Over the last couple of days here on OS, two posts in particular have caught my eye and the eye of many, many of you.  They were the post by Robin Sneed about having to spend two weeks in jail over a traffic citation and Trig Plain’s post about his neighbor being savaged by local authorities.

I, as others of you that read these posts, was stunned and dismayed by the lengths of the brutality and arrogance that the local authorities have taken their bureaucratic boondoggles with which they bludgeon those whom they purport to serve.  However, what struck me, also, about these posts is that they both speak to abuses by local authorities.

We are all aware of the errors and omissions perpetrated by the Bush administration and the seeming impotence of the Obama administration.  But, these are issues on the national agenda.  To change these things takes massive and effective organization.  It takes buckets of money and dedication.  National tides are slow to turn; the gears of national government grind slowly.  In addition, the issues addressed by national government do not affect most of us on a daily basis in the same, up-close-and-personal, way as do local concerns.

The good news is you have a say in local issues.  A practical, personal, point-blank, powerful say.  The only question is do you want it? 

The answer to the question seems to be answered below.  I’ve taken excerpts out of many of the comments regarding the posts mentioned above.  Read what you and your fellow citizens have to say about local government.

  Deborah Young wrote: 

Evil can only exist when good men do nothing.

Incrementally we've allowed bad laws to pass, bad politicians to reign and given up our rights one by one.  

John Blumenthal: 

Why is absolutely everything going to shit in this country?  

The wise Walter Blevins: 

It has little to do with liberal vs. conservative. What we need is some good healthy doses of "populism".  

The ever so succinct Michael Rogers: 

Protect and serve my ass.  

The kind and generous Umbrellakinesis:

 As I said yesterday in a comment, we must start thinking in a more local, neighborhood-type way, and stop thinking that TPTB are going to "take care" of us.  

Nick Carraway: 

I have seen some real bullshit laws being enforced simply for the revenue  

The talented Just Cathy: 

Do hope someone out there can help them  

Tai: 

Sounds like persecution  

Jane smithie redux: 

i hate being powerless to help these people  

Lunchlady 2: 

don't know a lot but isn't there someone to call that will fight for them, or have they all been closed down too? 

Benjamin the donkey: 

I want you to go after those people  

Bugsgdbig: 

Think hard first before yelling "THERE SHOULD BE A LAW AGAINST THAT" ( what ever THAT is ) because now there is a law against THAT  

Jill Mclaughlin: 

We have white men in 3 piece suits running this system that have committed unspeakable crimes   

Ladyfarmerjed: 

I want to echo others-DO SOMETHING about this injustice! Something is beyond deeply wrong here. You have a voice-MAKE IT LOUD!!!  

The brilliant Scupper: 

I care  

Sirenita Lake: 

Everything is criminalized in this country  

The thoughtful Odetteroulette: 

the more I want to see them all fired  

Leslie Basden: 

they don't care because they hold ALL the cards.  

Deborah Young: 

Our country has too many laws, we are living in an Orwellian nightmare  

RenaissanceLady: 

I am livid about the system  

The ever so smart Chicago Guy: 

keep coming back to this and shaking my head cause its so unbelievable.  

Dennis Loo: 

This is the kind of injustice that small towns are infamous for   

The amazing Sandra Stevens: 

I'm stunned. I have no words. This is the stupidest thing I've ever heard in my life  

Catnmjus: 

I am dumbfounded. Completely and utterly. 

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Do you hear what you and others are saying? 

You want change.  You object to oppression no matter whom it oppresses.  To co-opt a phrase from our conservative friends, you want your America back.  You know, the America you grew up believing in.  The land of the free and the home of the brave, America.  The freedom and justice for all, America.

Yeah, the America that has been shanghaied by big money interests and greedy politicians’ and liars and cheats.

SO TAKE IT BACK!!

The task seems daunting, I know.  The odds, overwhelming.  The commitment, exhausting.  But, it’s not.  On the local level, one person can have amazing impact.  Two people can have twice the impact.

It is the local government that affects so much of our day-to-day lives.  Where and how fast we drive, how much we pay in property and sales tax, what it cost for our garbage to be picked up, what we can and can’t build on our own property, what we can keep in our front yards, what fees we pay for what, how we address grievances, who the police ticket or arrest or set free.  The list goes on and on. 

This is an odd post for me.  As some of you know, I am the Mayor of a small town in Texas.  It is the irony of ironies that I have been selected to this post.  I who often rale against government intrusion into peoples lives. I who has an inherent distrust of government and authority. I who believes the best government is the government that governs least.  Ironic, though it may be, I see it as an opportunity to make my community a better place to live.

Okay, so most of you aren’t going to become the Mayor. Even less of you would want to.  But, you don’t have to be the Mayor to affect change; you have to bother, pester, irk, annoy and bug the Mayor.  And, you have to do the same to your Alder people and Council people.

So, what do you do and how do you do it?  Well, first, you start attending Council meetings.  You ask for and review budgets and agendas.  You ask questions that you local politicians’ may not want to answer.  You insist that the City Council make time at their meetings for citizen input.  You volunteer for citizen advisory panels and boards.  You volunteer even if they don’t ask for volunteers because often, Council people like to pack these types of boards with their handpicked minions.  And very important...very, very important, you get friends and other like-minded individuals to go to council meetings and to volunteer with you.  It’s easy to dismiss one person as a crank and a pain in the ass; two people become concerned citizens; three or more and all of a sudden, you’re a committee, a movement, a constituency.

The place to start taking back your country is where you live.  Start today. Don’t wait for someone else to do it.  It’s up to you.  You have the power, use it.

 Save the neighborhood, save the world.