Democracy – most effective when we have informed, actively-engaged citizens.

The last election and is ‘victors’ appear to adopt a “Win-Lose” mentality.  Once elected, they win and get to do whatever they want.

But the job of an elected official is to represent ALL of their constituents and to support and defend the Constitution.

So going out and LISTENING to what the constituents say and factor that into their positions – or have a DIALOGUE to reach common ground is part of the job.

We are not ‘divided’ as much as we are ‘diverse’.

Labeling everyone in one lump or thinking one question polls are an accurate depiction of what Americans think is too simplistic.

What is really happening out there is that the MAJORITY – people who did not vote and those that did not vote Republican – are trying to have their positions heard.

And are doing whatever they can do when confronted with ‘You lost, get over it.’ reactions.

The person holding the elected office got the job – but the job doesn’t include ignoring everyone that didn’t vote for them or doing whatever you want to do.

Our representative has his office in a private building – so that anyone coming to see him can be evicted / blocked and escorted away or arrested for trespassing.  How is this possible?   Taxpayers fund those offices.  The representative works for us – represents us.  Why is it allowed to have an office in a private building – he is a public official?

Laws effect all of us and tend to impact those with the least power.

It took the ACA to finally have the top 1% pay into Medicare while they work – even though they receive its benefits when they become eligible.  The repeal will end that and hurt the funding of Medicare.  And yet this gets lumped into bad taxes that must be repealed – with no mention of repealing all of the taxes that fund Medicare and figuring out how else to pay for it.

Repeal could just be hiding the fact that the top 1% get a big tax break while Medicare gets weakened – making the case for having to take it private.

The protests around the ACA are thoughtful and heartfelt and sincere.  Real people got care and people really had their lives saved from this law.  The majority of people want it improved but do not want to risk a repeal that puts them back at risk or takes them away from care.  And no replacement plan will do that.

Most of us know we need help to protect our water, our air, our environment and that regulations are needed to dos so.  Most do not favor positions that lead to decisions that allow oil spills to occur but do not hold the corporations involved accountable for their clean-up or that lead to water that poisons citizens in Flint to save a few bucks.  The majority did not vote to have the regulations that protect our water and our air removed.

Why is it assumed that protesters must be paid?  Is it because representatives no longer do anything unless they are getting paid [by their donors]?

Or is it inconvenient to have to deal with the consequences of your positions with those that you are supposed to represent?  It was easier when we thought that elected officials had some level of  ethics and we could watch from the sidelines and things wouldn’t be that bad…

But 2016 proved that lack of engagement has consequences.  And We, the People, have an obligation to fix it and produce consequences for not representing the interests of the majority of us.

So don’t expect the protesters to go away any time soon.

Because this is what democracy looks like.