American Republic Online

Paul Jacob has a great piece at the TownHall.com. Here are a few snippets:

There is the America of ever-increasing wealth, innovation, creativity, of a dynamic economy, new jobs, new products and services. Choices galore. Information overload. The abundant work product of freedom.

And there is the politician’s America: The regulated America, the subsidized America, the earmarked America. The failing America.

In one America it is what you produce that gets you ahead. In the other it’s who you know.

In one America, to earmark some money means setting aside funds (into savings) for a purchase — a car, house, college.

In the other America, to earmark is to grab from taxpayers to give to cronies. It is the highest rite of career politicians: buying their votes with other people’s money. Oh, there have been reforms, sure. But a recent bill in the House contained 32,000 earmark requests…

In one America you get what you pay for; in the other America they take what they want from you.

Paul Jacob’s goes on to talk about voter initiative process.  Which is, essentially, direct democracy.  While inefficient for running the daily business of government, it is becoming increasingly important as government moves farther and farther from the will of the people.

Direct voter initiatives may well be the “revolution” needed to put our the government of our Great Nation back in it’s place: serving the people.