BALANCE IN AMERICA

From around my kitchen table [via Skype as we practice social distancing] it occurred to those who signed in that 2020 is not only a Leap Year, but an Election Year!

With that - it is an astonishingly fine opportunity because at no other time between our election cycles do "we-the-people" seem to be able to have our politicians' [undivided] attention. You need to be a highly paid Lobbyist to do that - and most voters aren't highly paid - just highly taxed.

[Sorry, I digress.]

Sooo, what did everyone [at their laptops] want to say to the 2020 herd of folks running for re-election? Plenty... We agreed a good deal of of America is socially and politically out of balance.

We begin with how far our elected representatives have 'drifted' from our Constitution. In his Gettysburg Address, Lincoln spoke to the original intention of this Republic as; "a government of the people, for the people, by the people" - which seems to have become a government: of the Congress, for the Congress, by the Congress... 

TERM LIMITS are out of balance. [Rep. George Holding (NC-District 2) Introduced a Constitutional Amendment proposing term limits on Congress, April 23, 2020 [Limit U.S. Senators to two six-year terms and members of the U.S. House of Representatives to six two-year terms.] "Term limits will put an end to politics-as-usual in Washington, help restore a citizen legislature and encourage elected officials to do what's best for their constituents, instead of special interests. It's time for elected officials to start making a difference, not a career."

[https://holding.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=202] Congressman Holding's proposed amendment calls for individuals to serve their country in a federal public office as a Congressman/woman or Senator for a maximum of 12 years then return to private life.

Each voter can write and call and put pressure on their House and Senate Rep. 

If unlimited terms as President for an indefinite time was considered by members of the U.S. Congress [March 1947] as a risk of too much authority, influence and power - then looking at the roster of our present slate of [vintage] federal representatives [in office for 20 and 30 and 40 years] is the very definition of - risk. It's also how regular folks who ran for public office arrived in DC with a modest bank account and pension - then three, four, five, six election terms later evolve to believe they are somehow entitled with all [except the newest members] having amassed a personal net worth of a minimum of 2+M each. This money miracle was accomplished via - inside knowledge, compromises, favors and 'thank yous' here and there - while voters remained regular folks with the same modest bank accounts and pensions.

DISTANCE is out of balance. The actual miles in 'distance' between DC and Main Street creates an insulation barrier for those who have been "on the Hill" for multiple decades behind which to duck. Have you written to your Senate or House Rep about an important issue and received an answer that wasn't a form letter in return? Have you been able to get your elected representative on the phone or have them call you back? Exactly...Unless you contributed several $$$ to their campaign you'll get a personal call back! 

Yes, yes, yes, I know their days are long and crazy busy. However, some people are more organized than others, so they run a more efficient office - but that's where good staff come into play. Staff should not keep any Congressman/woman or Senator insulated from constituents, but well informed and connected...

With 'distance' an issue the discussion went to the re-balance of more control moving away from DC and to the individual states. Voters can more readily assemble and drive to or even walk to or march to their state capital than their federal capital. Because of that closer proximity to state legislators they must be more responsive and can be.

Why can't each state develop greater trade and commerce with other countries where we have an embassy, consulate or open and diplomatic ties?

Why shouldn't the federal and state income tax percentages we presently pay be reversed? Why can't the higher percentage of our taxes go directly to the state in which we live for that state's individual identified needs in education, social services, health, transportation, utility infrastructure, job creation, natural resources development and industry? Let the federal government deal with National Defense and Homeland Security.

Less influence in the hands of federal representatives immediately reduces the sway exerted by the lobby network like; military contractors, national banks, foreign banks, large [publicly traded] corporations, the insurance industry, foreign owned companies etc...[The lobby structure is a 'swamp'. The House and Senate structure is more like an all you can eat 'buffet'.]

PEOPLE are out of balance...How can America boast that it's the greatest country in the world when across our land 550,000+ million people are Homeless. According to Open Door Mission the average age in their shelter for any given night is 9! That means entire families are homeless with very young children and that was before the Covid19 shutdown. 

[Dr. Ben Carson, Secretary of Housing and Urban Development]

Extending our layer of national shame for which we all share responsibility, is our discharged military Veterans who make up about 57,000 of that half-a-million homeless number. Having worn a uniform to fight for their homeland not-one-single-vet should be without a fixed, regular and adequate residence. 

[Robert Wilkie, Secretary of Veterans Affairs]

Another social transgression in desperate need of immediate attention is the 'transition' of our Foster-Kids. Every year typically half of our 23,000 to 30,000 foster children become homeless after they leave the foster care system at 18! And that change from a regular place to sleep with regular meals is not gentle, but abrupt. Chapin Hall Policy Research, University of Chicago followed 600 former foster kids from age 18 to 23. In five years half were unemployed, half were homeless, 75% of the girls were or had been pregnant, 80% had been arrested and 60% convicted of a crime. What a waste - when the 'crime' is actually our society.

[Alex Azar, Secretary of Health and Human Services]

America's slide to chronic, ever increasing homelessness began following federal budget cuts due to a downturn in our economy in the mid 1980s - clearly four decades before Secretary Carson, Wilkie and Azar were appointed. But this cycle can 'stop' with them [regardless of Covid19, Impeachment Hearings, or any other 'distractions'] because the fallout is thousands of lost people. 

Shortsighted [legislative] thinking caused too many social programs to be considered expendable when it's productive, contributing people who are an important part of any economic recovery. 

America can never count itself 'great' on any level ever - when the education, shelter and health of it's most valuable resource - people are compromised by routine budget cuts...

*Sherrie Todd-Beshore was a feature writer and columnist [for a number of magazines and newspapers Memoir From 'There' to 'Here'] who shifted to fiction in 2006 with 16 novels in print. This blog attempts to highlight some of the social issues reaching critical mass in America. The next one is: Infrastructure In America...

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