Dear George,
One of my favorite quotes Mr. Washington, via author and humorist Mark Twain is: "If voting made any difference, they wouldn't let you do it."
Once upon a time--and not that long ago there were people born into the working/middle-class who were certain the Universe had made a serious mistake and they should have been born into an aristocratic/upper-class...To correct this oversight they took matters into their own hands, became career politicians then ran for public office!
Through the early centuries of human history there were basically two social classes peasant and gentry. Prior to that [a giant economic block of people created by the Industrial Revolution -and- access to public education] the class we affectionately call the Middle Class was of minor consequence. So, from the 'beginning' with Adam and Eve to the 1800s - barristers, bookkeepers, doctors, engineers, teachers, commerce and clergy were a minor group in human social structure. However, after the French Revolution and the growth of peasant awareness -- social evolution took a swift turn. As kings and queens and aristocrats in general began to lose their [real and metaphorical] heads - from country to country, those who could already read from the ranks of that 'minor' group stepped up to assume several leadership roles. But without the acumen that balanced governance requires sudden authority created sudden swollen egos.
Curious about the social distinction between royalty and commoner and how all that began - I went looking.
To declare yourself a sovereign requires a simple recipe [of sorts] and it helps to be surrounded by many, many, many other people who are uneducated and superstitious. So, with thousands of uneducated and superstitious people, you convince them you are either ordained by or descended from a god - several is even more impressive. Next you either own or control lots and lots of land/territory/an empire/a kingdom - that all those uneducated, superstitious people work to produce crops and minerals. It's also important to have an army to repel possible invaders or to be able to invade others for more land and people...
There you have it - that's basically how you become a king/queen or emperor/empress starting somewhere around the Early Bronze Age in Mesopotamia - which is modern day Iraq, Iran, Syria and Turkey. Title of Pharaoh came later with the Egyptians, but the recipe is the same.
DONALD JOHN TRUMP [I/R] born Queens, New York City: father, Fred Trump a real estate developer whose parents were German immigrants--mother, Mary Anne MacLeod, homemaker whose parents immigrated from Scotland. Let's see--wealth, land, employees, connections--but not descended from or related to any gods so not royalty...
WILLARD MITT ROMNEY [R/?] born Detroit, Michigan: father, George W. Romney an auto executive of English, Scottish and German ancestry--mother, Lenore LaFont a former actress turned homemaker of French and German ancestry. Let's see--money, homes, connections--but still not descended from any gods so 'not' royalty...
ADDISON MITCHELL MCCONNEL [R] born Sheffield, Alabama: father, Addison whose family had a funeral home was in the army and of Scots/Irish/English ancestry--mother, Julia Shockley was a homemaker. Though Mitch's ancestors fought in the Revolutionary War there's no connection to any gods and therefore not royalty...
NANCY PATRICIA PELOSI [D] born Baltimore, Maryland: father, Thomas D'Alesandro Jr. an Italian immigrant from Genoa who served in Congress then as mayor of Baltimore--mother, Anunciata an Italian immigrant born in Fornelli, a homemaker also active in politics and social networking. Okay--money, homes, staff, connections--but still not descended from any gods, no royalty there either...
CHARLES ELLIS SCHUMER [D] born in Midwood, Brooklyn: father, Abraham who ran an exterminating business, Jewish ancestry from Chortkiv, Galicia, now western Ukraine--mother, Selma Rosen a homemaker. Here--diligent/frugal, home, staff, community--but alas also not related to or descended from any gods, not royalty...
JOSEPH ROBINETTE BIDEN Jr [D] born Scranton, Pennsylvania: father, Joseph Sr. who became a successful used-car salesman, of English, French, and Irish ancestry--mother, Jean Finnegan a homemaker was of Irish descent. Here too--hardworking, middleclass, church and community--but no gods in sight, once again not royalty...
The CLINTONS [BILL & HILARY] WILLIAM JEFFERSON BLYTHE III [D] born in Hope Arkansas: biological father, William Jr was a traveling salesman who died in an auto accident before his son's birth, descended primarily from Scots/Irish/German ancestry--mother, Virginia Dell Cassidy who became a nurse and later married Roger Clinton Sr. a gambler who co-owned a car dealership. At 15 WILLIAM formally adopted the Clinton surname. No gods in sight--so again no royalty...HILARY DIANE RODHAM [R/D] born Chicago, Illinois: father, Hugh managed a small successful textile business, of English and Welsh decent--mother, Dorothy Howell a homemaker of Dutch and French-Canadian ancestry--At first and second glance--hardworking, middle-class, home, employees, community connections, but no gods therefore not royalty...
Why indeed? Who on that list or any public office list has a heritage or ancestry or parentage any more deserving than any of ours?
All of the above are examples of ambitious, driven people who sought public attention, through public channels using public connections to advantage - not so much to serve or enrich the whole. They demonstrated more in attitude of entitlement and arrogance than lasting contribution - unless we count decades of taxing waste and damage. Damage just as much in what was 'not' done as in what was...
I picked on these people because they continue to maintain media attention regardless of their actual relevance or guidance...They either cling to decades of elected office or seek a return to public office. This may sound harsh, but truly - help - or get out of the way!
I picked on these people to demonstrate that no matter how they 'spin' their present place - they're no higher in any ranking than the rest of us. Their position is temporary with authority that's borrowed [from voters]. They owe voters not the other way around. And anyone reading this [if you're still with me] needs to understand that no one in public office is ordained beyond that of ordinary mortal.
Politicians garner respect 'only' if and when they 'earn' it. A title of mayor, governor, senator, congressman or president does not automatically come with respect - the office yes, but not necessarily the person holding that office. And, voters are not obligated to respect anyone appointed/elected to public office who in turn do not respect voters.
In 1947 Congress debated then passed the 22nd Amendment - Two Term Limitation On Presidency - Ratified in 1951...Essentially, debate was to: prevent the risk of presidential tyranny which justified the loss of presidential expertise and democratic choice, while counseling caution in assuming that term limits are essential to prevent presidential entrenchment, protecting against abuse... Question: why doesn't those same arguments against abuses of advantage - apply to our U.S. Congress?
Responsibility yes, and ethics, and courage is the job of those elected to govern fairly and wisely on our behalf - not however, absolutely not, with any notion of superiority - none. No royalty here...
Sherrie Todd-Beshore is an award-winning mystery-suspense novelist & former journalist
www.patchworkpublishing.com
