In this space for the past couple of years I have written letters to Members of Congress, President Obama, the Chairman of the Joint Staff, the liberal left and others. Actual letters sent, then posted here. It’s time to write one to America at large – An Indictment. Every problem America faces today is the direct responsibility of We The People. WE THE PEOPLE are charged by the Constitution and our heritage down through the generations of ensuring that it is upheld and we have failed miserably.

Our problems are gargantuan in number and size. Our core values are under assault from every direction and our republic is in danger of imploding. It would take volumes just to list them let alone discuss them. But how we got here is so easy to see. The larger, systemic problems that allowed this to happen can be boiled down into three broad categories in my judgment: (1) a professional career ruling class; (2) a media propaganda machine; (3) and a non-involved, uninformed citizenry. All three combined have led to the bad guys winning out over the good guys. We The People are responsible for allowing these three major problems to explode like a cancer into all the tens-of-thousands other lesser, yet serious issues.

Here’s my assessment of these three problems areas. But first, please take a look at this video as an example of a far more devoted generation of Americans than ours or the past several generations. A little history and perhaps some motivation. A generation that took their duty to God and country very seriously. Simply put, we do not measure up to this standard.

Problem #1:

Our Founders never intended a class of professional, career politicians. We were to have a citizen representation; statesmen elected to come together when necessary, render legislation, then go back to their community until the next such need arose. Our Representatives and Senators were of their community; loyal to it; accountable to it. No longer. Today we have a ruling class of politicos who move from one elected position to the next for the duration of their lifetime. Many have never had real jobs, rely on aids to read and answer constituent correspondence, and are thus out of touch with real people. Regardless of campaign promises, their career trumps all else – God, country, Constitution, constituency and oath of office. They get personable again in time for the next election cycle. While they may be of different parties, and disagree on agendas, they’re still of one narcissistic brotherhood and protect each other. We have a criminal in the White House. They talk bluster but effectively do nothing about him. It only takes one representative to file Articles of Impeachment but do you see one person with the courage to do so? They are not held in high regards by the citizenry and most of America no longer trusts them or the government. When trust is gone, we’re ever so close to a topic no one wants to talk about.

We lost control of our Senators with the passage of the 17th Amendment and we won’t get that control back until the 17th is repealed. Period!

Today the Senate is considered dysfunctional. Congress will not repeal the 17th as it would make them more accountable to the state they represent and they can be recalled at any point. That would hurt their ego and interrupt their wealth-generating scheme. It’s up to We The People to force that issue yet We The People sit on our collective butts and keep voting the same career politicos into office decade after decade even though their approval ratings hover in the low teens.

To regain control and accountability of our Representatives and Senators, and put an end to the career of “politics,” only Term Limits will accomplish that. Poll after poll for the last decade says 70+% of the citizenry wants term limits. Congress won’t pass a Term Limits Amendment as it puts them out of the job they work 24 / 7 to keep. Should they pass it, states would ratify it in record time. Again, We The People must force this issue or nothing will ever change except to get worse. The fact members of congress won’t pass such an amendment speaks volumes as to their character, integrity, honor and resolve to adhere to the will of the people.  Other than the three big systemic problems I’m pointing out, name any problem we have today that is caused by you or me. All these issues are created by our rulers, who know so much better than we do what we need, and who in theory claim to be solving a problem. It only makes our problems worse due to the unintended consequences thus created down the road. Then another law or agency is needed to solve that problem and on and on it goes. They grow government, spend our money, bypass the constitution, take away our liberties and we do nothing about it except to complain. The bigger the government gets, the smaller we become. The more power they take upon themselves, the less freedom we have. The longer they’re in office the more “special” they believe themselves to be and the more corrupt they become. The longer this condition continues, the less likely it will ever change short of revolution or dictatorship.

“Experience hath shewn, that even under the best forms of government those entrusted with power have, in time, and by slow operations, perverted it into tyranny.” (Thomas Jefferson)

“When once a republic is corrupted, there is no possibility of remedying any of the growing evils but by removing the corruption and restoring its lost principles; every other correction is either useless or a new evil.” (Thomas Jefferson)

Until the citizenry demand, with the force of our Constitution, our speech, our donations and our votes, that statesmen / women are put into elected office and then held accountable and limited in duration in office, our problems will not get any better. We are fooling ourselves that the next election, the next administration, will bring forth the necessary change back to our constitutional moorings. Career politicians are a self-protective, perpetuating, power-grabbing brotherhood who puts their own interests ahead of all else. It’s a cancer that must be surgically removed if the patient is to live.

“It is the duty of the patriot to protect its country from its government.” (Thomas Paine)

Problem #2:

The mainstream media has become the propaganda arm of the government; Pravda 2. One of the goals of the communist party for the US was to gain control of the media. Done! The small percentage of media who remain true journalist as opposed to propagandists is largely Internet based. FNC is the closest network to being “fair and balanced” but even they won’t tackle the really hard, controversial subjects – birth certificate, impeachment, Obama’s religion, fraud, etc. Political correctness and not offending anyone (except conservatives) trumps truth, fact, law, history and reality.

The informed among us can easily see this. The uninformed, and / or the Left bias among us, either can’t see it or refuse to do so. The average journalist today went to a leftwing university, they’ve been drinking the cool-aid for many years, are socialist by training and therefore parse their reporting to support their agenda. The examples of their turning their heads when a Democrat goofs up yet making it front page news when the Republican goofs up are endless. Double standards rule. Sometimes it’s what they DO say but more often it’s what they DON’T say that’s the issue. Do report conservative missteps, don’t report progressive missteps. They are nothing short of an information branch of the Obama administration and do great disservice to the American people. But, neither political party will challenge them, conduct any investigations, or “call them out” even in bias interviews. Freedom of the press is freedom of the press no matter how bad, biased or corrupt. Their constitutional duty, their obligation, is to inform and hold accountable, NOT sway opinion and votes.

Some way must be found to solve this problem. They have a vastly larger audience, collectively, than does any non-partisan media outlets. They are a major reason why we have such a large uninformed and misinformed voting public. Perhaps a big money conservative conglomerate will buy out NBC and clean house. Perhaps a whistleblower or two will make more astonishing revelations of the Dan Rather and Brian Williams variety. Maybe the citizenry will wake up and stop viewing those network news shows.

Problem #3

The biggest problem of them all – We The People. “Those who expect to reap the blessings of freedom must, like men, undergo the fatigue of supporting it.” (Thomas Paine)

We have obviously not met this standard, by design in the majority of cases. I don’t know when our history, civics and founding documents ceased to be “in vogue” and thus not taught in our schools and universities but it’s been since I finished school in 1964. I was not a very good student but it was still in the curriculum. We’ve all seen the Waters World or Jay Leno bit where folks embarrass themselves trying to answer the simplest of questions. Some can’t tell you who the Vice President is, or who their Representative or Senator is. But asked them if they voted and you find out they did. They know Obama because “he’s cool.”

In my mind I have three broad categories of our citizenry. Obviously there is some overlap and pockets that are the exception. We have the true patriots, who do know their history and the founding documents, honor and respect the flag, get choked up when the National Anthem is played, and stand up and show the proper protocol when it’s played, who love their country, and are troubled by today’s culture. The preponderance of these people are seniors or approaching senior status. They can remember WWII or maybe a time earlier than that, or, remember their parents telling them about the hard times of the Great Depression, like me. They remember Bob Hope, Red Skelton and John Wayne. If they’re of a younger generation, they’re probably veterans who have served their country in battle. For the most part tea party members are true patriots but you seldom see anyone younger than 55 at a tea party event. At least it would be a very small percentage. This is also the group who are considered extremist by DHS. They are the closet contingent to being like our Founders than any other segment of our society. They are informed, they vote, they are involved for the most part, and doing what they can to help right the ship. But because of age, we are losing these patriots daily and they are not being replaced by people from other segments of society. My estimate would be that @ 20% or less of the nation falls into this group. People who read The Patriot Post are in this group. But remember, our American Revolution was fought by an estimated 20% of the citizenry at that time.    

Another group would be the informed but not involved. Those who don’t believe they have anything to offer. The former “silent majority.” They may or may not vote. “I’m just one person, my vote doesn’t count.” They seldom speak out. They don’t attend meetings or rallies. They’re not engaged with the Representatives, Senators, Governors, Mayors, etc. “Live and let live.” Or they’re “waiting for someone else do it.”

In the 2012 Presidential elections only 58% of eligible voters voted. That was approximately 41% of the total population. And only 20% of the population (63 mil) elected Obama. Obama got a second term because folks in this group, those not involved, allowed it. For the most recent 2014 mid terms, the percentages were even worse. Only 35.9% of eligible voters voted. The worst turnout since 1942. Thanks patriots. Shame on those not involved. In 2014 no state had a higher turnout than 59.3% with only seven states above 50%. Seven states were below 30%. It is estimated that a measly 5% of eligible voters are involved in the affairs of state / politics beyond the mere act of voting. No wonder we’re going to hell in a hand basket. My guess for the size of this group is @ 30%.

The last group in my breakdown are at the root of the problem. And, it’s the largest group. It’s those who are either clueless and are swayed by smooth talking politicos and a biased media, or, the progressive movement folks who deliberately try to “transform” our constitutional republic into their utopian dream. This is the group easily influenced by agitators, race-baiters, esteemed college professors, the entertainment industry, celebrities, etc.. It includes the celebrities and the morally corrupt. It includes minorities and illegals. It includes those on the taxpayers dole for free stuff. Those who see everything they want as their “right” to have. Those not seeking self-sufficiency, independence, liberty, or responsibility. It includes the youth who have a iPhone or iPod stuck in their face 24/7. Those who’ll sign a petition to have citizen Christian voters deported. Those who have no concept of sovereignty or have no clue who Thomas Jefferson and James Madison were. But they vote because they are herded to the polls with instructions in hand of who to vote for. Collectively, these folks are driving a stake into their own heart, and the heart of our nation, and are not even aware of it. This group makes up the remaining 50% of society.

With the patriots being reduced in number due to age and disability, and the middle group holding their own and not as involved as is absolutely necessary, and the clueless and “domestic enemy” within our walls growing in number, America has a serious problem. Evil is replacing good. socialism replacing capitalism, and tyranny replacing liberty. What a legacy to leave future generations.

“All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.” (Edmund Burke)

There will be a flash point of some type in our future where the good people of our republic will be forced to make a decision. Stop the evil or give in to it. Reverse course or submit to a dictatorship. Fight and hold up the flag with our bodies or live the rest of our lives on our knees begging. The question we should all ask ourselves is “am I part of the problem or part of the solution?”

Comments welcomed.

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(Mr. Reams is a Christian, senior citizen, family man, veteran, conservative and retired small business owner. www.AllianceOfConstitutionalPatriots.com; http://VeteransVent.Wordpress.com)