As the midterm elections quickly approach, Democrats feel cautiously optimistic about taking control of the U.S. House of Representatives and the Senate. With polls showing them leading in key battleground races and President Donald Trump’s approval rating at an all-time low, expectations are high that change will be coming to Washington, D.C.
After suffering under two years of unrestrained authoritarianism, it will be nice to have at least the appearance of accountability back in place. I hope restoring checks and balances will be more than just appearances. The American people must hold both parties accountable for their actions.
The United States of America stands at a generational crossroads. We must hold elected officials from both parties accountable. We need to ensure they pursue policies that benefit the common good, not special-interest groups and lobbyists.
Thomas Paine wrote, “A body of men (people) holding themselves accountable to nobody ought not to be trusted by anybody.”
The last time Democrats controlled both chambers of Congress was during the first Trump administration. They spent the majority of their time investigating the administration and seeking impeachment charges.
This time needs to be more productive for the American people. Instead of focusing on Trump (even though he is the most corrupt and immoral president ever to reside in the Oval Office), Democrats and Republicans need to work together to solve problems.
If both parties can compromise and work together, they can override a presidential veto and enact consequential change for the American people. Congress must stop letting talking heads make “compromise” into a dirty word.
The art of politics is compromise in order to help your constituents. We must reject current all-or-nothing partisan politics and move the country forward for the common good.
In the end, every citizen wants to work hard, provide for their family, live in a safe environment, and enjoy life. We truly are more alike than we are different.
We must stop letting the elite and powerful convince us that we are different. The real difference is between the haves and have-nots.
Come Tuesday, we all need to vote with a better future in mind, a future where our better angels prevail, where we think of others before ourselves, and where we invest in future generations rather than consumption for the present. And come Wednesday, no matter what happens, we hold everyone who was elected accountable for doing the right thing.
If we fail in this effort, then we will be the ones to blame. Elections and what happens after are mirrors that reveal who we truly are when they end.
- About the Author
- Latest Posts
CEO of Good Faith Media.