Americans Aren't Represented, says Lou Dobbs

I'm back! And I have oodles of free time, oh joy.

Lou Dobbs appeared on yesterday's edition of The Daily Show and stated that American citizens are not represented.

That's a huge statement, especially considering we live in a Republic. The sad part is that what Dobbs said is true. So what's wrong with the country? Why aren't we getting representation?

Some people would have us believe that there is a conspiracy amongst the elite to keep the average Joe down and to keep the elite, wealthy portion of society in power. I'm not one for conspiracy theories. I was involved with the Masons for a while and believe you me, if those guys were ruling the world, we'd know about it. No, there isn't a conspiracy to keep the poor man down. The truth is a heck of a lot simpler.

Americans only vote once every four years. That's the problem, that's the entire problem, and by the time I'm done ranting, you'll know how to fix it.

Come election year, so many Americans feel like they're forced to choose between the lesser of two evils (and the independent guy who is just there to siphon votes) that they become apathetic. Why bother voting when none of the candidates represent your view on the world? Makes sense to me. Except most people don't realize is that this problem is self-perpetuating.

If you're apathetic about politics because no one represents you, so you don't go out and vote (except maybe when they're picking one of the leaders of the free world, because that's kind of important), and guess what? Everything is going to stay the same. In the end, it all boils down to what's happening in local politics.

Presidential candidates aren't demons, nor are they vampires. They weren't born in pods, conjured from summoning circles, nor were they produced in a factory. Every single, solitary presidential hopeful has a history in local politics. They're former mayors and current senators and congressmen. They've spent decades in the political system.

And it's very likely that most Americans don't even hear these people's names until they declare their candidacy. Now we're at the root of the problem.

See, if the average joe doesn't get out there and vote for his mayor and his governor and his senator, that only leaves two groups of people who are going to vote on the local level. The wealthy elite and special interest groups. The wealthy know that the system works towards their favor, so they keep tabs on the political world, occasionally get involved in a scandal, and throw votes for the guys who're going to make them more money. Then the special interest groups do the same thing.

When a person is elected primarily by the wealthiest 2% of a city and special interest groups, that means you've got an elected official who represents a minority. That's bad, just so we're clear. But, you know, he's just filling some local office, right? What impact could he possibly have? (Note the sarcasm.)

Then, after a decade or so, you've got a gigantic pool of professional politicians who were voted all the way up into congress by a minority. So why is it a huge surprise that the average American isn't represented by his government? And why is it a surprise that none of the presidential hopefuls reflect nothing but the ideals of two political parties? The average american doesn't vote until the president is about to be picked. Once every four years, he lumbers away from the internet, his television shows, his constant 24 hour entertainment, his average blue-collar job, and his moderate viewpoints to cast a vote for someone that he, in all likelyhood, wouldn't cross the street to meet.

And then he goes back into hibernation until voting day comes, and he's VERY upset that the candidate that won didn't actually ride into the oval office on a rainbow of change. That the person who was president for four years didn't give a damn about the average American because the average American only voted for him in one election.

If you want to be represented, you've got to pay attention to local politics. Make it a hobby. Know who's running for mayor, know their stances, know the local issues. Write to a newspaper, write to a congressman, and then VOTE for a congressman.

And before you know it, the average Joe will have the representation he so craves.