Civic Engagement

Unless you have been hiding under a rock for the last few weeks, you probably know that our nation is in the process of seeing who can scream the loudest about health care. Well I am hear to tell you, our nation sure can scream. Members of congress have fanned out across the nation with targets pasted on their foreheads to see just how far they can be pushed before they feel the urge to retire.

One of the major points of contention is whether or not our elected representatives have actually read the bill. Just in case you were curious, you can read all 1018 pages of the Health Care Bill here. But it doesn’t stop there. If you have been watching the news (or attending a town hall like Congressman Wu’s in Portland), you have seen a tremendous amount of American adults screaming their lungs out at elected representatives (Republican and Democrat alike).

Regardless of whether or not you support or oppose a national health care plan, I have a few requests to all of those who are interested in attending a town hall meeting with one of your elected representatives that will help keep all of us sane and our blood pressure low:

1) Don’t play the “I am a voter and I can vote you out of office” card. Never a good tactic, and a very quick way to get politicians to totally ignore you.

2) Don’t lecture. Too often people stand up in these events to ask a question and then never ask a question. As much as I appreciate people’s opinions, most folks did not come to a town hall to hear someone disprove global warming in a three minute lecture to a federal politician.

3) Educate yourself. Don’t believe what you read/hear, figure it out for yourself! You will find out amazing things like the fact that nowhere in this bill is there a mention of amputating limbs for profit, forced euthanasia, or “Death Panels” … shocking, I know.

4) DON’T GET VIOLENT! I can’t believe this is happening, but anger and violence are the tools of the intellectually frustrated. And yes, this is happening (see this article from Tampa and make sure you watch the videos).

5) And to help you accomplish #4, stop watching/listening to Glenn Beck, who is responsible for insighting the type of actions seen in the Tampa video linked above. In fact, stop watching the 24-hour news networks all together. The lines between entertainment/news/opinion are so skewed at this point I’ve gone back to reading newspapers (you know, the paper thingies that used to be left on doorsteps).

I think the best advice I can give is to treat others with respect, and especially your elected officials. They get paid squat, get abused and threatened constantly, and only get caught in Argentina with their mistress every once in a while.