In one episode of "The Simpsons", Homer Simpson and family go to the movies. For an interminable length of time, they and the rest of the audience are bombarded with commercials and movie previews.
Exasperated to distraction, Homer takes to the front of the movie theater and cries out: "Start the movie! Start the movie." Whipping up the crowd with his excitement, he takes off his shirt, waves it around, and keeps shouting: "Start the Movie! Start the movie!" The movie security get nervous, try to chase him off, but he keeps chanting, and the crowd gets wild. Finally, after managing to give chase, with Homer (amazingly enough!) staying ahead, the overweight patriarch of Springfield runs into the poised fist on a golden statue commemorating Tyson-riffing Roderick Tatum.
Homer Simpson's zeal over a movie is laughable, though his frustration is understandable. Yet now, in this country, when will legislators take to the main forum of Congress and start shouting: "Stop the Spending!" Stop the Spending!" Simple: when we all do, throughout the country, in every movie theater. In every public square, when we blog about it, talk about it, demand it up front, tell our neighbors to do the same, get them excited about forcing our Government to "Stop the Spending!"
It's not a crazy concept. Congressmen are trying to get reelected, they want attention, more people in this country are getting fed about with the spending, the deficits, and the debt.
Now, we never find out if Homer's ranting really changed things, but we do that he got a lot of attention for all his rantings.
Now consider all the hollering that the American people have done! Even ultra-left wing liberal Barack Obama is talking about spending cuts! Those Democrats who survived tehe 2010 Republican tsunami are starting to change their tune! If more people stood up and shouted "Stop the Spending!" If more people demanded change, voiced their outrage, registered their upset, then Legislators would heed.
Congressman Paul Ryan was spot-on when he confronted President Obama about the folly of imposing Obamacare-"The American people have been telling you [that they do not want it]. You just have not been listening." After 2010, Obama and Democratic party have no choice but to listen.
If enough of us stand up, take over the auditorium, and shout "Stop the Spending!" there won't be enough guards to make us leave. Congress will have to cooperate! Democracy is about stepping up to leaders, making the right choices the right thing for politicians to vote for, whether they championed the cause before or not.
Rather than suffering one more golden blow to the jaw, like hapless Homer Simpson, let's hit hard against our Congressional leaders, remind them where their power comes from, and get them to "Stop the Spending!"