Lemmings

There was a point in my life when I believed my idealist self would be replaced by a realist, and to some degree it has, though not quite to the level I’d assumed. In short, I was idealistic enough to believe that our government had the potential to change. New leadership was all that was needed. Leaders with a true sense of purpose, an honest interest in the rights of man, not afraid to tackle difficulties. There’s a side of everyone that believes they could be the change the world needs. If only the right people in office could see the world as I do there’d be no war, no distrust, no economic monopolies leading politics rather than the people.

I was wrong. Boy, was I wrong. I spent too much time wasting away in a Senate office, slaving for the man, giving of myself for a noble (at first glance) cause, and for what? All I got in return was the truth. That Senators are nothing more than suits, navy with red ties, wholeheartedly accepting the respect and privilege that comes with their leadership while doing little to earn that respect. CSPAN proves my point. On an average day on the Senate floor how many members show up to debate legislation? At most, two. The most ardent supporter (the author usually) and the one other member there simply for the sake of debate…usually Ted Kennedy. Come time for the vote Senators file in, one by one, take roll call, shout out a yea or nay, and return to their offices to schmooze other influential leaders. How can you make a decision based upon pre-debate, premature assumptions? When legislation hits the floor, no matter the subject, the lemmings in Senate offices take a stance, and stick to it, based upon party politics. Maybe it’s just me, but shouldn’t you READ the legislation first, consider your constituents needs and wants prior to joining your party on the issue?

It’s disheartening to know the truth. That a Senator does nothing. They have a well-staffed office preparing cup upon cup of coffee, running errands, drafting legislation, making and canceling appointments with prime ministers and ambassadors galore, doing the real dirty work, keyword work, behind the façade of a respectable Senator. You could replace individual Senators with robots, controlled by the thirty or so staff responsible for their success and a party chip which prohibits them from committing adultery to their partisan politics. It makes no difference who wears the suit, what state they represent, all that matters is party loyalty.

Furthermore, I have given up ALL hope of ever seeing a “common man” in office. Ironically enough a monkey could do the job of a senator, but that monkey would have to be oratorical, able to feign intelligence, wealthy, and if a female, able to guarantee she runs against a complete moron if serious about winning. It takes a shitload of money to even run for office…so there goes the common man. Anyone with enough money to run is not common, they passed that mark a long time ago. And when you’ve got that much dough in your pockets, you’re going to be influenced by economic decisions, tax breaks, monopolistic corporations, rather than the meager lemmings who voted you into office under false pretenses.

In short, I don’t want to be a Senator anymore. It’s a sham. A total sham. Real nobodies slave away in little offices to make a senator great, when in reality, they’ve got more going on upstairs than the robot in the suit. All the while, the Senator walks around like royalty, not responding to anything other than sir, or senator, making lame diplomatic compliments to the media which further their approval ratings, when in reality, they are the nobodies. It kills me. Twenty years ago they could have been slaving just like their staff, in some little office with a meager salary and killer rent. But now, they’ve made it, and rather than remembering the struggles they faced to make it big, cutting the world some slack, staying true to their roots, they give everyone else crap for calling them mister.

Instead, I’ve decided to become a nuclear physicist.