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It's time for the citizens of this country to take back our power over our politicians and our country.
Well let's see ... there's the Democratic point of view of criticizing the control the wealthy, big corporations and Wall Street having control over the Republican Party, and the Republican counterpoint of blaming the Democrats of being controlled by unions and other special interest groups.
It's time Americans wake up and realize that our country's political problems are much more serious and bigger than the blame game of both parties. When each party is more concerned about its own welfare instead of our country and the people's, we have a much bigger problem and one that never goes away as long as the American voter has a much smaller and influential voice in what direction and policies our government takes.
One promising outcome of the recent election is that a new Democrat, Barack Obama, may have stumbled on a way the common people of this country can regain more control of the politicians. I say this because as we all know, when it takes hundred of millions to become president of the U.S., it most often does not come from ordinary citizens but powerful special interest groups that there by have an undue and disproportionate voice in influencing our politicians in doing favoring their special interests often to the detriment of the citizens.
I don't know what it's going to take short of a political revolution to eliminate the power of these special interest groups that control both parties. It's for sure, they are not going to reform themselves.
So let's not get so carried away believing our party is so right and the other so wrong and that if only our party could rule we would have a better country. It's simply and unfortunately not true. We need somehow to drastically change the way our presidents are elected by having to be at the mercy of powerful money contributors and not the common citizenry. Our country was never meant to be run like this. Our political system has become corrupt and deep down we all know it.
Can we stop deluding ourselves into believing our party has the answers and concentrate on what we can do to change the way things are done in our in effective and wasteful political system? Do we dare believe that this kind of change is possible, or do we want to continue permitting politicians to ruin country and our future?
Let's put our interests and effort toward this end instead of continuing to play the political blame game and participating in the backstabbing that constantly goes on between both parties and among ourselves. We are part of the problem and only we can help bring about the changes we drastically need as we also know that our political parties never will change themselves. This type of change may be in the best interest of our country, but not the special interests groups that control our political parties.
Enough is enough. Can I hear an "amen?"
Darrell D. Newton
Oakwood
Family, society should protect the elderly
In reading the articles of elderly abuse, I was so moved, I have to express the feelings I'm sure a lot of us are having about a poor lady being abused by a child while her other children actually knew of the abuse going on toward their mother.
The two groups of our society that need our protection are your young and our elderly. We have to ensure their safety at all costs. Where were her daughters when mother needed help and protection? Where was our system to protect those who can't defend themselves if this has been going on since 2004? What in God's name has happened to us?
Do we not have a system that can protect individuals, that cannot protect themselves?
I would ask whatever judge residing over this case to please make sure this elderly lady doesn't suffer any longer. I'm sure we have agencies available to make sure this lady can live her life in peace, not worried about abuse.
Gloria Ladd
Gainesville