The will of the people is the only legitimate foundation of any government, and to protect its free expression should be our first object. – Thomas Jefferson
The will of the people is not being heard. The job of a Congressman is to give voice the will of his constituents. In our great country, we entrust our elected officials with responsibilities. A Congressman is elected by the people. A look at the major pieces of legislation passed recently shows who Congress actually represents. Many people are complaining about rising health care costs, rising energy prices, a faltering education system. Do we get health care reform, an energy bill that addresses the problem or a commitment to the education of our children? No. We get international trade agreements that benefit big business, a bankruptcy bill that further burdens consumers and tax cuts for the extremely wealthy.
The price of health care is expected to rise by about $597 per person next year. Experts estimate the price of energy to continue to rise. Personal savings is at an all time low. The budget is out of control. And what legislation is the number one priority of the Republican controlled Congress? Elimination of the estate tax. As of 2005, the estate tax affects estates valued at 1.5 million dollars and over.
The great thing about our government is ultimately, the power is in the hands of the people. The power is not in the hands of a few people who serve as mouthpieces for corporate America, but in the hands of the many. The everyday American is a tax paying, law abiding, and hard working citizen. It is time for all of us to band together, and demand our government quit playing politics with our future. We must remove officials who are unwilling to stand up for the common man, and replace them with ones who will. We have seen five years of a Republican controlled White House and a Republican controlled Congress. Have the will of the people been heard? There is an alternative. There is a future.
Brian Amoah
Friends of David Gill