Representation...

So, I stumbled onto the idea I had been searching for 'round about bedtime, so I held the thought. Anyway, I thought more about it today and here's what I came up with:

Back in the day, there was business going on in the American Colonies that really got the goat of many colonists. It was called, "Taxation without representation". The gist of the problem was that they were being taxed and didn't have any say in it. Well, the end result of that business was the American Revolution and the whole "democracy" thing. So the solution to the problem was the House and the Senate.

So, the idea behind all of this was that Congress, because they get elected by their constituents, would represent their constituents. Well, I don't know what it was like back in the day when everything started, but it seems like we've run into some problems with this because of the extreme two party system we are suffering from.

Now, like I mentioned before, Johnny McCongress decides he was to be a US Representative and figures, "Hmmm...how can I get elected?" He looks at his choices and sees that most Congressmen are members of either the Democratic or Republican Party. So, he makes a judgement call and says, "Well, Democrats sure seem to popular these days," so he joins up. He gets some backing and sure enough, he pulls it out in a 51 to 49 percent squeaker. So, now Johnny McC is headed to Washington to represent the Fightin' 33rd or wherever...right?

Well, here's the problem. Johnny McC owes his victory to whom?

A) his 51% that voted him in
B) The Fightin' 33rd
C) The Democratic Party

The answer is quite obviously C. The Party provided the backing that got him the exposure that led to his win.

Johnny is supposed to represent which of the following?

A) his 51%
B) The Fightin' 33rd
C) The Democratic Party

The answer here is quite simple B. As the representative of the Fightin' 33rd, he is supposed represent the Fightin' 33rd.

But, who does he represent?

A) his 51%
B) The Fightin' 33rd
C) The Democratic Party

More than likely, he will represent C, but to a lesser extent, he will represent A.

So, if you were able to follow my little quiz, the problem is quite simply that the Party's interests get represented while the needs of the district go largely unnoticed. Rep. Johnny owes the Party his seat, and hey, his term is only two years, he may get beat out, so he won't get any real responsibility. He will regularly be Majority Whipped into following party lines. He'll have to do this until he's been around at least 3 or 4 terms so they know he has staying power and then he can get some responsibility. By then, his endentured servitude to the Party has turned into a Slavery of sorts. His first responsibility? Probably whipping the newbies into party line.

So, what has happened to the Fightin' 33rd's needs? Nothing really, except they've started seen Rep. McC on the TV and he gives the appearance of being responsible, so they keep him around.

So now, the problem is pretty clear, right? We aren't really being represented by our elected representatives. They aren't being held accountable by their constituents...mainly because their only other choice is generally a polar opposite.

Now, I'm not picking on the Democrats, they just seem to be getting elected more these days.

So, how do we fix this? I think the Thought Party should do something about this, but what? How do we fix accountability when the only way to punish the offender is to vote in a member of the other party who will have the same loyalties to his/her respective party?

We are being taxed without being represented, but it goes beyond taxes and into the realm of everything from what women can do with their bodies to when and where we send our soldiers to fight and die.

I'm out.

Seymour