Voters: Oh, No You Won't ; If Politicians Won't Help Us Fix America, We Won't Vote for Them

Summary

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One of my children's favorite bedtime stories was "The Little Red Hen." The simple tale follows the hen as she prepares a loaf of bread. At each step of the process, she asks for help from barnyard friends, but her pleas consistently are met with excuses from those who always have reasons for not helping. In the end, however, all try to partake in the reward - eating the bread - at which point, the heroine rebuffs the lazy lot with, "Oh, no you won't! You wouldn't help me sow the seed, harvest the wheat, thresh the grain, or bake the bread. So now you won't help me eat the bread." Harsh? Perhaps in some situations, but in this context, the moral is clear: Those who don't do their fair share when they are able should not expect to reap the rewards that effort brings.

I was reminded of this tale recently as I thought how our elected representatives often ignore the pleas of their constituents - those who put them in office, pay their salaries and expect accountability - only to return to the table every few years thinking they're entitled to re-election.

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Voters: Oh, No You Won't ; If Politicians Won't Help Us Fix America, We Won't Vote for Them

Examples are plentiful, but I'll stay close to home in south Texas' 23rd Congressional District. Our incumbent congressman, who has been in and out of office over the past 13 years, should und...

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