Undue Influence of Wealth, Power

Intimidate = to compel or deter by…threat; extort = to obtain from a person by force, intimidation, or undue (or illegal) power [Source of definitions: Merriam Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary, 10th ed]

Senator Lisa Murkowski, Republican, of Alaska, recently talked about her fear at an event with constituents in her home state. Speaking with a somewhat shaky, emotional voice, she expressed her sentiments as follows: “We are all afraid . . .retaliation is real.” And she is not the only one who feels that way, even if she is the only one who will say it out loud.

The vast majority of Republicans in Congress and in the Texas Legislature appear to be subject to intimidation and/or extortion by leaders who wield power over them. What power is this? It’s largely the power of the purse, and that purse is the political spending by corporations and wealthy individuals that can drive enormous sums of money into future electoral campaigns. Failure to vote in ways that assure passage of the leaders’ agendas almost certainly carries the promise that “we will come after you!”

Is this any way to carry out government of the people, for the people, by the people, to have our elected representatives’ votes dictated by leaders who hold the most fund-raising power instead of votes being cast according to the preferences of the voters who elected the representatives? I know most of us (by a 9:1 majority in Fayette County) voted to elect the current president, but we also elected representatives to the Congress and the Texas Legislature. Government by the people involves BOTH the legislative body and the executive branch, and I believe it works best when both can do their work free of fear and intimidation.

Unfortunately, the fear and intimidation go beyond threats to assure a representative or senator will be defeated at the polls. Death threats and stalking are a significant part of the lives of many elected officials in these days of constant social media attacks, with insults, brutal demeaning and bullying, and even fake 911 calls that lead to SWAT team mobilization to the address of the victim.

This is certainly no way for us to assure that the best people will consider running for political office in the future. A government powered by fear and intimidation almost guarantees we will be led by liars, by thugs and bullies, by crooks and extortionists, by grifters and phonies. Frankly, we’ve already had enough of folks like Santos and Menendez to represent us, haven’t we?

Please speak up and communicate with your elected representatives: a call to a congressional representative’s office, a letter to a senator in Austin or Washington, DC, or an email to an elected official to express your preference on legislation is ALWAYS an appropriate way to assure your own position is known by your representatives. And express your own reassurance that you will support them in the future, even if they go against the party-line when it conflicts with their conscience or with the interests of their constituents.

Enough already with the bullying to ram measures through our legislative bodies that conflict with the will of the electorate. After all is said and done, Texas school vouchers are the new law of the land primarily because of the money poured into Republican primaries from billionaires like Tim Dunn and Farris Wilks, and certainly NOT because most Texans are in favor of using tax dollars for supporting private education: nothing could be farther from the truth.

Carpe Diem, readers and voters. Let your voices be heard and your positions be known: it’s our responsibility to speak up and reclaim the will of the people, so that the government is of, by, and for the people, and NOT of, by, and for the most powerful and/or most wealthy.