Unleash the power of your vote

Etiquette dictates that we should not speak about politics and religion, especially in public. So what shall we discuss instead - the weather?

While many of us have been bludgeoned into this silent anonymity in our political and religious convictions, our political parties have not been shy about dictating to us what those convictions should be in the first place. During an election, they bombard us mercilessly with robo-calls and mailers, while their signs and posters are planted everywhere. Their politicians knock on our doors for our vote, shake our hands, and hug our babies. They brag endlessly of their credentials, and promise to faithfully represent us and improve our lives.

Then they get in office, and everything changes. With few exceptions, you will probably never see them again at your door, and if you knock on theirs with a complaint or concern, you just might get it slammed in your face. Now, you can only talk to their hand, their secretary, or their voicemail. Have a nice day!

After decades of broken campaign promises and political theater, our nation is financially bankrupt, our government is almost entirely corrupt, and our Congress is completely dysfunctional. It is painfully obvious that most of our politicians have deceived us and failed miserably. The only relevant issue is how do we fix their mess? Therefore, I have put together four solutions for you to consider.

We can no longer trust our elected leaders as we have in the past. It is up to us, and mark my words as I tell you now, these are presently the only reliable methods of taking back our government, if only we would just do them!

Solution No. 1: Get rid of deadbeat incumbents. If any politician has been in office for more than one term, and has not delivered on their principal and specific promises, VOTE THEM OUT. If you hired a landscaper to improve your lawn, and after one month your lawn is almost dead, would you re-hire him? The answer must be YES, since about 90 percent of all incumbents get re-elected to Congress no matter how worthless they are. Do not accept excuses or their blame game, and beware fuzzy statistics and bold claims around election time.

Solution No. 2: Only buy products that are "Made in U.S.A." For just one month, if everyone avoided buying overseas products, it would demonstrate to our "leaders" just who the heck is in charge. They outsourced our jobs, SO WE MUST OUTSOURCE THEIRS! Since we are the ones paying and electing them, that makes us their "Job Creators." We can continue to enable our Congress to sell us out, or we can make an example of them to their replacements.

Solution No. 3: Campaign reform. No, money is not free speech (God help us if it is), and corporations are not people. (Sorry Mitt). It amazes me that Republicans have no problem denying the LGBT community full rights and protections as citizens, but lavishly grant corporations full personhood with all rights and protections thereof. That includes unlimited and anonymous money influence in our elections.

This legal bribery cloaked as free speech has enabled corporate and private lobbyists to buy our elected politicians and prostitute our democracy to the highest bidder (them). This can only be stopped by imposing reasonable limits on campaign money, and ensuring that the process is made entirely transparent to the public. Until this happens, it is imperative that we NEVER AGAIN vote for the usual top-candidate choices that are literally shoved down our throats by the media. Instead, vote for that little guy or gal that the media claims will be a waste of your vote. If you truly want change, CHANGE THE WAY YOU VOTE!

Solution No. 4: Become politically educated and vote. A huge part of our electorate will not even vote, and the ones who do are largely politically ignorant. This is why talking about politics is so vital. It is time to shame those "Lazy-Boy" pilots who love to expound on their pathetic reasons for not voting. We must educate and challenge those "Fetus-Voters" who vote only as Mommy and Daddy tell them to. We must watch and understand the legislation process in Congress, follow the voting record and money trail of politicians, and you will know exactly who deserves your vote, and who does not.

There it is my friends, pure and simple. I promise and assure you that if we just united and exercised these four solutions, we would take back our government from corporate America and their lobbyists. Stop feeling powerless, and know that your educated vote is the supreme power that will deliver our nation's prosperity back to us where it belongs.

P.S. Hey Harley Duff, thank you for your kind and thoughtful words!

Jimmy Pappas, who loves hot beef sandwiches almost as much as good government, is a Coeur d'Alene resident.