Collegiate Times

Thomas Jefferson said, “Every government degenerates when trusted to the rulers of the people alone. The people themselves are its only safe depositories.”

In light of the recent passing of the health care bill in the House of Representatives, it has become irrefutably clear that a coup d’etat of sorts has been orchestrated by our government officials. Left to their own devices, the Washington veterans have ignored the impassioned outcry of the town hall meetings and determined the future of our nation without permission from their constituents. In order to usurp control from these self-seeking men and women, we have an obligation to arm ourselves with a weapon: that of knowledge.

We have actively enabled our expulsion from the government process. Our ignorance regarding issues that affect our lives has culminated in the strong “Big Brother” hand of government relieving us of our inalienable rights to choose how we live, what we live for, and how we go about achieving our goals. In an effort to gain our blind trust, the government continues to assure us of its dedication to our benefit as a nation. Yet in reality, we have entrusted our lives to men and women whose callous notions of reality lend them not to see our faces when they look out unto their citizens but, instead, a bottom line.

In a recent informal survey of men and women walking the streets of affluent Los Angeles, Steven Crowder asked citizens of this country, “Who is the vice president of the United States?” To his genuine astonishment, he found that only 34 percent could respond correctly. In the wake of a historic election with record-breaking turnouts, how can we reason to believe that those who voted for Barack Obama did not even know the name of his vice president, let alone his stances on important issues affecting our country? To test further knowledge of government officials, men and women were also asked, “Who is the Speaker of the House?” General response: no clue. Out of approximately 40 people surveyed, only a handful could correctly identify Nancy Pelosi as the Speaker of the House.

In a predominately liberal arena where support for Obama was fervent and unwavering, men and women walking the streets cannot name his vice president. How ridiculous. Presidential elections have come to amount to nothing more than a popularity contest. Obama, with his eloquence and promise of saving the world from all of its problems easily could have won prom king among all sorts of awards. Yet, it prompts one to wonder, how many voters elected Obama based on his fundamental merits for the job?

Wednesday, Nov. 11 marked the national holiday of Veterans Day, a day dedicated to celebrating and commemorating those who have made the ultimate sacrifice, so we are afforded the right to control the destiny of our own lives.
As voters, we have an obligation to stay informed about the candidates we choose to elect. I value those who, equipped with the relevant information, conclude that one candidate is better suited for a government position than another, regardless of his political affiliation. I cannot respect those who take the path of least resistance, following the masses towards the party and candidate of the moment.

“Enlighten the people generally, and tyranny and oppressions of body and mind will vanish like evil spirits at the dawn of day.” Thomas Jefferson.

Enlighten yourselves and each other to the facts and the information that matter. Spend less time focusing your energy on staying abreast of Jennifer Aniston’s latest love interest and more time dedicated to understanding the repercussions of the government’s plans for our future.