The People's Obligations

 The People's Obligations

       The obligations of a citizen to the society of which he is a member are few. For the most part they are obligations accepted by all. In order to insure the perpetuation of any society, its citizens must impose upon themselves certain restrictions and obligations. In order to live together in peace we all agree to abstain from actions that would knowingly harm others. We enact laws to help us regulate our own behavior as well as the behavior of those who are lawless. We agree to pay taxes to provide the services that are common and necessary to all members of our society. Roads, buildings, police, civil servants... our taxes provide the means for our government to serve society in general. We take on these responsibilities, these obligations willingly so that, with order and common effort, our society can proper. The people must contribute to the efforts of their government to provide for them.

       Society fails when the people demand more out of a system of government than they are willing to put into it. When the citizenship expects its government to provide them their support and seek to avoid contribution it sets itself on a course to oblivion. Yet here in America we have become just that sort of people.

       With each passing day the sense that our government is our enemy increases. We view the police, the courts, and our elected officials as invading forces bent on doing us harm. We as a nation have lost sight of the fact that the Members of Congress are our representatives, not our opposition. They work for us. Yet when the opportunity presents itself... When the time to speak to our representatives and to express our satisfaction or disapproval is at hand.. Election day... More than half of us stay home.

       We complain daily, but do nothing. We feel that paying taxes entitles us to all of the rights that are the privilege of all Americans. Paying taxes is an obligation, not a right. While voting is a right, not an obligation. I believe this is wrong.

Voting in State and Federal elections shouldn't be just a right... it should be an obligation! 

       The right of a citizen in a democracy to vote is the most critical way of supporting their government, their community and themselves. It is also the one most neglected, ignored and abused. 

        We demand that people pay taxes, or they will be punished. We demand that people obey the law, or they will be punished. We do that to protect society and ourselves. But we do not demand that when elections are held that everyone must register their vote. Elections are not just about supporting a candidate...they are about supporting our country and our society.

       The purpose of the Citizen's Congress is to harness the power of the ever-increasing Cyber Community as an underutilized voting block and create the ultimate Political Action Coalition. We will endeavor to use the tools of democracy to implement the change necessary to guarantee our children a place in the future. We will achieve these goals by using the very same rulebook and tools that we have used to create this great country!