Don't despair. Vote

Readers may think of these times as a new "Dark Age" of politics, but we should not despair. People need to vote, but not despair.

About 50 years ago, there was a book describing Americans as being "A Nation of Sheep," and although some are sheepish in their avoidance of conflict, and others are aggressively taking the air out of America's future hopes of affordable education and health care, giving peanuts to the majority while stuffing hay into the elephants we don't see well enough, we can do something about it. Vote. Volunteer. Donate to your candidates so they don't have to rely on special interests.

I was recently reading an old book about a time in England in the 1600s when it was difficult figuring out how restore land and privilege to those who lost in the Cromwell revolution and Charles II replaced his beheaded father on the throne. To satisfy many interests, some bribes were solicited, from others value was simply taken. As aptly described of one landed gentry who was afraid of losing his life and property, he was simply extorted, being treated as a sheep to be shorn of his wealth and property, as needed.

In today's frantic news schedule of daily breaking news about broken government, we need to pay attention to the facts of what has gone wrong, and coolly assess what needs to go right. Future debt created by the tax break for the richest will be paid for by cutting Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid. We know this because proposals are being unveiled in this period of celebration of the 4th of July, the holiday where we should reflect on rights asserted and demanded as a new republic and a free people should have for dignity.

The holiday is more than hot dogs and fireworks; it should be for reflection on values and our duty to ensure a future by voting for people and causes which make sense beyond clever slogans and twisted values.

Edward C. Marth

St. Charles