Dwarfs A-Plenty

Dwarfs A-Plenty

Sleeping Beauty had her seven dwarfs back in the storybook time of our childhood. Now, we have a whole lot more, 535 more dwarfs, accounting for all our congressional members which has done about the least amount of legislative work ever since its inception.

Senators run for election statewide, two per each state, no matter how large or small their state is. Sparsely populated states have much more clout in national issues per their voter than heavily populated states. The great plain states and the quite small states demonstrate this differential, they're "the tail that wags the dog".

Representatives, instead, are elected by gross numbers of citizens, nearing 800,000 in Pennsylvania, living in a state drawn district. This has been a bone of contention for a long, long time. State legislatures, each ten years after their census is verified, have the opportunity to redraw federal congressional district lines. But, when redrawn in a more favorable way for the party in power, it is called gerrymandering. This, you understand, is extremely upsetting for those in the minority and they call - foul.

Right now on this last day of 2012 Congress is fiddling while the country burns, over the cliff goes the whole country's economy because of a unwillingness for Republicans and Democrats to find compromise. Compromise has been the bulwark of governance ever since the constitution became law of the land. We seem to allow a few congressman elected into office by less than 800,000 citizens to disrupt a nation of 317,000,000 citizens. This is crazy !

Polls recently taken tell us the US Congress has an eighty two percent disapproval rating. That's about as low a rating that human beings ever get. Disapproval by more than eight out of ten people is damn bad. Tell me, where is the outrage for our local congressional legislators ? How can we continue to vote for them ?
Those of you who voted to retain your congressperson should begin to reassess you stance. You are now supported by less than two persons in ten, go figure.
As always, it's up to you, it's up to you this next election in 2014, begin now.

Ronald C. Downie