Wednesday, October 4, 2000

By AMY RILEY
One Citizen's Perspective

I apologize in advance if the column you are about to read causes you to feel powerless, defeated, or like a big Alice who can't get through a tiny door. I promise not to do this often.

It's a terrible thing when people spread negativity, and yet it's equally terrible to suggest that well-meaning people can impact the system one person at a time if something else is needed.

As one of those people who deeply values and appreciates our American way of life, even though I've never had to fight on foreign soil, dispatch a spouse, son or daughter to war, or defend my property and the lives of my family against hostile armies at home, I hold that my government is a blessing and a gift. I hallow the sacrifices of generations before me, which is why I take citizenship so seriously.

I feel like I owe it to those who bought my front row ticket to this Constitutional Republic to stay informed, vote and participate in the discourse. That's on the good days.

On the bad days, my outlook is darker. For all that our government was designed to represent every citizen, increasingly I find that it doesn't seem to represent me. And I'm not alone.

We've all seen the "stupid human" sketches where popular, late night talk show hosts go out into the streets of America to take the temperature of average intellect. We've all seen the horrendous answers, like the earth has seven moons or that Columbus led the Pilgrims to America on the El Nino.

We've all heard ad nauseum how Al Gore's long play kiss at the Democratic National convention turned the tides in the presidential race, and how Republicans just want to "spend" away our tax surplus by giving the money back to those from whom it was taken.

Meanwhile, a lot of well-meaning citizens are working hard, on the Internet in online loop discussions, in the newspapers in letters to the editors, on commissions, task forces, advisory panels, and community forums to participate in the process. They're e-mailing senators and representatives, they're voting, they're looking up bills, following political tickers... and for what?

So they can influence policy? Sway someone's vote? Be counted? Guess what. It doesn't seem to be working.

I'm sad to report that of all the lobbying I did on SB 2099, the bill that would tax and register all handguns, I got only one response, and that was an automated response from Kent Conrad (D-N.D.) to say that Senator Conrad only responds to people in his constituency.

Worse than that, I couldn't even compile a list of contact information for a committee in the U.S. House of Representatives for a subsequent story, other than long distance phone numbers to congressional offices in Washington, because you are only allowed to access your representative by e-mail. Bummer.

I've since approached Rep. Mac Collins to ask him to intercede in the Senate. I'll keep you posted on that.

It seems we're experiencing an electronic political divide. Those who wish to be involved have access now to virtually every aspect of the process. Online news sources are building credibility and all the while slapping mainstream news media in the face.

Sure, there are millions of Americans who could care less about politics, but the ones who do care and actively consume information are more informed, more participatory, and more connected with others like them than ever before.

It's really a great irony that the Internet (which Al Gore did not invent) that was supposed to be the great leveler of political and economic playing fields has done just that, but to the great discomfort of the political and economic stake holders who put it there.

Who is taking the biggest pounding from boundless information to average citizens? Elected officials and institutes of higher learning the two groups who partnered to spin the web in the first place.

For all our effort and enthusiasm, though, we're not connecting as well as we could. Any given senator can choose to ignore some overzealous citizen who takes the time to write a letter to no great personal harm.

Large groups of citizens can get together and blitz a senator with letters, and that may make an impression, but we would never know it. What to us is a show of strength in numbers to them is nothing more than an electronic filibuster, a time-wasting nuisance, liner for the round file.

Only time will tell what will become of us long-term. Increasingly, the divide is widening. More and more, people are feeling that their government no longer represents them. People are working harder and harder to hold on to less and less.

Laws and policies are being shaped by special interests and corporate power brokers, and are increasingly a direct affront to our Constitution. We are criticized for not caring, and when we care, we are ignored. It's hard to believe that this is the best we can do.

[Your comments are welcome: ARileyFreePress@aol.com.]

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