Did the Election Mean Nothing?

Our nation has just completed a long and expensive election process designed to set our course for the next two years. Why did I say that? Isn’t it obvious? After all, haven’t we done so for the last two centuries? One would naturally assume that there was a reason for that election, right? Not if you listen to the words of our President, our Speaker of the House of Representatives, or liberal/progressive leaders of the Democratic Party at the national level.
According to them, the “shellacking” they took on Nov. 2 had nothing to do with the correctness of the direction in which they are steering the nation, rather it was because the American people failed to understand, and/or the conservative Democrats “…refused to stand up and fight for real change,” (per Jim Dean, Democracy for America, New York Times, Nov. 8, 2010)
Accordingly, the party leadership is determined to stay the course. Thus I ask the question: “Did the last election mean nothing to those leaders?” The answer is, No.
Allow me to explain. Have you ever been in a situation where you have made a point that the opponent cannot refute, so rather than try to do so, he works to divert your attention away from it? If he pretends it did not happen, and in the process, gets your mind off it, then he can resume the argument without ever having to address your point of strength. It is an ancient tactic, and skillful negotiators have long mastered it.
We mustn’t fall for it. We have to keep our eye on the ball; our Constitution recognizes that the people are the supreme power, and intentionally requires elections every two years to force government to be responsive to us. By denying what was just resolved in the elections, our leadership turns a blind eye to the purpose of having a constitution in the first place.
Our president ran two years ago on a platform of change. In this election, the nation strongly rejected what he meant by change. At our core, by our state and federal constitution, we are a God-reliant and self-reliant people. We are also a compassionate people, who personally and through charities and institutions, by and large, provide for the less fortunate via myriad means. We resist government’s constant pressure to usurp that role.
Government simply is not close enough to the problems, and it is not motivated to use the money as wisely. We have observed in other nations where government has played a dominant role in the lives of the people that given government either retrenched or collapsed.
Nov. 2 was a meaningful, historic election with a powerful message. We must insist that the message be heeded and that the sovereignty of the people be preserved in the face of such enormous arrogance. If it is not, we must deal out a further shellacking two years from now.
Art Hall, publisher