Just My Opinion

Who is Joe Average? 

He’s you and I.  He’s the voice of the average American.  You may not agree with everything, or anything he has to say, but he gives you a point of view that should make you think.  People who don’t think are easier to control. 

Control is what the government has come to desire.  They want to tell you what you can do, when and where you can do it.  If left unchecked, the government will ultimately remove all your freedoms so that they can “take care” of you.

Thomas Jefferson said, “When the people fear their government, there is tyranny; when the government fears the people, there is liberty.” 

That is as true today, as it was 230 years ago. 

The US Government no longer fears the people.  Why should they?  Most don’t care about politics unless it’s an election year, and even then they get all their information from 10 second sound bites.  The people no longer think for themselves, and so are extremely easy to control.

It’s long past time the government feared the people again.  The people need to educate themselves about what their government is doing.  People need to educate themselves about their government. 

When I was in school, it was required to learn about the three branches of government, but who pays attention to that, except to pass the test?  Politics is boring!  That is exactly what the government is counting on.  They are counting on the fact that no one will be willing to look at the Bills being written, so they feel safe in giving themselves a pay raise whenever they feel like it!

It used to take time and effort to contact a Senator, or Representative.  Now we can send them email.  Every Bill before Congress is on the web (and links can be found on this website) and can be searched by name or number.  We have access to every part of our government, but who bothers? 

It’s a sad fact that in order to become American Citizens, those who pass the written test, know more about this country than the average American who was born here. 

1. Did you know that America isn’t a Democracy?  In a Democracy, every citizen votes on every issue and law.  America is a Representative Republic.  We elect people to represent our point of view in the government.
2. Did you know that the Speaker of The House is third in line, after the Vice President, to run the country.  That means that at this time, should something happen to both the President and Vice President, Nancy Pelosi would become President.
3. Did you know the primary job of the Vice President, aside from replacing the President due to vacancy, death, or incapacity, is to cast a vote in the Senate, in case of a tie.
4. Did you know that originally, the loser of the Presidential election, became the Vice President?  It wasn’t until 1804 that the 12^th amendment to the Constitution provided for separate ballots for President and Vice President. 
5. Did you know that a convicted felon can be elected to Congress?  Convicted felons can run but they may be refused admittance to the House or Senate if their character or conduct is found by a vote of the assembled to be unbecoming of a representative or Senator.  This has happened several times in the past, mostly when convicted criminals win elections.  
6. Did you know the one man never to be elected Vice President, or President before assuming the office, was Gerald Ford?  When President Richard Nixon resigned in 1974, there was no elected vice-president to succeed him, as Spiro Agnew had also resigned on unrelated bribery issues. Gerald Ford, as House Republican Leader- the highest ranking Republican remaining in U.S. Government at the time, was appointed by Congress to finish Agnew's term, and subsequently Nixon's.

If you answered no to any of these questions, maybe it’s time to take an active interest in politics.  After all, what you don’t know can hurt you.