I see and hear much confusion about holding political office. The public seems to believe that government is there to tell us what to do, that people who hold office wield powers akin to a corporate CEO. Alas many elected officials believe the same.
This is not what the authors of the constitution envisioned. Government was meant to be for the people and by the people.
In my capacity as Mayor, I am the leader of the town council, not the boss. It is my job to lead the council through issues put before us. I can and do, try to express my opinion. Of what I think is the best resolution to each issue for the town. The council should never consider what is best for us or our families, but what is best for the town as a whole.
Trying to influence the opinions of my fellow council is the extent of my power. It is the majority vote that decides the issues. My vote counts exactly one, just like everyone else's.
Likewise, the job of state or federal legislators is to try and influence the opinions of other legislators on the will of the people they represent. It is not their job to create laws that force their personal opinions of the country. They were not put there to rule the population, they are suppose to represent them.
Too many of our elected officials have either forgotten or never learned this.
Most people think they have no say or control over the government. But that is not true! You, the voter, are the boss. It's up to you to determine who and what our government is.
You have an obligation to your country to vote. And if the person on the ballot does not understand they are there to represent your values, your wishes, don't vote for them, no matter which political party they proport to belong to. In the end, political parties don't make policy, individual people do.
