A Circle Forming

Weekly Musings© – “A Circle Forming”

J Sweeney
3/28/05

“Labor is prior to, and independent of, capital. Capital is only the fruit of labor, and could never have existed if labor had not first existed. Labor is the superior of capitol, and deserves much the higher consideration.”
– Abraham Lincoln

“Their Authority is only the Esteem of the People, and ceases the Moment that Esteem is lost…here we see the natural Origin of all Power and Authority among a free People”
. – Lt. Governor Cadwallader Colden of New York in 17127, speaking about the Five Nations

There is a veil lifting, a fog dissipating and what shines forth from behind the shroud of ignorance is the truth that we are not the apex of history, that we are not the natural conclusion of all cultures, civilizations, and peoples before us. Indeed we slowly recognize that we are children of a thousand choices and those choices were not predestined, fated, or obvious. They were frequently agonized over but far too often surrendered to those with the means to endure a fight, the prize of which we knew not the value.

Do you feel empowered? Do you feel represented?

Asked another way, if this society of ours had a great circle around the fire where the braves sat and discussed the choices of the tribe, would you be seated among them?

Do you have a voice that is heard?

It has been several weeks now since my letter to Senator Santorum. His office responded with a form letter detailing the White House administration’s position. I have no doubt he will never read my letter or respond thoughtfully. And why should?

In 2004 my candidate of choice was committed to balancing the budget, preserving social security as the safety net of the elderly in our society, improving education, returning strength to the working class, decreasing abortions, and promoting a foreign policy that focused on the United States of America as good neighbor and servant to other nations.

Of course my candidate didn’t exist.

Did yours?

Did you vote for someone that you felt had studied the issues and understood the long-term implications to our people? Did you vote for someone with wisdom?

Did you vote for someone that appreciated the impact of health care costs on the middle class or did you vote for a millionaire son of a millionaire?

Did you vote for someone that chose to tax labor more than investment income?

Once again we had the choice of no choice. The circle around the fire only has so many seats in a two-party system, only so many voices. Perhaps it is time that we demanded more…