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Do lawmakers disdain voters?
The following quotes in a May 3 story in The Daily Sentinel were not instructive. What do they mean?
Rep. Joe Rice was quoted as saying, “We can do the right thing next year rather than something this year,” in the Associated Press article in the Sentinel on page 3A. And consider the comment from Sen. Chris Romer: “Next year isn’t an election year,” which Romer said could make it easier to pass a solution.
Do they mean that:
Our elected representatives are afraid of passing legislation that might be “controversial” in an election year because they might not get re-elected?
Next year the voters will not care if such legislation is passed because it will be another two to four years before there is an election of our representatives?
The voters can’t stand the truth?
The elected individuals can’t do the “right thing” in an election year because the voters will hold it against them?
Do they believe the voting public is stupid? Ignorant? Reacts only to unpleasant news that money is needed for roads and bridges, etc.? Has a short memory? Doesn’t want the representatives to do the “right thing”? Doesn’t trust our elected representatives? Wants good roads, but is
unwilling to pay for them?
All of these possibilities are troubling. Are the voters as spineless as the people we elect? What are our representatives doing in each election year — waiting until “next year”? Should we voters expect more, or have we given them a pass?
It is no wonder that the public generally is disenchanted with the performance of our elected representatives at the state and national level. But what sort of messages are we voters sending our folks in Denver and Washington?
Surely we all can “suck it up” and, even in an election year, get the legislation we need to maintain and improve our society (and maybe our roads, too). Or have all of us lost courage?
RICHARD W. ARNOLD
Grand Junction
Climate models are notaccurate forecasters
J. Eugene Fox, in his April 30 letter to the editor, chastises letter writer Joe Aaeng for advocating that S. Fred Singer would bring credibility to the anti-global-warming arguments.
Perhaps his criticisms of Singer, as relying “on oil companies” for his views, are correct. However, Mr. Fox goes on to spout the “consensus view of thousands of research scientists” who have agreed “unequivocally that human activities are modifying the concentration of greenhouse gases causing most of the observed warming over the last 50 years.” He goes on, concluding that “the evidence for human modification of climate is compelling.” Well, I am a skeptic on the matter.
Nobody, but nobody, can predict climate change, including Al Gore. I suggest reading the book by Michael Crichton, “State of Fear.” While a work of fiction, there are a host of verifiable references therein.
It is most interesting to note that the Goddard Institute for Space Studies changed its Web site to show less temperature data (before 1880) after publication of the hardcover book.
Check the references and some of the bibliography, not all of which support the author’s view. Whether a “believer” or not, the book is worth reading.
I feel we are now caught up in a “cause-of-the-decade.” Models used for Gore’s predictions of catastrophe, use assumptions of change. “Assumption is the mother of all screw-ups.”
CREIGHTON BRICKER
Grand Junction
One Response to “May 7 printed letters”
Posted May 6th, 2008 at 5:26 pm Login to Send PM Report this comment
To answer Mr. Arnold’s question: Yes. Many elected officials have great disdain for the people. And, sadly enough, that applies to members of both parties. That conclusion is reached, not from theory, but from personal experience. Some do not even bother to read the newspapers, in particular letters to newspapers. To quote one of those “It upsets me.” Another, told me to my face that he doesn’t have to talk to anybody. The statutes don’t require that he does. Which raises the question. If such individuals do not read newspapers or do not speak to the people, then whom are they listening to, and whom are they serving? It is certainly not the people.
Some, of course, convince themselves that with a position, all of the knowledge and wisdom required to properly execute the duties also comes along with the oath of office. Would that this were true, but it isn’t. All that attitude reflects is “ego” on the part of the officeholder.
Some elected officials are quite surprised when I tell them to their face that they work for me and I don’t work for them. “But I am …” they reply.” They then get reminded that, while they may have the title, the position belongs to the people, and that they are merely occupying it for a period of time.
Too many, I fear, are “professonal politicians”, concerned primarily with their own career advancement than doing the job they were elected to do. In that they are for sale to the highest bidder, whoever and whatever pays the bills for their election or re-election.
Naturally, this is not totally the fault of those in office. The ultimate responsibility lies with those in the electorate who allow it to continue. In fact, it has been going on for so long that some have come to accept it as “normal.” I would beg to differ on that point. It may be “normal” but that is only because we have allowed it to become “normal.” Isn’t it about time for a change?
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