You don’t have to look very far these days and you will see it.  A complete and total lack of those who are willing to serve for no self gain what-so-ever. 

Don’t get me wrong, some completely selfless acts do still exist, but is it as common as it once was?

Leads me to ask the question, "Whatever happened to……Civil Service?"

You know what I mean, public officials serving for the simple act of serving.  Not for political gain, or to pad their  pockets with lobbyist monies.  I think that the farther we move away from the "Boomer" generation the worse it seems to get.  I can’t help but look back at those in service in the latter days of World War II and see how not only our voted officials operated, but how there was much more a sense of caring for those around you.

In my opinion ,the more patriotic the country is, the more you see people doing for others and the more you see bi-partisan politics happening.  Now that being said, and no disrespect to the families and victims of 9/11, but we have not seen a real outpouring of patriotism since the second plane hit tower two on that fateful and horrific day.  In the days that followed, when people didn’t know whether to bend over and kiss it goodbye or hold on to each other, most chose the latter.  Remember seeing our politicians leave the Capital building and sing together on the steps. Why didn’t we get anything going then?  We were all getting along like a group of three-year-olds in a sandbox.  Why didn’t we roll up our sleeves, scrap the political parties and work together for a "more perfect union?"  Why not? 

Am I calling for a tragedy to befall the country in order to generate patriotism?  By all means no!

What I am doing is pointing out an observation.  Back before I was born, during JFK’s Inaugural address, he made a statement that will forever live on, "Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country?"  What the heck happened to that?  Was that just a statement aimed at Mr. and Mrs. John Q Public, or was this statement meant for all of us that live under the Constitution of the USA.  I have to say that we have (and if I am the only one who sees this, we are screwed) managed to carve a very poor sect of life in our country.  Gone, it would seem, are the days when those that we placed in public office served as our voice.  Is the country really being run "by the people, for the people" or is it just everyman in office for themselves? 

Do you even stop to think about it anymore or just turn a deaf ear thinking that, what is done is done and there is nothing that can be done to fix it?  Remember quite possibly the greatest tool we, the average Joes, have is our ability to cast a ballot.  For our voices to be heard and to send a person to office who has our, yours and my, best interest in mind and report back to us what is really happening and what they are doing about.  Oh and by the way, find out if it is really what we want.  Did we completely lose that part of it?  When is the last time that you were contacted to get your opinion on any leader’s approval rating?  I for one have never been contacted.  At what point does one transcend from being a citizen to being a super-citizen who no longer requires accountability?

Now I don’t want to get preachy here but…….

We all know full well that politicians, in most cases, have very good intentions when they begin to run.  I believe that Obama really thought he could go and make "change" happen.  The problem is that once he got there he ran into the same old crap that has been going on for years.  The frozen chosen that have been in office way too long and have gotten comfortable in their lifestyle, that have lost sight of what America and Americans are really all about.  I am not about to try and wrap my brain around why this continues to happen.  I am also not fool enough to not know that absolute power corrupts absolutely.  I guess my question is, "Why is it that we limit the President, the "highest office in the land" to 8 years of service and yet we allow of State and Federal Representatives to fossilize in office?  Doesn’t it seem right that at some point you give someone else a shot to see if they can maybe right the ship or at least get it out of dry dock?  I say this, you get 10 years to make a difference, if in that time the people you represent can say you have done a great job, (and I mean normal people) then you get 4 years to train up the next batch. 

We the people deserve better and more than what is going on in our country, states, and cities currently.  Like the old saying goes, lead, follow or get out of the way.  Stop getting rich in office and start putting the plans of the people back into play.  We put you there and we can take you out.  It is time to stop believing you are anointed and realize that all you were was appointed to a job and it is a temp job at that.

 

About the author:  Ernie Osborn is just a regular joe that sees life around him a little differently.  He is a former youth leader that believes that life should be lived to the fullest.  His views and opinions may or may not reflect those of Tulsa Today.  Ernie serves as Concert Editor for Tulsa Today.  (In other words, if his writing strikes you and makes you think great, or if it just makes you laugh and scratch your head that is fine too)

 

Yesterday afternoon’s hurried conversation in line at Borders Bookstore in midtown was interesting.  A mom with four adult daughters in line to check-out were discussing trinkets within reach when mom chided one of her own saying, “If you would do a better job as a teacher America wouldn’t be in the mess we are in.”  

I turned and said, “Maybe it’s my fault.  As a journalist I should have written more and in more ways made clear the fundamentals of our nation, why and how they are now at risk.”

“They are pushing us into Socialism,” she whispered softly – as if she feared the Gestapo might be listening.

“I believe they have made it to Marxism,” was my reply, but it was not an argument.  It was a difference in degree and she looked sad. 

How bad have we been betrayed by Barack Hussein Obama and Democrat Leftists now controlling America?   Stampeded into continual concocted crisis caused by government, but blamed on everyone and everything else – Obama blames capitalism, but Hitler blamed Jews successfully with the help of his media contemporaries.  Regardless, as administration officials say, “Never let a good crisis go to waste.”

Avoiding substantive policy or honest ideological debate during the campaign, Obama in glittering generalities of soaring rhetoric won on personality.  Now the substance of the man is revealed to be nothing more or less than anti-American delusions, class warfare and personal corruption sacred to Democrats.  His crowd sees themselves as the global Left secure in their intellectual superiority, but wait – their heroes despise them.

Monday, Bruno Rodriguez, the Cuban foreign minister, called President Barack Obama an "imperial and arrogant" liar for his conduct at the U.N. climate conference, a reflection of the communist island’s increasingly fiery verbal attacks on the U.S. government.

Rodriguez spent an hour and a half lambasting Obama’s behavior in Copenhagen, telling a news conference, "at this summit, there was only imperial, arrogant Obama, who does not listen, who imposes his positions and even threatens developing countries."

He called the summit "a fallacy, a farce" and singled out comments Obama made during a news conference in Copenhagen, when the U.S. president said no agreement had yet been reached but he was confident one would before the summit ended.  "Obama knew he was lying, that he was deceiving public opinion," the foreign minister said.

Finally Conservatives and Cuban Communists have something in common, they both know Obama lies and climate change is a farce designed to seize and transfer wealth.

How about Iran?  Obama damned George W. Bush for “cowboy” diplomacy while saying change meant talking without advanced conditions or substantive change of Iranian behavior.  Obama officials did meet with Iran.  How’s that working?  Have they restrained themselves from threatening rhetoric or the production of nuclear weapons?

Iran’s President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad yesterday dismissed the most current ultimatum, set by President Obama and international allies, for the country to agree to swap enriched uranium for nuclear fuel. "We don’t care" about deadlines, Ahmadinejad said in a defiant speech to supporters in the southern city of Shiraz.

"We are not afraid of sanctions against us and we are not intimidated," he said, addressing the West.  He gloated that his country is "10 times stronger than last year."

Wow, that’s pretty good.  One year of Obama bowing worldwide and Iran is 10 times stronger.  Now that is a change you can believe it.  Where are those anti-nuke protesters from the Left?  

For that matter, what happened to the feminists as Sarah Palin has been brutally abused?  Oh, that’s right, only Leftists can count on feminist support.  Hey David Letterman, you are older than I am and your child is younger than my grandchildren.  Granted, most older men like younger women, but you are creeping us out with your personal life and office playthings.  Then with the audacity to attack Palin, Letterman isn’t funny.

The American Association of Retired People (AARP) CEO Barry Rand wrote a letter I received today asking that I join.  I wrote back, “My extended multi-generational family loyalty to AARP ended with your organizational greed demonstrated dramatically during the current health care debate.  Government control of individual health care decisions is contrary to the Constitution of the United States of America.  I will oppose AARP personally, professionally and publicly for the rest of my life should AARP continue on this path.

“Older Americans and the very young will die as those who “manage” care apply cost-benefit analysis for the so-called greater good.  That is totalitarian.  That is contrary to the principle that each citizen holds an unalienable (provided by God) right to life, liberty, and property that can not be taken by government without due process.

“While selling Medicare Supplements may profit AARP under this new Marxist plan; you have sold your organizational soul, betrayed your membership and may well contribute to the collapse of the currency.  Writing checks without value results in individual arrests for criminal activity and government doing the same on the backs of our children could well destroy this nation,” I concluded to Mr. Rand.  Ok, so he caught me at a verbose moment.  

There is accountability coming.  Americans are wakening at book stores and around kitchen tables and many are deeply angry at both parties.  Surprise, the Tea Party movement is currently polling stronger than Democrats or Republicans.  Oh, you are not surprised?  Then you are ahead of the power elites in government and media currently dumbfounded if not oblivious.

You would think the third branch of government – the Courts – would speak up on some of this, but then again you know what you call an attorney with a 50 IQ?  Answer: Your honor.  

Personally, I am praying for the rise of a “Constitutional Party” in America.  An affiliation of patriots dedicated to return American government to lawful operation as specifically limited by the Constitution.  Do you think the Courts will be able to grasp the concept of a simple, “do your job – protect and defend the Constitution?”  God knows and the people are learning how deeply the Democrat Congress and President Obama have failed in that legally binding oath.

The matriarch in Borders questioned Obama’s birth certificate – a document costing around $10 most Americans can produce on demand.  President B. Hussein Obama has spent millions and many years to hide his.  I wonder if Obama got into college as a foreign exchange student and what classes he took and what papers he wrote – joking of course.  All of that has been hidden deliberately with effort – kind of like insiders hid Tiger Woods’ fooling around.  Don’t interrupt the spin.  Touch not the anointed.

Political parties should specifically center on core public beliefs and provide proving grounds for vetting potential leadership.  Ideally, by working in group, prospective candidates for public office can be observed and judged on work ethic, principles, honor, education, wisdom, honesty and candor – over time, sometimes, or not as with specific Republican betrayals.

President Obama and Democrats are proving their standards – a revelation of true desire.  They, with some Republicans, consider themselves the government elite and no matter what crisis may come – elites are always needed to placate the unwashed masses thus earning personal power, money and prestige. 

It doesn’t matter what elites say because the only point of public speech is to stir the masses in support of elite control of government’s role in dispensing benefits stolen from productive citizens.  Blaming natural events or personal inadequacy or general incompetence on others, preaching how good people have been victimized by (fill in the blank).  

Again, just as Hitler blamed the Jews – Democrats blame Bush well beyond any reasonable level of justifiable accountability.  Some people just love to demonize, but if the insane government spending collapses the value of the currency,  Congress will have proven themselves, by their own acts; truly anti-American. And the boys of Oklahoma may well visit to talk with them about personal accountability … with civility of course.

Yesterday afternoon’s hurried conversation in line at Borders Bookstore in midtown was interesting. 

A mom with four adult daughters in line to check-out were discussing trinkets within reach when mom chided one of her own saying, “If you would do a better job as a teacher America wouldn’t be in the mess we are in.”  

I turned and said, “Maybe it’s my fault.  As a journalist I should have written more and in more ways made clear the fundamentals of our nation, why and how they are now at risk.”

“They are pushing us into Socialism,” she whispered softly – as if she feared the Gestapo might be listening.

“I believe they have made it to Marxism,” was my reply, but it was not an argument.  It was a difference in degree and she looked sad. 

How bad have we been betrayed by Barack Hussein Obama and Democrat Leftists now controlling America?   Stampeded into continual concocted crisis caused by government, but blamed on everyone and everything else – Obama blames capitalism, but Hitler blamed Jews successfully with the help of his media contemporaries.  Regardless, as administration officials say, “Never let a good crisis go to waste.”

Avoiding substantive policy or honest ideological debate during the campaign, Obama in glittering generalities of soaring rhetoric won on personality.  Now the substance of the man is revealed to be nothing more or less than anti-American delusions, class warfare and personal corruption sacred to Democrats.  His crowd sees themselves as the global Left secure in their intellectual superiority, but wait – their heroes despise them.

Monday, Bruno Rodriguez, the Cuban foreign minister, called President Barack Obama an "imperial and arrogant" liar for his conduct at the U.N. climate conference, a reflection of the communist island’s increasingly fiery verbal attacks on the U.S. government.

Rodriguez spent an hour and a half lambasting Obama’s behavior in Copenhagen, telling a news conference, "at this summit, there was only imperial, arrogant Obama, who does not listen, who imposes his positions and even threatens developing countries."

He called the summit "a fallacy, a farce" and singled out comments Obama made during a news conference in Copenhagen, when the U.S. president said no agreement had yet been reached but he was confident one would before the summit ended.  "Obama knew he was lying, that he was deceiving public opinion," the foreign minister said.

Finally Conservatives and Cuban Communists have something in common, they both know Obama lies and climate change is a farce designed to seize and transfer wealth.

How about Iran?  Obama damned George W. Bush for “cowboy” diplomacy while saying change meant talking without advanced conditions or substantive change of Iranian behavior.  Obama officials did meet with Iran.  How’s that working?  Have they restrained themselves from threatening rhetoric or the production of nuclear weapons?

Iran’s President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad yesterday dismissed the most current ultimatum, set by President Obama and international allies, for the country to agree to swap enriched uranium for nuclear fuel. "We don’t care" about deadlines, Ahmadinejad said in a defiant speech to supporters in the southern city of Shiraz.

"We are not afraid of sanctions against us and we are not intimidated," he said, addressing the West.  He gloated that his country is "10 times stronger than last year."

Wow, that’s pretty good.  One year of Obama bowing worldwide and Iran is 10 times stronger.  Now that is a change you can believe it.  Where are those anti-nuke protesters from the Left?  

For that matter, what happened to the feminists as Sarah Palin has been brutally abused?  Oh, that’s right, only Leftists can count on feminist support.  Hey David Letterman, you are older than I am and your child is younger than my grandchildren.  Granted, most older men like younger women, but you are creeping us out with your personal life and office playthings.  Then with the audacity to attack Palin, Letterman isn’t funny.

The American Association of Retired People (AARP) CEO Barry Rand wrote a letter I received today asking that I join.  I wrote back, “My extended multi-generational family loyalty to AARP ended with your organizational greed demonstrated dramatically during the current health care debate.  Government control of individual health care decisions is contrary to the Constitution of the United States of America.  I will oppose AARP personally, professionally and publicly for the rest of my life should AARP continue on this path.

“Older Americans and the very young will die as those who “manage” care apply cost-benefit analysis for the so-called greater good.  That is totalitarian.  That is contrary to the principle that each citizen holds an unalienable (provided by God) right to life, liberty, and property that can not be taken by government without due process.

“While selling Medicare Supplements may profit AARP under this new Marxist plan; you have sold your organizational soul, betrayed your membership and may well contribute to the collapse of the currency.  Writing checks without value results in individual arrests for criminal activity and government doing the same on the backs of our children could well destroy this nation,” I concluded to Mr. Rand.  Ok, so he caught me at a verbose moment.  

There is accountability coming.  Americans are wakening at book stores and around kitchen tables and many are deeply angry at both parties.  Surprise, the Tea Party movement is currently polling stronger than Democrats or Republicans.  Oh, you are not surprised?  Then you are ahead of the power elites in government and media currently dumbfounded if not oblivious.

You would think the third branch of government – the Courts – would speak up on some of this, but then again you know what you call an attorney with a 50 IQ?  Answer: Your honor.  

Personally, I am praying for the rise of a “Constitutional Party” in America.  An affiliation of patriots dedicated to return American government to lawful operation as specifically limited by the Constitution.  Do you think the Courts will be able to grasp the concept of a simple, “do your job – protect and defend the Constitution?”  God knows and the people are learning how deeply the Democrat Congress and President Obama have failed in that legally binding oath.

The matriarch in Borders questioned Obama’s birth certificate – a document costing around $10 most Americans can produce on demand.  President B. Hussein Obama has spent millions and many years to hide his.  I wonder if Obama got into college as a foreign exchange student and what classes he took and what papers he wrote – joking of course.  All of that has been hidden deliberately with effort – kind of like insiders hid Tiger Woods’ fooling around.  Don’t interrupt the spin.  Touch not the anointed.

Political parties should specifically center on core public beliefs and provide proving grounds for vetting potential leadership.  Ideally, by working in group, prospective candidates for public office can be observed and judged on work ethic, principles, honor, education, wisdom, honesty and candor – over time, sometimes, or not as with specific Republican betrayals.

President Obama and Democrats are proving their standards – a revelation of true desire.  They, with some Republicans, consider themselves the government elite and no matter what crisis may come – elites are always needed to placate the unwashed masses thus earning personal power, money and prestige. 

It doesn’t matter what elites say because the only point of public speech is to stir the masses in support of elite control of government’s role in dispensing benefits stolen from productive citizens.  Blaming natural events or personal inadequacy or general incompetence on others, preaching how good people have been victimized by (fill in the blank).  

Again, just as Hitler blamed the Jews – Democrats blame Bush well beyond any reasonable level of justifiable accountability.  Some people just love to demonize, but if the insane government spending collapses the value of the currency,  Congress will have proven themselves, by their own acts; truly anti-American. And the boys of Oklahoma may well visit to talk with them about personal accountability … with civility of course.