Being an American: Active Citizenship Required

Today is Tax Day and I had a great conversation earlier today with Amanda Rush from http://www.customerservant.com/. We talked about what we usually talk about: our lives and America and what is going on in our nation. Both of us like so many Americans out there are angry and frustrated and trying to figure out how we can help our selves, our neighbors and our nation. Today a great event took place all over America, The Tax Day Tea Parties. Whether you agree with all of the motivations behind it or not the fact was it is inspiring to get together and see so many Americans getting together for a common purpose. That purpose was not to complain about paying taxes. I don’t know anyone who thinks that not paying taxes is the answer and that is not what the tea parties were about. They were about voicing anger and frustration about not having a true say in how their tax money is spent and even more frustrated at their lack of power to shape the future of America. The American people are angry at all in power, everyone up in Washington and our state capitals. This frustration has been building for several decades and when people are hit in the pocketbook they start to really pay attention.

So what was the purpose of the tea parties? Ultimately the same purpose that so many Americans out there share. The purpose for each one at the tea parties was to make their voice heard about the frustration that they feel with the course of America. This is why many smaller political parties and organizations are growing so quickly. Politicians spoke at the tea parties and news pundits rushed to be a part of it, why? Because when Americans turn away from being catatonic citizens and become true active citizens and voice their frustration and open up their mouths and minds, the politicians and news media pay's attention.


As with so many movements and protests, what happens afterwards is important. The answer is not which movement to follow whether it is Centrists, Libertarian, Republican or Democrats or anyone else. The answer as Amanda Rush and I talked about active citizenship. The American people must take charge of the political process and government. We must make our voices heard, we must pull our nation up by its bootstraps and wake up and realize that we not the politicians or the political machines control the writing on the wall. We the American people have allowed for our nation’s government to be controlled by two largely unresponsive and growingly ineffective movements; the Democratic Party and the Republican Party. Note, that I said the Democrats and Republican Parties and not liberal or conservative because both parties have over time failed all Americans including those who define themselves politically as liberal or conservative or independent or centrist. We have allowed our government and political process to fail us. We have allowed our government to make questionable decisions regarding our nation for far, far too long.


The answer to what happens next and has been happening in a growing wave is active citizenship. Each American must hold their officials accountable. There are numerous tools like those at http://www.opencongress.org/ and many other sites to help monitor Congress and what is going on. Use, email, phone, and letters to contact your officials and let them know that you will not stand for foolish shortsighted government anymore. As the tea parties today have shown, if Americans stand up and become active citizens we can bring back public service to the American government. This is America we deserve the best government possible. No excuses!



This is just my own opinion