By Rajan George
Shutting down the U.S. government for more than forty days—the longest shutdown in the history of government closures—was a betrayal of trust and an inhumane act inflicted upon the common people by politicians elected to represent their concerns. What was most disturbing was that these flagrant politicians, who failed to fulfill their duties, continued to receive their paychecks while denying the same privilege to American soldiers, air traffic controllers, operators, and other essential employees across various government departments.
The lives of ordinary citizens were put through the mill. Hundreds of thousands were laid off as non-essential workers; countless others were forced to take second jobs to pay their bills, and many had to quit their government positions altogether in search of more secure employment that guaranteed a paycheck. The shutdown caused enormous damage to the daily lives of Americans—yet, as usual, the politicians did not care.
It does not augur well for the nation when individuals entrusted with the responsibility of representing their communities in local and national legislative bodies forget their duties and change course to align with groups or organizations inimical to the public good. No legislator is an independent power base; they derive their authority from the electorate, who entrust them with power based on assurances that they will faithfully represent their interests and introduce legislation that improves their lives.
Yet rarely do we find a politician who does not change course once elected. Many align themselves with powerful interests that work tirelessly to advance political agendas at the expense of the nation’s welfare. Though elected by majority support, they soon find themselves dependent on funding provided by “puppet masters” who seek to influence lawmakers to pass policies that serve their own interests—even when those policies harm the people.
Such a change is pure betrayal, for in due course these politicians fail to represent the people who elected them, becoming hired agents of special interest groups that fund their campaigns and ensure their political survival. This drags down the noble philosophy of democracy, as elected officials become available for rehire by oligarchs who finance their future campaigns. In the end, the people receive the short end of the stick and suffer the consequences of these betrayals.
Voters who blindly exercise their franchise to elect candidates with the largest campaign funds share part of the blame for this predicament. Voting privileges come with the responsibility to choose candidates based on merit—individuals committed to their conscience and true to their word. Voters who fail to study their candidates, evaluate their policies, or discern the interests they represent will face disappointment when their chosen representatives work against the very purposes for which they were elected.
If the people continue to elect the same individuals to office for more than two or three terms, they have failed to do their homework. Such voters are merely going along with the tide and cannot expect meaningful change. Politicians who spend extended periods in one office often become instruments of corruption, serving powerful organizations that seek political mileage and legitimacy to conceal their hidden agendas. Long-term incumbents are emboldened by the misplaced trust of their electorate, confident they will never be held accountable.
The stated reason for the government shutdown was to extend subsidies under the Affordable Care Act, which has been a source of relief for about forty-eight million Americans who could not otherwise afford health insurance. However, as Senator Lindsey Graham noted in the Senate, the program was being abused by major healthcare providers who defrauded the U.S. government of hundreds of billions of dollars, driving insurance costs for others to unaffordable levels.
The Democratic senators who voted fifteen times or more to keep the government shut down for over forty days did no good for the American people—the very people who elected them. In the end, they had to concede, failing to achieve their stated goals, which, according to some Republican senators, primarily served the interests of their major contributors.
Funds are necessary, but they must never be the end goal—nor should power be. If politics is pursued merely for power, it ceases to be service and becomes authoritarianism. In a true democracy, power flows from the people to their elected representatives, who must govern with the consent of the governed. When politicians abandon their principles after election and thrive on personal gain and ulterior motives, it becomes time for the people to consider replacements and chart a new course.
Unless voters are properly educated to weed out politicians who run contrary to the public interest, this phenomenon of political exploitation will continue to fester. These greedy and power-hungry politicians can be tamed and held accountable only by the people—for their words and for each of their votes cast in the respective legislative bodies.
It is time for the people to learn to bridle their politicians’ tongues and power. Only then can America continue to remain the strongest force on earth that it is today. It may not be long before these politicians sell out America to the highest bidder if it serves their selfish purposes.
God Save and Bless America!
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