Maintaining a connection to our government officials is the people’s duty
A COLUMN By Frederick Sinclair
Far too often we elect people to represent us and then send them off into office with our trust and hope they will champion our causes. We are not; however, fully aware of the perils they face in what is currently referred to as ‘The Swamp’. Pressures come from myriad sources such as partisan politics, disasters and recovery, industrial and world agendas, vote trading, pay to play allegiances etc. Billions of dollars dangle supporting re-election as DC lobbyists peddle their special interests.
Back at home, we feed on low hanging political fruit and for the most part and most often don’t grasp the complexity of the system and internal pressures influencing the resolution of issues at hand.
Select appointments are awarded to sit on powerful committees. Chairmen groom and guide legislation, through committees to the floor, by organizing voting to insure desired outcomes. Timing is manipulated to muscle up the number of votes necessary to insure pre-ordained results. Votes, allegedly held in the eye of the public, are routinely held by voice vote (instead of roll call) to avoid (hide) official record of how any one representative votes. The Swamp devours good intensions and out in the open decision making.
Laws previously adopted to protect and enforce the constitutional rights of citizens are whittled away, in back room lobbying, to enact alternative legislation that is camouflaged and re-packaged as progress, for public need, benefit and national security. The system of governance in the United States of America has been captured, corrupted and sunken, disappearing into the Swamp. Varying effects of this federal condition can also be found in state and local governance.
A novel, solution to failures that could get us back to true representational governance, lays in the hands of we the people. It involves becoming and remaining actively involved with our elected representatives. We need to engage critical thinking and deep diving into issues and then, in mass, provide them with continuous input and opinion beyond our vote on Election Day. We have become a lazy electorate; easily distracted and divided along party lines.
Active support and maintaining connection to our governance on all levels is the antidote to falling prey to agendas that do not serve our community.
The perfect example of our need to get involved and take action is a newly released proposal in the House of Representatives which combines more than 20 Telecom friendly pieces of legislation. All of these proposals in some way would ignore local and state rights to enact zoning and or local regulations. Nothing will be allowed to stand in the way or ultimately interfere with the placement of telecommunications wireless infrastructure.
This 100 page law (HR 2289) will circumvent Home Rule that is constitutionally granted states and localities. It will also eliminate environmental impact assessments required under the National Environmental Policy (NEPA) and Historic Preservation Acts. State and local Environmental Review will also be sidelined, regardless of impacts to public health or the environment. HR 2289 has been quietly pushed through initial approval of a Energy and Commerce (E&C) sub-committee, by Telecom interests, and will soon be placed before the full E&C Committee. If approved, it will be fast forwarded to the House of Representatives and Senate for a vote. HR 2289 is being referred to as “The Big Bad Dangerous Bill” and legal scholars describe it as “the most evil piece of legislation ever crafted.” The public won’t know what hit them until a 4G-5G-6G cell tower or utility pole placed antenna appears outside their bedroom window. Zoning protections will be over ridden; there will be no informed consent or opportunity for public comment. Local and state officials will cry “Our hands are tied”. HR 2289 will take away our ability to control harmful exposure to new, close by and more powerful forms of exposure to microwave radiation. If this new law is passed, we will experience, first hand, the results of not having been involved and heard. There is just no way our House of Representatives and Senators can justify voting for HR 2289 unless we the people remain silent and allow corporate interests to control them and our governance. Dig into this issue, make your opinion known and take that first step as an awakened and empowered citizen. You can identify and find how to contact your federal representative at http://www.whosmyrep.org.
NOTE: The Court of Public Opinion is in session. You are the Jury. Call, write, email, send a postcard and tender your opinion to your representatives at all levels of governance.
Fred Sinclair pens a weekly opinion column that offers his independent take on a variety of subjects. He welcomes feedback on his philosphies anytime, fpsinclair@yahoo.com
