The kick is coming. A shocking PEW Research poll was released on April 30. In one sense it is shocking, in another what you expect: “80 percent of Americans believe elected officials do not care … what people like them think.” The shock is that 20 percent think they care. My view: Most do not.
The PEW poll, which represents a “new low” for democratic government, is riveting. It finds, among other things, that 86 percent of men and 84 percent of women think the government – elected state and federal officials – “do not care” what they think. In other words, they are unaccountable, free agents.
Interestingly, while you might have to conduct the poll under hypnosis, a tally of what those elected officials themselves think – in a truth serum way – might confirm the sad perception. Arrogance in power, at the state and federal level, is a runaway contagion, betrayal of trust an epidemic.
Not surprisingly, the PEW poll – a relatively balanced assessment – is sobering. Most sobering is the prevalence of this public view. Literally more than 80 percent of Blacks, Whites, Hispanics, those over 18, 30, 50, and 65, educated and less so, Republican and Democrat share this exact view.
Only four (4) percent of the nation think the political system is “working well.” The implications of that poll are more sobering than the numbers. Americans believe those they have elected, or those appointed by those they elected, do not care – are in their own world, pushing their own agenda.
In the old days, they would say that this means those in power are inebriated with power, drunk on one-party monopoly where they have it, acting outside the lines, irresponsible, faithless, and unaccountable, just in their own world. We would condemn the draft away from democratic moorings, hunger for a bit of humility, and be repulsed by those who tell us what to do.
Those days may be returning, because people are – as the poll suggests – sick of being dictated to, told by mandate, executive order, or at the state level, one-party rule, what to do, stripped of rights.
While people are afraid of being judged if they express anger, 80 percent are either “angry” or “frustrated” with the federal government. Just as many seem distressed, based on other data, with state-level representatives. And who can blame them?
At the federal level, take your own blood pressure when keywords are mentioned, like “open borders,” “inflation,” “gas prices,” “housing prices,” “Afghanistan,” “Iran, “China,” “Hamas,” “loan forgiveness,” “Hunter’s laptop,” “media,” “Hillary Clinton,” “Joe Biden,” “Camila Harris.” See?
We ARE frustrated. At the state level, it is no better. Pick any state. You will see that trust is low, expectations of betrayal high, disdain for regulations, taxes, mandates, and lawmakers poor.
While there are dogged, moral, high-integrity public servants, and always have been, we live in a time of distrust – and not without reason. In Maine, where I live – Democrats control both chambers and governorship. They just pushed free housing and gifts for thousands of illegal aliens, have ignored 100,000 veterans, insisted on abortion at birth where most are horrified at the thought, and took us out of the electoral college – and we are exactly the kind of state for which it was designed.
Similarly, Democrat legislators all but seethe when forced to listen to “common sense” Mainers, tradesmen and women, farmers, lobstermen and fishermen, construction workers, homebuilders, seniors, students who want good jobs, taxpayers who do not want more subsidies of mass wind farms and solar fields built on what was the forest. Watching them, they virtually sneer.
But we are “The People,” and we are the ones for whom they do – constitutionally – work. This may be the “Year of the Failed Incumbent.” Politicians try to buy us, stupefy us, advertise and digitally dumbfound us, numb us with narratives, transform us with their will, and as PEW’s poll suggests – just plain ignore us. But beware the silent lion, crouching cougar, and still crocodile. We move.
This is the year that a massive shift occurs, and you can feel it coming – a level of distrust, disaffection, frustration, and betrayal by those in the government of common people. We have had it.
So, as you look at this poll, and listen to the pundits scratch their heads, if you are like me, you do not have to scratch much. This is crystal clear. People have had it with lying leaders, they are done.
Mr. Biden, Democrat Senators, House members, state-level Democrats – Maine to Montana, North Dakota to North Carolina – hold onto your hat. That poll is your spoiler alert. Things are changing, and when they do, you will likely feel a bit of compression in your backseat. The kick is coming.
Robert Charles is a former Assistant Secretary of State under Colin Powell, former Reagan and Bush 41 White House staffer, attorney, and naval intelligence officer (USNR). He wrote “Narcotics and Terrorism” (2003), “Eagles and Evergreens” (2018), and is National Spokesman for AMAC.
RBC, another wonderful article that is on the money. Hopefully, the American people will take note to restore the freedoms that have been abused by the elected leaders and get the nation back on course and regain the integrity in the world’s eyes. WAKE UP VOTERS.
The following is a response from my Senator, Mark Warner, to explain why he would not vote for the impeachment trial of DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas:
“Homeland Security Secretary Mayorkas, a Cuban immigrant who came to the United State with his family as political refugees, has spent more than two decades serving America with integrity in a decorated career in law enforcement and public service. Yet, House Republicans accused Secretary Mayorkas of violating laws related to immigration and border security and making false statements to Congress – charges for which there was no evidence, as even many of my Republican Senate colleagues acknowledged.
This sideshow was a clear effort to draw attention away from the fact that earlier this year, my Republican colleagues walked away from a strong bipartisan border security bill that would have actually addressed the situation at the border, which we all agree is a mess. The agreement we had would have hire more border patrol agents, reformed asylum, fought the fentanyl crisis, and created brand new powers for the president to close the border.”
He failed to acknowledge HR2 passed by the house almost 2 years ago, sitting on Chuck Schummer’s desk, resident Biden having the same executive powers as Trump to close the borders. It just shows how he really doesn’t care for the American people, and how the demo rats are so corrupt in there willingness to stand together to change this country, and remain in power. They all need to be taken out!
“Building a Better America”? Don’t they mean “fundamentally transforming” America? Changing the wording doesn’t change the meaning…
It is not just the DEMONCRATS. It is also the Rinos and deep state DC Cabal! Corruption used to be subtle but is now in your face because they all think we are ignorant and of peasantry mindset! I hope we are all on the same page when NOVEMBER rolls around and we vote all these scoundrels out! And NO, my representives are not immune. I plan on voting most if not all out and repeat the next elections until we get people in office who genuinely and honorably vote with the voters in mind and who care about our Constitional REPUBLIC!
I just hope the voters don’t “throw the baby out with the bath water” by just voting out any and all incumbents whether they have an R or D next to their name. There are some good Republicans we need to keep whereas there’s not a single Democrat worth giving the time of day to.
I hope Robert Charles is right.
I absolutely agree with the last 2 paragraphs. “We The People” are disgusted and will turn out in droves to right this ship.
FJB
Trump 2024
I sincerely hope that all republicans vote and don’t take victory for granted because of the polls. Maybe this will help clean out the swamp, at least partially.
Don’t count your Republic chickens yet, Mr. Charles. Democrats will always vote democrat. Our only hope is that enough “independents” will trend towards constitutional candidates. You can hope for a higher percentage of R’s voting but don’t count on that either. i have many friends and family that are conservative but refuse to vote saying it is all “dirty politics”. An unfortunate offshoot of what the premise in the article covers. This results in a larger gap in the percentage of voters not voting allowing for voting fraud filling that gap with manufactured voters.
Democratic party in the name only Ruthless ,lawless ,determined to march over the dead bodies if necessary is what we have now This party does not give a whit about the public it’s wishes or opinions It marches on to it’s own drum beat
The majority of Americans like the lying, inflation, high gas prices, loan forgiveness for college students and graduates, what happened in Aganisten, open borders, making Americans who are citizens (subjects) pay for all of this. Reference 2020 and 2022 elections. Hate me for saying this, But am I lying? CHRIS
I surly pray and hope that my fellow Americans wake up VOTE and throw all of the Totalitarian Communists Democrat Party comrade’s and there RINO counter parts out of office.
It is the only way we have to send the message that we are tired of elite dictates of every aspect of our lives.
The only other way will be by violent revolution that will end up destroying the union that should not parish from the earth.
Robert–I LOVE your articles! I am glad to see one like this, as I want those “do nothing unless it’s backward, spineless, greedy, corrupt, lawbreakers, power grubbers, haters of America and our Constitution” who sit comfortably ensconced in their gov positions (Dems and Republicans) to realize that “we the people” know what a crappy job they’ve done and WILL NOT FORGET who they are when their names come up at the ballot box. Thank you!! Charlene
And Democrars like it that way. They don’t want people telling their reps how they’re suffering under perverse Democrat authotitarian control.
NEVER vote for liberals in general, or DemocRATS in particular, or “progressives”, or their ilk for ANY elected position whether local, state, or federal! I’m an unabashed conservative, and have voted accordingly for 40 years. I don’t know what an “independent” believes, about anything; what do they value?
So how are they changing? Unless the incumbents were primaried and lost, or they vote for the opposite party, the incumbents will stay.
I sincerely HOPE you are correct Mr. Charles. That kick is long overdue. And if the upcoming election is filled with fraud and Trump ‘doesn’t win’ again, there will be lots of kicks or outright war; just not with guns (at least I hope not).
Keep in mind how the “bird flu” is being dramatized by all the agencies that failed us last time. Get ready to see lock downs etc. in order to rig the upcoming election as they did in 2020.