Thursday, November 17, 2011

By and For the People

I'm in Washington D.C for the annual Model Congress trip and we took an afternoon walk over to the the real Congress.  After a rainy morning, it was a rather splendid afternoon and as we walked the grounds of the Capitol I was struck again by the splendor of this building and the powerful ideas that created our government.
Deservedly, Congress is at an all-time low in terms of public approval.  They seem to lack both the direction and the will to do right by the nation.  I wonder if they walk the grounds of this magnificent place and think about the privilege and power of self-government.  I fear not; I suspect they've lost sight of their obligations and responsibilities. 
I tell my government students that needn't matter; that the power is in the hands of the people.  I've read the Constitution and I know how this system works.  We have the ability to demand a better government.  But do we have the willpower?

1 comment:

  1. Stunning! Everyone should go to DC. Well, unless one is planning on shooting at the White House.

    ReplyDelete