I see an issue that has garnered more attention to the common people and garnered more problematic consequences surrounding the forefront of the very stance of our democracy in recent times. Today, we have garnered less and less control over how the representatives and senators in the United States represent us, the common people. The term that is famously uttered and labeled in the preamble of our Constitution, “We the People,” has had its meaning rewritten profoundly in recent times. What represents our politicians in our federal government nowadays? Two things have a strong connection between them: money and corporations.
Money and corporations have been able to persuade politicians that are supposed to represent the common people, but instead represent special interests. Greed has taken over our democracy. If we the people continue to let this happen, then we will become passive and complicit in our democracy. Money and corporations have a lot of power to do whatever, but they do not have a human voice behind them. To let a nonhuman voice and representation have control over democracy is a complete ignominy to the people in this country and to the image that we have been promoting in the name of democracy.
But you know who has a literal voice? The people! We the people have a voice that has been threatened to be used because the corporations knew that it would be injurious to them and to their agendas that they are trying to implement into our society today. However, that time has passed for the better. We know better. We understand better. We will use our voices for the better.
But, how do we achieve it? How do we take back control of our democracy and our representation within the federal government?
In my mind, there are four ways of doing just that. The first thing is continuing to be knowledgeable and enlightened on what goes on in the federal government. The more educated you are on what goes on there, the better prepared you’ll be when using your voice. Second, be outspoken against the agenda and the rhetoric that the government is implementing for it and the special interests. That will get the crucial attention from them. Third, organize the people if being outspoken isn’t enough to evoke the government’s attention. They can be stubborn when they are carrying out the agenda set up by greed, and we need to be resounding and potent when we are up against a mighty force. Lastly, we need to exercise our inalienable right to vote. When we vote for our own interests combined, we have the capability to create a government that is truly by the people and for the people.
When we vote, organize, are outspoken and are enlightened against the current system of our government that is being controlled by greed, we will have reestablished the true meaning of “We the People” that is enumerated in the preamble of our Constitution. When we take back control of our democracy, it will be more representative for the country as a whole, and everyone can be involved in the democratic process that the United States has in place today. Let greed be gone and let true representation come back to the forefront of our democracy once again.
This article first appeared in the Friday, February 23, 2018, Edition of The Echo.