We the People? Start Bailing!

The recent debates over a bailout of the financial sector by the US government has brought lots of emotion to the table. Fear, anger (lots of anger), and betrayal. I understand them all. But the other feeling I continue to hear is even worse – apathy. Too many of us have just given up – deciding we are the victim.

Yes – I said victim – and I do not mean the massive number of Americans who USUALLY play victim to the system and live on entitlements. I mean those of us who work for our money and pay taxes. So many people are mad at Wall Street, Congress, CEOs, etc – anybody. Everyone says THEY have done this to us or THEY are doing this to us. But, what ever happened to a government OF the people, BY the people, and for the people? Have we just decided it is just FOR the people? Or have we just gotten comfortable and lazy? If we expect it to be FOR the PEOPLE (us) then we have to do our part – the OF and BY words mean something here. We cannot just show up and vote a few times – mostly making decisions on sound bites alone – and call ourselves part OF the government!

The “government” is not the problem – we are! We sit on the sidelines casting blame and not taking action. This LACK of action and giving up and letting the system run over me is not American – it is not the spirit that put a man on the moon or found victory in war. It is the spirit that all I care about is me and mine.

So we who go to work everyday and try to make something happen are no better than those living on entitlements. The government we have is in fact BETTER than we deserve.

I for one plan to change that! And, I expect I am not alone! This “crisis” may help us all to wake up and realize we need to put the OF THE PEOPLE AND BY THE PEOPLE back into government. And if we do, this crisis will be a major blessing to us and our country.