We Have Met the Enemy

If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and will turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land. 2 Chronicles 7:14

Ever so often I drag myself out of my comfort zone of policy and venture into the world of politics. Hence, I found myself at a political rally over the weekend. Here was a group of people, an obvious answer to my prayers over the past 18 years, that are awakening from their complacency and determined to make a difference in our government. It was good to see the enthusiasm and spunk of the Texans who are fed up with the status quo and ready to make a difference.

Wandering through the group, I was reminded how differently people look at the same circumstances. And, Jerry was reminded why he does not let me out alone in groups of people who may say ill-advised things about issues they do not understand.

There was a table at the rally promoting the defeat of all members of the U.S. House of Representatives. The talking points were correct:

1. The House belongs to the people, not those who are elected to represent them.
   
2. Power corrupts.
   
3. Members have become entrenched.
   

I could have just as easily passed by the table with no comment. Instead I asked why they wanted to defeat those legislators who were doing a good job.

"Because we need a change." (Change was what we got in the last election. How's that working for you?)

"Term limit them all because we don't need career politicians. Let the people replace them."

That prompted my Term Limits 101 discussion.

1. Every Congressman is elected for two years.
   
2. His term limits are determined by the vote of his constituents.
   
3. If they do not like the way he votes, then all they have to do is vote him out.
   

"No," they objected, "the power is balanced in favor of the politician. The average citizen doesn't know what is going on."

And, whose fault is that? If the average citizen does not know what is going on, why do you trust them to vote to replace the politicians who are currently in place. Instead of having some good elected officials who know what is going on, you would have us replace everybody so that there would be no experience in place?

The truth of the matter is, the situation we have in our seats of government are a symptom of the problem. The problem is that we have abdicated our responsibility as citizens to elect men and women of virtue. We have rewarded those who vote earmarks for our communities with re-election. We are getting exactly what we tolerate. Term-limiting an elected official for doing what we reward him for does not make sense. It makes even less sense to term-limit those few who do the right thing in spite of our expectations.

It is like the Pogo comic strip that declares, "We have met the enemy and he is us."

Vote the bums out? Absolutely if their voting record warrants it. But, don't expect that to solve the problem if you continue to fail in your responsibility to know who you vote for. And think about it, isn't it much nicer to know that you have control over the source of the problem (turn from your wicked ways) than to blame it all on someone else?

Lord, help us to see our situation from Your perspective and to take appropriate action.