This is All Our Fault

Congress just passed ObamaCare over the objections of the majority of the country. Washington State is awakened to the reality that in Washington a 13 year-old girl can get an abortion without her parent’s awareness but can’t get her ears pierced without their permission. Two long weeks later, the Washington State Legislature finally figures out how to raise taxes amidst high unemployment and a struggling economy.

Meanwhile, American public is fit to be tied. We are angry at the President, banks, regulators, car companies, the media, insurance companies, the Federal Reserve Board, the United Nations, Wall Street, Fanny Mae, Freddie Mac, Congress, terrorists— even Icelandic volcanoes.

Tea parties have organized across the country to protest the Government and everything associated with it. They yell at the Republicans, the Democrats, the independents, and pretty much everyone and everything that has ever been elected to public office.

However, as the American public continues its rampage, we should arrange for at least one more national protest—in front of a giant mirror. In all the unrest, the public appears to be missing the fact that we are the captains of this ship. Despite our protests, this is still a government of, by, and for the people. We, through our collective voice, still determine how we are governed. And we can take full responsibility for where we are today.

Everything we complain about today was avoidable, but we chose not to avoid it.

If a company fails, we would not think well of the CEO that blames the janitor or the vice-president of marketing. So why should we feel free to blame elected officials that we hired for not acting our best interest. If they were not acting in our best interest, why do we re-elect incumbents 95% of the time?

Legislators don’t think long-term because we reward them for thinking short-term. It isn’t as if the American public has been begging for some delayed gratification. We can blame Fanny and Freddie for writing bad loans, but we took them. We decry unaffordable social programs, but we clapped and cheered, and ultimately voted for the candidates who promised us more government involvement and greater government benefits and took the benefits when they were offered.

Focusing all the blame on our elected leaders is like a heroin addict blaming his dealer for his addiction. The first step to recovery is admitting you have a problem.

There is much to be concerned about, but I suggest we stop blaming the prince of fools and start blaming the fools who made him their prince.