.  When an elected official is on the television says something you do not like or votes away you disagree with remember this: They wanted to change something so they became involved and ran for office.  That is what makes us great that we can all stand up and make our voices heard.  My fellow Americans never forget September 11, 2001, never forget those that died, and never forget we are all Americans because it is all of us that make this country strong.  I do not care about your political affiliation, I do not care what your back ground is, and I do not care where you were born if you are an American; be proud to be so.  I ask you say the pledge of Allegiance and think about the words and what they mean.  I ask you revue the words to the National Anthem and open a history book. I ask you thank a soldier.  I ask that instead of pointing the finger and saying everything that is wrong that instead you grab a hammer and nails and fix it.  This is American and I am an American.  I am willing to pick up my tool belt and go to work, how about you?  This next year instead of cussing each other with the negativity how about instead coming together to say I can help you with that.  The negativity is driving me crazy and I am ready for a change not in the ideologies but the way we work with one another. This is where I call home.  GOD BLESS AMERICA and OKLAHOMA!!
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wSJoZiB-UGY&ob=av2e

United We Stand

There are times in our history when American’s are literally trying to separate America. Whether it was new ideologies, politics, color of skin, race, sex, or even religion. There were times when this group would push that group and that group would push this group. And then the groups would try to make all of America choose between the two. One group would grab a seam and the other group would grab the other and they would begin to tear. However, when all hope was lost and their seemed to be no light of day something would happen. A cataclysmic event would happen and shake the face of the earth. Sometimes it would be a catastrophe so horrible no could even fathom what happened. Other times it would be a positive reinforcement of what The United States of America truly represents. There were times when this reinforcement came from a single hockey team or a single swimmer. Then other times this event was 9/11, hurricane Katrina and New Orleans, or the Oklahoma City Bombing.
These events would grab America by the heart and every single soul unites under ONE flag, ONE heart, and ONE nation. John F. Kennedy said “Ask not what your country can do for you but what you can do for your country?” I ask what can we as Americans do for our country without trying to rip it up. The only reason we do so is because we all want our opinions heard and we want to exercise our rights. This wonderful this is what America is about. Why can we not always stand united? Why does it require some type of event to unite the USA? I remember watching the planes and seeing the flags and reading signs that said “UNITED WE STAND” Does it take something as horrible as September 11, 2001 to unite this country?
We are all so very fortunate to be able to express our opinions with out worry of punishment. We will never completely agree with everything our presidents say. We will never always agree with our neighbor. Does that mean we cannot consider them as an equal because they do not believe what we believe? That is not the America I was raised with!!! If it is not possible to consider others as Americans; then the America I was raised with is dead and gone and is only legend told by those who fought for this country. If this is not the America we stand for then July 4th 1776 is meaningless.
I tell you I still believe in America. I still believe that we stand United and United we stand. Because we are the LAND OF THE FREE and the HOME OF THE BRAVE! If this is not the case then I believe in fairy tales. GOD BLESS AMERICA!