Opinion
TIMES EDITORIAL: Tea parties are a good start, not a solution
There’s nothing quite as American as a good, old-fashioned political protest. There are a lot of things that set this country apart from others across the globe, but right at the top of the list has to be our citizens’ right to criticize the government. It’s remarkable how many places in the world this basic human right doesn’t exist.
That’s why we were encouraged to see so many people in Cullman County stand up to express their political beliefs at last week’s “tea party” that protested government bailouts, overspending and tax increases. Like thousands of other people across America, local residents expressed their frustration with government policies that they see as harmful.
Whether or not you like the protesters’ politics, you’ve got to admit it’s a welcome change from the ambivalence and disinterest that have characterized national debates in recent years. Even with the renewed interest that Barack Obama brought to the presidential race, far too many citizens have only a limited, superficial understanding of the important issues that affect their daily lives. They’ve effectively dropped out of the national debate.
Really, though, the “tea parties” that cropped up last week were a symptom of this disaffection rather than a real solution for it. While many fiscal conservatives are reluctant to admit it, the federal government’s exorbitant spending started decades ago, accelerated dramatically under George W. Bush and is accelerating even more under Obama. If people are upset about spending, it’s not like the problem just appeared suddenly without any warning. It’s been brewing for a long, long time.
And that’s a function of a disaffected populace.
If the citizens had been paying more attention all along, watching as the two national parties developed spending habits that looked more and more alike, perhaps the government never would have grown to the point that people felt inspired to make signs and march to express their frustration. They could have solved the spending issue before it became such a controversial problem by organizing and electing the right people into office.
If people are serious about changing their government — and it is their government, after all — they should start organizing a national campaign to make a real difference. Complaining about an issue is one thing, but actually doing something about it is far more difficult, especially when both Republicans and Democrats are part of the systematic problem.
Like the Boston Tea Party, this could be the start of a movement, not the end of one.
- Opinion
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TIMES EDITORIAL: City made mistake backing out of mediation plans
If the City of Cullman's Duck River plan really is the slam-dunk case they say it is, the city shouldn't have anything to fear from a mediator.
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TIMES EDITORIAL: City made mistake backing out of mediation plans
If the City of Cullman's Duck River plan really is the slam-dunk case they say it is, the city shouldn't have anything to fear from a mediator.
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TIMES EDITORIAL: Steady hand needed on water supply
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TIMES EDITORIAL: City made mistake backing out of mediation plans
