The Political Cliff -Sending a Message (c) 2013 by Wayne D. Lewis, Sr.

 January 1, 2013 and we are poised to go over the proverbial Fiscal Cliff.  Whether it happens or not, for what it is worth, we, as Americans, will continue to survive.  But here is where we need to prepare our response to our political leaders, all of them.  It should not matter that our own representatives did their part to try to avoid the Fiscal Cliff, we should be ready to send a message to them as well.  America is initiating a Political Cliff.

Among one of the things to do to initiate sending our representatives over a Political Cliff is sending them a Tweet (www.twitter.com) or an email to their office.  It would be easy to conclude that our messages will get lost among hundreds, if not thousands of emails that they get anyway, good, bad or indifferent.  And, as we all know, after all of the uproar is over, our representatives will go back to business as usual.  And, so will we, until the next "kick the can down the road" event comes.  Maybe, we need to conduct a "Cliff" moment of our own. 

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/01/01/fiscal-cliff-homeowners-senate-bill-_n_2393887.html?ref=topbar

How would this so-called Political Cliff work?  Well, in no particular order:

• We would all run down to our Voter Registration Office and change our Party Affiliation from either Democrat or Republican to either Independent or No Status.  (I am already registered Independent).
• Or, where applicable, those who have not participated in the voting process just because of the arrogance, or failure to work together that we have seen, now may want to step up be apart of a growing force of voters who consider other Parties to take on this leadership-based role.

http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2013/01/01/latest-updates-house-readies-for-fiscal-cliff-vote/?section=money_topstories

• Next, we would all send our representatives letters of resignation.  Not for them, but from us.  We would state in as brief of terms as possible, that we are no longer interested in receiving any future mailouts from them and/or their party, and that we should be removed from their mailing lists.  We would further appreciate that we no longer receive robo calls as there work to date suggests they are not serious about representing all of us.

This would apply to any and all members of either party involved, in large part, in the most recent Fiscal Cliff (2012) fiasco.

• Next, we should begin using a model for change.  Surprisingly enough, one of the most noteworthy models was the one drawn up by former Speaker of the House, Newt Gingrich, R.  In 1994 he led the Republicans to victory to claim the House of Congress with his infamous, Contract with America.  Today, if we may borrow from history, but not necssarily repeat it,  I believe that we

http://www.newt.org/meet-newt/

America needs a new contract.  However it will come at a cost.  There is a strong possibility that there will be bloodshed.  As long as America continues to do the same old thing with the same political parties, our level of dissention will continue without so much as a whimper from our political leaders.  But if we challenge the status quo, and we will each be receiving phone calls in the middle of the night.  Challenge the status quo, and we will find our personal lives turned upside down, and we will be targeted as trouble-makers.  Ask me how I kow.  Challenge what is  an unacceptable, disregard by both of the current parties, and there will be hell to pay.  We have no idea of what we will be getting into when we ask for and seek change.  It comes at a cost.  But it is time for America to create its own Political Cliff.  It's time to send a message that our tax dollars are not being used to their fullest potential.  It seems that those whom we have all voted for, believe that all we are good for is two things: our votes and our tax dollars, both of which the Fiscal Cliff suggests are all for leisurely play.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Contract_with_America

• In preparing for the Political Cliff, where it is possible that we could see the last of both political parties, where we can incorporate and put up for consideration the model of the 1994 Contract with America that played a role in balancing the budget, and improving our economy under a Republican Congress and a Democratic President.  What we are looking for, going forward is that type of relationship between any two political parties that are committed to working together and ensuring the success of America's business, at all cost, without endangering the financial well-being of American taxpayers.

Last but not least, our politicians, however successful from this point should not be allowed to feel so confident in their career-long positions that they can, from this day forward, disregard our votes and our tax dollars.   It's time American citizens start pushing our elected leaders, to-date, over the political cliff and send a strong message of intolerance for failure to regard the American people.

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