GOVERNMENT GONE INSANE

This most recent election cycle was perhaps the most verbally toxic and inflammatory election of the century. Long-serving elitist members of Congress went out of their way to hurdle vile and malicious accusations and allegations against their opponents in an attempt to dehumanize and degrade those individuals, the political party they represent, and those American citizens who are supporters of those individuals.

If made by a non-member of Congress, such malicious and offensive statements would undoubtedly lead to costly civil lawsuits for defamation. On the same note, failure by any citizen to comply with any law passed by the members of that body, in which they have exempted themselves, would lead to criminal charges with potential fines and/or imprisonment.

But not so if you are a member of Congress. This governing body of individuals has elevated itself above the citizens they were elected to represent and has, over the years, conveniently exempted itself from being held to the same standards that “We, the People,” are held to.

They have exempted themselves from laws they pass and from being held liable for any derogatory and slanderous accusations they publicly make against anyone who disagrees with their ideology, feeling entitled to do so as elitist members of Congress.

The more often they are reelected, the more comfortable they become with the assumption that they will continue to be reelected. As such, these upper-class members (Congressmen) of our society understand that the lower class of our society (We, the People) traditionally reelect the same individuals, knowing that the members of the lower class consistently fail to keep themselves politically involved and informed regarding the actions and behavior of those they have elected to represent them.

This heightens their belief that they are indeed superior to those who elected them and are, therefore, entitled to exemptions from the norms expected of everyday citizens.

The Bill of Rights states that we are all equal under the law, including all members of Congress. So why, then, are members of Congress able to exempt themselves from the laws they impose upon us or from being held accountable for their inflammatory and liable statements? There is no mention in the Constitution granting these individuals this privilege.

A privilege that implies that they are of a higher class or status than “We the People.”

Equal justice once referred to the idea that no governmental body may deny any individual equal protection of its governing laws nor exempt any individual, including themselves, from complying with those laws. It once meant that the governing body, Congress, must treat all individuals in the same manner as all others in similar conditions and circumstances. Equal justice does not exempt anyone from this standard.

So, what happened to the concept of government “For, By, and Of the People” as envisioned by the Founding Fathers? What happened to “equal justice under the law?”

What happened is that “We the People” allowed this unconstitutional reality to embed itself into our Congress by failing to be vigilant and holding these individuals to the same standards and laws that we the People are held to. By neglecting to stay aware of the actions of those we have elected to represent us and, having failed to do so, repeatedly reelect those who embrace the idea that they are indeed royalty.

Members of Congress will never willingly give up the idea that they are unique, above the ordinary citizen, and, as such, entitled to be treated as royalty. Such grandiose attitudes undoubtedly inspire them to seek reelection cycle after cycle to retain their lofty positions.

We are limited in what we, as ordinary citizens, can do to change the mindset of those who believe that, as members of Congress, they are of a higher class than “We the People.” However, we can limit the time these individuals are allowed to live this fantasy by limiting the time they may hold their positions as members of Congress.

This “We the People” can accomplish under Article V of the Constitution, which allows the citizens of this Republic, through our State Representatives, to call for the convening of a Convention of States to add an Amendment to the Constitution restricting the time any individual may serve as a member of Congress.

This one Amendment would quickly caul out those long-serving members who continue to allow this superior attitude to continue and would, more likely, allow for the election of individuals willing and capable of bringing much-needed change to the laws they pass and how they conduct themselves when speaking about opposing party members of Congress, those seeking election, and “We the People.”

Passing such an Amendment to the Constitution would make every day “Thanksgiving Day” for “We the People.”