Letter to the Editor: Politics Today

Dear Editor:

I believe there are three major political parties in this country: Democrats, Republicans and the Lobbyist Party.

You notice I left off the, “Tea Party.” The Tea Party is a right wing spinoff of the Republican Party.

However, the all powerful Lobbyist Party operates with no pledge, with no elected officers, with no formal collective, no meetings where policy is discussed, no forums, no nothing. They are likened to Gossamer drifting on the winds of the day. They are there, but uncontainable. Yet, they are always ready and willing to ply the sticky palms of greedy politicians to accomplish their goals, and they do, over and over, day in day out.

Unchecked, the result is what we have today–financial chaos. The once most powerful country in the world has been reduced to one seeking loans from other countries in order to function. It makes no difference which party is in power, unaccountability is killing us.

Consider this for a moment. Once we leave the voting booth, having cast our ballot and our involvement in government is over. Basically, what we have succeeded in doing is to elect people to represent us and identify the targets for the lobbyists plying the land. Whenever Lobbyists and elected, appointed or hired public officials meet, whatever the subject matter is, the bottom line is money. Our money, yours and mine.

In that regard, I suggest consideration should be cast upon whether or not it would be beneficial to the citizenry to have a law passed stating that, “ALL MEETINGS BETWEEN ELECTED, APPOINTED OR HIRED PUBLIC OFFICIALS MUST BE AUDIO/VIDEO TAPED FOR THE PUBLIC RECORD.”   

I do believe there is a place in governmental function for representatives of ideas, organizations and companies. I just want to be able to go to a web site that contains that information when and as presented to our public officials. First of all, the necessary electronic equipment is already in place, from PC computers to hand-held devices. Secondly, someone created Facebook, Google and all the other information networks, how about one called, “The Public Record."

When people have easy access to what is going on, they are more likely to get involved. Discussion is one of the key elements to a well functioning Democracy. Citizens hashing out the subject matter based upon the facts, as presented.

Perhaps (we) could conduct a poll on this matter. Would it be prudent to have such a law on the books?  Didn’t Thomas “Tip” O’Neill, former Speaker of the House of Representatives, once say, “All politics is local?”  

Who knows, it could be the start of an informational Tsunami that could wash the country of shady deals, from the local levels to Washington, D.C. I am the eternal optimist. Without optimism nothing gets done. However, I believe there is a race of people called the “Yeah-buts.” I do not know where their country of origin is located. But one thing I do know is, if people came up with ideas about creating clean air, low cost electricity, low cost health care etc., etc., they would surface and be quick to say, "yeah, but."

Thank you,

Paul Seery