The voters are the problem

Let me begin this rant by claiming that 53% of all statistics are made up.

Given that disclaimer, I have determined that:
• One-third of voters get their news and information through careful study of issues and political candidates through newspapers, radio and TV news, non-fiction radio and TV programs, books and magazines and discussions with other voters (including persons with opposing viewpoints) on a variety of issues.
• One-third of voters get their news and information from Jay Leno, David Letterman, and Bill Maher monologues; Hollywood sages (ie Barbara Streisand, Sean Penn, Pamela Anderson, Whoopie Goldberg, and Michael Moore); professional racists (ie Kweisi Mfume, Louis Farakhan, Al Sharpton, Cynthia McKinney, Ray Nagan and Jesse Jackson); and Marxist anti-American college professors and government school teachers.
• Finally, one-third of voters don't get any news or information at all!

Consequently, the two-thirds of voters who make poorly informed choices in the voting booth are out-voting those of us who put in a little effort before voting. That is the primary reason we have our terrible government with excessive taxes and corrupt politicians. Too many voters cast votes based on their personal selfish interests as opposed to what is best for the nation as a whole. We have the democracy we deserve.

Perhaps this problem can best be fixed with a voter test. The questions need not be difficult. For example, if you don't know your mayor's name or who pays for welfare handouts (working people and other taxpayers) or who is next in line for the presidency if both the president and vice president die, you don't get to vote. My voter test would help to reduce the number of ill-informed votes that cancel the voice of responsible voters every election.

If nothing else, each voter should be asked one simple question about his/her prefrred candidate: "Why?"

Leading up to the 2008 presidential election, I asked that one-word question, "Why?", of several would-be voters. Every McCain voter could articulate a reasonable reason related to the McCain's experience, stands on issues, and voting record. No Obama voter could tell me anything about Obama other than the color of his skin and used some variation of "I think he'd be a good president" or "We need a change from Bush." (Note to the clueless Obama zombies: Bush wasn't running for office in 2008 so a "change from Bush" was already guaranteed long before anyone even thought to run for the Whitehouse.)

Some argue that such a test would be discriminatory. Yup -- against ill-informed voters. If more people of one race fail the test than another, that is not a race problem, it's voter-preparedness problem! If an immigrant needs to pass a basic civics test (in English) to become a citizen, why shouldn't I be expected to also pass a basic civics test to vote?

In the Declaration of Independence, our nation's founders affirmed that all men are created equal. By that, they meant that we all have the same God-given rights and that there should be no aristocratic class nor commoner class. Specifically, their declaration was directed to the King of England and their view that he was nothing more than another mortal man with no right to enslave his subjects.

Like King George III, the self-anointed kings and aristocrats in US political office, bureaucracies, and courts believe they are better equipped to make our decisions and impose government programs (at our expense) to deny us freedom to make personal choices. At the same time they seek to build and preserve their own power and wealth -- just like King George.

In the Declaration of Independence, our founders declared

That to secure [our God-given] rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed....

If voters understood this simple concept, that governments exist to protect our rights -- not to provide cradle-to-grave comfort by taking from the producers and giving to the non-producers, they would vote very differently.

The Declaration of Independence continues:

That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness.

Our founders not only were involved in an insurrection against the established and tyrannical government (Great Britain), they were advocating revolution whenever the people see it is necessary to protect their rights and freedom.

Now, consider this: The founders wrote a Constitution that gives us an opportunity for rebellion and change in government every two years. We call that opportunity an election. Every two years we can throw out the entire House of Representatives! But, we don't -- even though we all despise the work they're doing (or not doing). Every four years, we have the opportunity to change the President and the entire top leadership of his administration thereby profoundly changing the way bureaucrats treat our rights. But, we often don't -- even though we all despise the work they all are doing (or not doing). Every two to four years, each State has the opportunity to vote out a senator. In six years, we can purge the entire Senate! But, we don't -- even though we all despise the work they're doing (or not doing).

Our founders gave us the tools needed for a peaceful and orderly overthrow of a tyrannical government. Yet, the uninformed and selfish among us keep electing and reelecting the wrong people!

I hear people always whining about the conspiracies of the Federal Reserve and the Bilderberg Group, out-of control government spending, government waste, unconstitutional laws and wars, bailouts, debt ceilings, cash for clunkers, judicial activism, etc. But, nobody seems to understand that we voters have the power to fix all that in less than six years with wise and informed votes! I guess it is easier to watch Oprah, American Idol, Survivor, and Jerry Springer and then whine about the government we have chosen.

Freedom comes to those who know truth and live its standards. Every man has the right to be free from enslavement, free to make his own choices in life and suffer the consequences thereof as envisioned by the founders. Everyone should have the blessing of freedom. But they have no right to harm the rights of others.

I see voting as a mixture of a right and a responsibility -- just like using a firearm or driving a car. Those who cannot or will not exercise the right responsibly must have that right restricted in order to protect the rights of everyone else. Restricting the right of irresponsible persons to vote (defined as those who don't study the issues and candidates enough to make an informed choice) would ensure that they do not harm the rights of everyone else by their poor choices.

Unfortunately, it'll never happen because certain politicians (ie Nancy Pelosi, Barbara Boxer, Cynthia McKinney, Harry Reid, John Conyers, Barack Obama, Chuck Schumer, Frank Lautenberg, John Kerry, Dianne Feinstein, Richard Daley, Joseph Biden, John McCain, etc.) rely on a constituency consisting of a sizeable portion of idiots to stay in power.

Many people fret about low voter-turnout. Personally, I think that's a good thing. If a person is too lazy to vote, he's also likely too lazy to have an informed opinion. Some propose some sort of incentive to vote such as a lottery as proposed in Arizona a while back. I think that's a bad thing. Again, if a person needs to be bribed to vote, he's likely too lazy to have an informed opinion. Inducing people to vote for the purpose of entering a lottery is contrary to the civic rights, privileges and duties inherent in our citizenship.

I shudder when I watch Jay Leno's "Jay-Walking" excursions wherein he explores how utterly ignorant many Americans are.

Congress has the lowest approval rating of any entity imaginable. Yet, we persistently reelect over 90% of the most corrupt, anti-Constitution, anti-liberty, big-government incumbents we all disapprove of! Many people call for term limits in an effort to get the government back under control. But, as another writer said, this is a cop-out. The fact that some politicians remain in office too long is no reason to also boot out the statesmen our nation needs. We voters have a profound moral obligation to elect and reelect only the best to public office. We are failing in that role.

I predict that even the most corrupt members of Congress will be reelected in November, 2010. Perpetual non-statesmen incumbent congressmen who have been in office far too long, yet who will be reelected include Barbara Boxer, John Conyers, John Dingell, Barney Frank, Jesse Jackson Jr, my own congressman Jim Matheson (who although he claims to be a "Blue Dog" conservative Democrat votes with ultra-leftist Nancy Pelosi 93% of the time), Nancy Pelosi, Charles Rangel, Harry Reid, Maxine Waters, and Don Young. The voters are idiots!

If the next centennial does not find us a great nation, it will be because those who represent the enterprises, the culture, and the morality of the nation do not aid in controlling the political forces. — James A Garfield

Now, more than ever before, the people are responsible for the character of their Congress. If the people be ignorant, reckless, and corrupt, it is because the people tolerate ignorance, recklessness, and corruption. If it be intelligent, brave, and pure, it is because the people demand those high qualities to represent them in the national legislature. — James A Garfield

I honestly don't care if a well-informed voter makes a carefully reasoned vote that is contrary to mine--we need everybody's good ideas to make democracy work best. But those who don't know or understand the issues or the consequences of a candidate's agenda really need to stay home on election day for the good of the country.

Judeo-Christian Voter Guide

Vote Freedom First

American Family Association Election Guide

Eagle Forum Election Guide