Just answer the question…would you!

Even before the President released his 2012 budget proposal, the media was doing its best to help draw the battle lines between the two major parties’ positions on budget cuts and spending. It’s in front of this backdrop that I can illustrate the absurd and guarded behavior that exudes from the career politician, all while at the expense of our nation’s future, and the future of our posterity.
Just prior to the budget’s release, Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wisconsin 1st) made the rounds of the major morning news shows on Monday. Regardless of whom the anchor was, they tried their best to get Mr. Ryan to answer “Yes” to just one question. “Are you and your fellow Republicans willing to cut Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid benefits to help balance the federal budget”? Mr. Ryan skillfully maneuvered around that question while at the same time signaling to the questioner that they did indeed intend to “address the drivers of our nations ‘debt.”
Now I ask you. Why couldn’t the congressman just answer the question in a short and sweet “yes”?
Quite simply, it’s because he wants to get reelected. He knows that his opposition would like nothing better than to take a short video clip of him saying yes, and editing it to fit that question, or any number of questions to show the congressman in a poor light or as a harsh lawmaker. Never mind that most of his constituency agrees with his policies as demonstrated by his last reelection. He can’t afford to let such a little sound bite be harnessed by the opposition to be used against him and/or his party as a whole. Seems like a trivial matter, does it not? But this is just one example that shows how our congress has become a group of people who cannot or will not stand on their beliefs and morals alone so that they can represent their district.
What if your representative had already been documented as having a particular stance on a specific issue, and thus had no reason to maneuver around questioning? What if everyone, including his opposition and the media knew beforehand how he would vote on a wide range on legislative topics, and that he was basically legally bound to cast his vote as promised… would there be any reason for the media to try and set a trap?
What if he and everyone else knew from the get go that he could only serve two terms and no more… would there be any need for the concerns of reelection? If his stated purpose was to serve his district, specifically, and not have to pander to party or lobbyists for the money to obtain his allowed two terms, would he be more prone to speak his mind publically?
What if all 435 seats of the U.S. House of Representatives were occupied by people who didn’t have to worry about being a career politician, and all the maneuvering that comes with that territory? They could spend more time on actually tackling our nation’s problems knowing that in four years, “tops”, they would go back home, or run for office in a different political body.
This will be our reality when GOOOH takes control of Congress. A GOOOH candidate’s voting positions are pre-recorded, and he can’t change his position without consulting YOU, his constituency, first.
A GOOOH candidate is prohibited from taking any money from a political party or special interest group.
A GOOOH candidate can serve only two terms, period!
GOOOH will be running in 2012, but in the meantime, get to know what GOOOH is all about. Please visit the website @ www.goooh.com. You can join for free, and the website has all the information that you need to become knowledgeable about the GOOOH process.
There are GOOOH groups all around the country and they hold mock candidate selection sessions. Find one and take the time to attend. It will be an eye opener. Most come away with an idea of how our founders envisioned the process to find our representatives.
Good luck, God Bless, and GOOOH for it!

David Adair
GOOOH – Ga. 7th District