Monday, August 30, 2010

Will the Anger Last? (by Mike Stegall)

The Great Darke County Fair is now over for 2010. This is the first fair that I have ever spent this much time attending. Normally, my wife, Rose, and I will go the fair once or twice and that’s it. This year, I spent an awful lot of time in the Republican tent meeting people from all over Darke County, and all over the country, really. I must admit that the fair has never been a huge part of summer for me, but this year, meeting all the people really made it enjoyable.

When ever you meet a divergent group of people, you always get a divergent group of ideas. Different views and ideas are a good thing and, believe me, I heard it all! Through all the discussion and airing of ideas, however, one theme seemed to run through every conversation: People are fed up with government. You may think that I only got the “Republican” view, but let me assure you, it was from all corners of the political spectrum. Republican, Democrat, Independent, Tea Party member, or Libertarian, it did not matter. There are a lot of angry people out there.

I can’t blame them. I can’t blame them for their anger, but I do blame all of us for letting it get to this point. We, the voters, have ignored our government for way too long. Our founders envisioned a minimalist form of government and in the past 65 years (since the end of World War II) the federal government, state governments and yes, local governments have grown enormously. With that growth comes an insatiable appetite for money to feed itself. It is unsustainable. Thomas Jefferson, probably the smartest of all the founding fathers said, “My reading of history convinces me that most bad government results from too much government.”

The American people are now awake to that fact. They are angry at all the government intrusion in their lives. All the government mandates, programs, rules, and plain gobbled gook that comes out of Washington, state and local governments. They have a right to be angry, not only at government, but at themselves for letting it happen. Now, nationwide, we see this anger being portrayed everywhere by everyone. The people seem to be clamoring for a simpler way to do business. They want their representatives to be responsible, and responsive to their needs. No more ignoring the electorate or you will be voted out, as well the Senators, and representatives and others should be.

This November’s election will probably be historic in the turnover in Washington. The question is: Will this anger last, or will it be over after the election? Will there be a sense of accomplishment and now things are going to be o.k.? I hope not. I want people involved. I want people staying involved. I want an electorate that is informed and stays informed. We, as elected officials, need to have the public watching us constantly. If we don’t, we will end up just as we are now: broke, disconnected and angry. Let’s not get angry again. Let’s get involved and stay there!

"A government big enough to give you every thing you want, is strong enough to take everything you have." ~ Thomas Jefferson

18 comments:

  1. Mike you sure hit the nail on the head… people are mad as hell at government in a whole, like you said it goes way beyond party lines. You are right, us voters have been asleep at the wheel for quite a while… and the government servants abided by the old adage, “let the sleeping dog lay” But the Dogs are awake now, and I am sure they will be awake for the next few elections, or I sure hope they stay awake. Big Government, Spending, and lies have got to stop.

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  2. Asleep at the wheel is right however there are questions that need to be address. Mike Stegall was for a new Greenville school building and in a previous interview with The Greenville Advocate Mr. Stegall was for a new courthouse. How is this any different then big governent spending?
    One concern is a better school system. At one time, the United States school system rank number one in the world now the Unitied States ranks 14. The schools system are teaching the same topics in schools today that they taught over 100 years ago. Why, for example do the schools teach trigonometry, a subject few people will use in their lives, instead of statistics, a subject that is valuable in many professions?
    Ralp Waldo Emerson wrote " We students of words: we are shut up in schools, and colleges, for ten or fifteen years, and ome out at last wih a bag of wind, a memory of words, and do not know a thing."
    Instead of focusing on a new courthouse what what programs such as DARE. It take more then new school buildings, a new courthouse and a new circle in downtown Greenville to make a community grow.

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  3. to Anonymous 12:47

    Do not confuse "big Government spending" with necessary spending. As a small business man I know that you must spend money to modernize and compete. As I have stated before, we must quit putting off things that must be done. Your quote of Emerson is noted, however let me quote Sir Winston Churchill for you: "It is not enough that we do our best, sometimes we must do what is required" Some things, my friend, are just required. As for what is taught in schools, you will have to consult them as to why things are taught.

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  4. 12:47......you completely missed the point

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  5. Mike, I truly appreciate an elected official and candidate actually talking about cutting government spending and the size of government. This is the key way to support business and economic growth in our county!

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  6. The Government will never regulate themselves and that's where it should start, A good start would be to lessen the number of Congressmen from each State to 2 instead of the gaggle they now have, as the terms expire let them dwindle into the sunset until they are down to 2 per state. That would rid a mass of Congressmen and all the support staff, then lets have the Government do what they should be doing instead of getting their fingers into my safety and into baseball and all other sports,that isn't why they were put there, they should spend less time on those types of things and start running the country properly instead of fighting against each other!

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  7. I believe it was that great Michigan sage Gerald Ford who first said, " A government big enough...ect.", not Tom Jefferson.

    He is quoted as saying on the Jefferson Memorial in Washington D.C. , "I am not an advocate for frequent changes in laws and constitutions, but laws and institutions must go hand in hand with the progress of the human mind. As that becomes more developed, more enlightened, as new discoveries are made, new truths discovered and manners and opinions change, with the change of circumstances, institutions must advance also to keep pace with the times. We might as well require a man to wear still the coat which fitted him when a boy as civilized society to remain ever under the regimen of their barbarous ancestors."

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  8. The school comment is not the focus of the opinion. Our goverment is broken. I dont believe that term limits are needed either. We do have the power, but we are not using it. I am a Republican and every time I hear John Boehner speak I get the willies. Talk about a broken record. He is already polishing his "New" speaker of the house, (small caps on purpose) gavel. I for one will not vote for him. I have never followed PARTY lines. I guess I should register as an independent. All I know is nobody should sit in Washington for longer than 8 years, and they should NOT have the overly generous benifits they enjoy. Power corrupts. Had CNN, FOX, MSNBC been around when Jesus was alive I wonder how he would be remembered today according to their view?

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  9. Morons, people are fed up with govt and politicians because they lie and don't keep promises. What's new about that. No different than Stegall, he'll tell you stuff to get your vote then turn around and do something different, he's a politician! It's a requirement for politicians to be crooked and liars.

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  10. Bruce, I could not agree more. You said it very well. I too will not support Boehner. I would love to see Paul Ryan lead the next congress. We need to hold all politicians accountable.

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  11. I'll agree with honest abe....stegall is definitely a politician or at least a "wanna be" politician.

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  12. Someone call the cops and see if we can trap Boehner doing some drunken driving. That'll fix 'em.

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  13. Stegall is a politician. However, his writing here should make us all think, mainly because he has made some good points that are very true...no matter what your politicial views.

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  14. I prefer the term "elected official" A "politician" will tell you what you want to hear, no matter your stance, an "elected official" will tell you what he thinks, no matter your stance.

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  15. Come on Mike, “Elected Official” or “Politician”… do exactly the same thing.

    Please do not try to “fluff” the position. They make decisions and spend money at their discretion, rather than try to make decisions after they get a “pulse” of their constituents, and then act on what he or she feels majority want. If the “Elected Official” or “Politician” doesn’t follow the majority’s desires, then he or she should be held accountable.

    Somewhere along the way politicians / elected officials forgot they are servants of the Citizens. Major decisions that affect their constituents should be based on the majority constituents wants, not the politicians / elected official’s desire.

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  16. Believe it or not, Just Vote, there are actually some elected officials who do exactly the right thing. Some, however, have forgotten what "Representative Republic" means.

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  17. honest abe /you are totaly correct. as for boehner he has not been seen drinking in versailles.

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