Start at the Top

During the last presidential campaign, I became engrossed in the debate to an unhealthy level. I read everything and listened to the commentary every second I wasn't at work. When I watched television I joined right in with the arguments, ranting and raving like a lunatic. I could literally feel my blood pressure shoot up. When my son came to visit he said... "Mom, you really shouldn't listen to that stuff, it's not good for you." I actually agreed with him. So, to a large degree I stepped away from the news after the election. I have watched it, but not to the point that I begin to have heart palpitations. Last week I was getting ready to mail the hefty speeding fine I got when I was vacationing oh so lazily in Colorado. It was a pretty good chunk of money,one that would definitely cramp my shopping for a while. I followed all of the troopers instructions and made a copy of the citation before mailing the original back to the courts. For just a split second in time, I thought to myself.... "What if I just decide not to pay this ticket? What would actually happen to me?" Sure they would probably put a warrant out for my arrest, but it's not likely that I'll be back in Colorado anytime soon, and even less likely I'd be driving while there so the chances of me being picked up and arrested for a warrant in Colorado is slim to none. There are criminal running all over the place with warrants out in there own communities, I could probably get away with it (except for my shadow, Murphy's Law). Immediately this train of thinking took me to civic responsibility. I'm a rule follower (unless I'm late for my son's rehearsal dinner). I pay my taxes, I follow the laws. Our city recently passed an ordinance about the time you could put your garbage container by the curb. No, I'm not kidding. You are only allowed to put the container by the curb the evening before pick up and it must be removed from the curb by the end of the day of pick up. If you leave your container at the curb during unauthorized times, you can be fined. Personally this chaps my cheeks, but it's a rule my husband and I adhere to without exception. There has been a lot going on in the news for a while regarding elected officials and/or their appointees just blatantly disregarding laws, skirting around regulations, and manipulating the system to their own benefit or their own agenda. It's nothing new, it's been going on across the board since the beginning of time, but either it's become more prevalent, more publicized or I'm just paying more attention, but it's starting to get on my nerves. I believe in America and I believe in our Constitution. I don't however, believe in the people elected or appointed to uphold the Constitution. Perhaps there was a time in our history when elected officials listened to those who put them in office, then they went back to Washington and spoke for the majority of those people, but that time is no more. When the people who are bound by oath to uphold the laws and constitution of this Country, no longer feel the slightest urge to do so, where does that leave the ordinary citizen? When those in leadership fail to pay their taxes, follow the laws, and conduct themselves in an examplary manner, how does that effect the ordinary citizen? It makes them think twice about mailing in the hefty fine they received for being overcome with anxiety about missing their sons rehearsal dinner... It's simple as that! If they don't have to follow the rules, why should I? Things need to change. America needs to clean house and just like on Saturdays when I clean my house... We need to start at the top. IMO