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A Boomer’s Journal:

By Tom Anselm

In their 1968 song “Revolution”, The Beatles sang “you say you want a revolution… well, you know, we all want to change the world.”  Good old Thomas Jefferson is attributed to have said that “most bad government comes from too  much government.”

And so it seems that there has been a movement afoot that agrees to all of  this, that we are suffering from a glut of government, and a revolution of sorts might be what is needed to right the ship of state that is the US of A.  This couldn’t be more timely when looking at the recent performance of our federal elected representatives.  I mean, could the Senate and the Congress be more dysfunctional?  Oh, wait… I guess the answer is ‘of course, they could’.

They have been acting like a gaggle of  overpaid,overindulged, underperforming kindergartners, blaming each other and taking no responsibility for their own actions. Actually, that isn’t fair to kindergartners, who get along far better that these yahoos.

I bet these paragons of  governance all had “needs improvement” checked on their report cards under “plays well with others”. I am getting so fed up with their petty politicking and peurile partisanship that I don’t even bother to listen to them anymore, either party.  Their actions prove, as good old Dad used to say, “they’re just in it for the money.”

Which brings me to this revolutionary proposal.  Let’s take up The Beatles mantra. Kick it up a couple of notches from even the Tea Party.  Really shake things up, if you will.  I want to appeal to every registered member of the electorate that, in every upcoming federal primary and general election, they vote against the incumbent.  Let’s start over fresh. Get some new blood in there. Rookies even.  Hey, look how well that’s worked out for our home town Cardinals this year.

Now this might mean that the few who are actually earning their keep may lose out. Too bad.  Collateral damage. But they can stay in the wings and run again next time if our New Knights don’t get it right.

It also might mean that government slows down a bit until these neophytes get the hang of things.  I say, can that really be such a bad thing?  I refer you to Tommy J’s quote, above.  And to our current mess of trillions in debt, the government shutdown, loss of prestige in the world, the shrinking dollar… need I go on?

One other thing.  Once we get rid of the dead wood, let’s also send them dang lobbyists packing.  Can you think of any other non-elected group that has more clout on how our nation is run than these guys?  And, if the new legislators start playing dirty again with a fresh crop of influence-peddlers, well, we will have another election coming up,  dontcha know.  And we are not going to hang back and let them snatch our democratic republic away from us again.  Otherwise, they will find themselves in the same pile as the bunch we just dumped.

When old King George III was so insultingly condescending to the Colonists, they rose up and booted  his world-famous military back across the Atlantic.  Why can’t we, with our power of the single vote, send packing the current bunch who also hold ‘We the People’ is similar disdain?

I know for certain that my ballot will be marked up and down with newcomers, at all levels, in all elections. We can do this, if we unite. Are you with me, friends?