Just sit back and watch the train crash....

Let's face it. Who WANTS to believe that their own government has turned against them? It's just to bizarre to imagine. Plus, you get that feeling of helplessness, many don't want to face it. Those who do write or protest are labeled nut cases...so throw in some negative peer pressure too. It's easy for me to see why people stick their head in the sand and won't deal with it. I wish sometimes I could too...I'm just not cut out that way. Couldn't live with myself for doing nothing.

There is also another and potentially more helpful thing you can do... Talk to your neighbors and people you meet. Allowing yourself to be outspoken gives people a chance to agree with you. This may seem silly, but if you look at history modern liberalism gained power because people wore t-shirts and yelled. While modern conservatives kind of stuck to themselves and focused on their own lives. So now despite the fact that liberals in our population are in the minority they hold the majority of the public offices (latest data shows us roughtly 40% conservative 32% moderate 28% Liberal) The more you put your ideas out there in public the more acceptable they seem. For a long time there was an embarassment about being republican or conservative because it meant you beleived in things like personal responsibility. Which sounds good, but it means that in addition to beleiving you should reap the benefits for hard work it also means you should suffer the consequences for being a slacker. Sometimes that is a hard pill to swallow, so in an effort not to seem mean conservatives kept political views to themselves and didn't grow the movement.

You're right. I constantly tell people that they have no right to complain about congress if they aren't taking the time to TELL their congressmen and senators what they want. I feel perfectly comfortable complaining about the votes placed by my congressman and senators because I email and call those jerks when there's a bill that's important to me. One person here on mylot actually mocked me and told me I was an idiot if I thought they cared about my emails or phone calls. That's the kind of attitude that's killing this country. These people WANT to stay in office and they no that they can't stay in office if they aren't making their constituents happy. Do I think they read every email? Of course not, but I'm sure that at the very least they have assistants who comb through them and pass the information on. The emails are already presorted by topic.

[b]Amen, OL! What SHE said, y'all! I actually have trouble getting enough stamps to write all the stuff I do! And phone calls aren't cheap, either, but when you stack those up against what our Founders sacrificed to give us our freedom, it's piffle! They, with the help of God, gave us a voice! How dare anyone waste their blood, sweat, prayers, tears & all their money?? Pick up a pen! Write! Even if the PTBs totally disagree with you, they still have to keep records of how many letters they get for & against things, so it does make a difference! If you can only afford to email--do it! If you can only call family & friends--DO IT!! If you can only afford a bumper sticker, or just to stand out on the street & hold up a sign--DO IT! What, are you waiting 'til they break down your door & force you to shut up? DO IT!!! Maggiepie "WHERE'S THE BIRTH CERTIFICATE?"[/b]

Well, I am ready! So what is your number? Where do I sign? What is the first subject you want to hit on? The big guys? That one should be good. Pet peeve, huh? It is a way of life for me. I just haven't figured out how to step forward and be counted though. I would like to rid the world of the Bilderberg Society to begin with. Any ideas on how to do that?

You make a good point and I agree, what gives these people the right to complain that someone is not doing the actions that they want when that person has not even expressed what they want. Something is better than nothing, and in all reality you may never know if it had any affect or not but at least when you complain about someone in government, you can say you at least attempted to express your feelings.