Silent Majority Not Voting - Lack of Trust?

"Trust is missing. We do not trust-and with good reason-either our elected leaders or our corporate elite who constitute the upper echelons of society. Seldom in modern history has the lack of trust, now verging on contempt, been so deep, universal and comprehensive." So writes Paul Johnson, eminent British historian and author in the March 10 issue of Forbes, "The Sickness of the West". Johnson continues, "At the very top we have a sad bunch of flawed mediocrities, citing President Obama as Benjamin Disraeli quotes, 'A sophisticated rhetorician, inebriated with the exuberance of his own verbosity. If only he would talk less, and think more.'

Johnson calls Chancellor Merkel "a well meaning hausfrau with the steely will of a dishcloth", President Sarkozy, "an operator who is clever at everything except what matter most", Prime Minister Brown, "a machine politician whose own machinery is breaking down", and Mafia linked Prime Minister Berlusconi, as "a clever advertisement for Viagra, a man whose antics wold have afforded us much amusement in a time of normal prosperity".

(Picking up where I left this site Saturday) While it is true that some people would not know the truth even if truth was staring them in the face, people are so busy today doing trivia that they have no time for research. It is often found easier to criticize a person from "ones opinion" than it is to do the research and print the facts that should form one opinion. And, of course, failing to vote.

In our last election, turnout in the City of Peoria was 18%. As a note, this election was held a month earlier in a precedent set Obama to boost his chances for the presidential nomination. Thanks, Barry.

Peoria County did worse; 17.8 showed up compared to 15% four years ago. While Iraqi's risked their lives to go to the polls, our voters were busy twittering or hanging out. Or putting in 14 hour days. So how do the other 82% that didn't vote feel. City Councilman Spain went to different cities in different states to see what they thought of Peoria. He should have asked the 82% locally. They could give all politicians and earful and most of it would be true.

More truths. An example - Does the State of Illinois, most Illinois Cities and Counties continue to spend more than they take in? Look at the finances of the state and the truth should stare our politicians in the face. Does that stop them from spending? Check the records which will show of course they don't, they look for more revenues from the taxpayer on the guise that they are obligated to fund "priorities". Nothing wrong with that except that every special interest group on record feels their request for funding is a priority.

The problem? Most lawmakers got financed largely by "special interest groups"; that is a truth and the other truth is that these politicians can't say "NO" to anything requested of them. Do they have time to research these requests such as (the recent Peoria Public Library $28 million boondoogle) that was was endorsed by every name politician, Councilman Eric Turner endorsed in writing the Lincoln Branch expansion BEFORE he set foot in the building to VERIFY they alleged "sorry conditions". Some endorsed the $28 million, no make it $50 plus because the city, of course, had to borrow the money hadn't set foot in a library more than once in years. That once was when they were invited to speak.

Back to Mr. Turner, I have his email admitting the fact and my frequent visits, one with a reporter, prove the existing building is underutilized.

Some finally ARE trying to pull back from the brink but even after flailing away at where to cut, they continually seek more tax dollars.

And that's the truth. Trust me.