America is in the crapper. Our freedoms have been eroded, our Constitution violated, unemployment is high, underemployment is higher, our economy seems to be circling the drain, our right to privacy is a thing of the past, and the only action of which our POTUS appears to be capable is reading “inspirational” little speeches from a teleprompter, which might qualify him to work for a sappy greeting card company. Well, his speechwriters are qualified, anyway. Considering the state of the nation, why aren’t Americans taking to the streets, or at least spamming the White House with strongly worded, obscenity-laced chain email composed entirely of CAPS?

America has a long history of fighting for what we believe in. Obviously, as that’s how our country began, but we fought to eliminate slavery, we campaigned for suffrage, we marched for racial equality and integration and civil rights, we trotted down the Yellow Brick Road under a rainbow accompanied by a bunch of Judy-Garland-as-Dorothy lookalikes--complete with blue-and-white gingham, braids and glitter-encrusted ruby slippers [there‘s no place like home]--for GLBT rights, pride and marriage. So what’s wrong with us now?

Our Founding Fathers envisioned a system of checks and balances on the three branches of government. Each branch would have a check to restrain the power of the other two. Unfortunately, checks and balances only work if they’re used, and our government has apparently decided that those days are gone.

One of our “esteemed” Supreme Court Justices perpetrated a lie of omission and a violation of law by leaving out nearly three-quarters of a million dollars in spousal income on his SCOTUS financial disclosures, feigning ignorance and claiming that he did not understand that he was not supposed to check the “None” box if Mrs. Thomas had $687K in income. [Don’t be tempted to try that line on a judge, as the price for learning that ignorance of the law is not a valid excuse could be prison.] Impressively, Justice Clarence Thomas made the same error six years in a row. Additionally, Mrs. Thomas appeared to have some prior knowledge of the Citizens United ruling--which so famously granted personhood status to inanimate corporate entities--and was in perfect position to thoroughly enjoy tremendous financial and influential benefits soon after the ruling was made public. [Seriously, Congress can’t add a pulse clause to the First Amendment?] Oddly enough, the SCOTUS is not governed by its own set of judicial conduct rules, and, although a civil penalty could certainly be imposed--at the very least--there have been no overtures in that direction. Neither has Congress made any attempt to remedy the situation via the remedy afforded them--impeachment, and potentially, removal.

Our Constitution sustained a heavy blow, as did U.S. law in the form of the War Powers Act and the Presidential oath of office, when President Obama violated all of the above in attacking Libya without first seeking and obtaining Congressional permission. Noises were made, complaints were uttered, and absolutely nothing of any real substance was done. Impeachment would have sent a strong message to this and future Presidents that our Constitution and laws are not documents upon which to rub one’s sweaty, Presidential junk. Judicial review would also have sent enough of a message to guarantee that the POTUS would think twice before claiming that thousands of Predator drone attacks and Tomahawk launches don’t constitute “hostilities”. But Congress allowed the strike on what is perhaps our most important founding document, and what certainly is vital to the letter of our law, and the SCOTUS let it slide as well.

Our Founding Fathers envisioned and provided for an additional check on the powers held by all three branches of our government: a free press.

“…the freedom of the press, as one of the great bulwarks of liberty, shall be inviolable.”--James Madison

“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances."--First Amendment

While Congress hasn’t passed any legislation explicitly abridging the freedom of the press, they’ve certainly passed laws favorable to the creation of the media we have today. Our unofficial, Constitutionally-guaranteed “check” on all branches of government has been virtually eliminated, not because Congress prevents them from truth-telling, but because their wealthy owners do. Ultimately, he who owns the media owns the power to influence the People, and to indoctrinate them to the positions the owner wants them to have by withholding salient details and telling us what to think about the rest.

Thomas Jefferson claimed, “A democracy cannot be both ignorant and free.” Apparently, he was wrong, because if there is one word that describes the most prevalent quality in the majority of the American people today, it is “ignorant“.

Americans aren't rebelling because they don't know they should. They don't know how bad things are, and they don't know the significance of certain legislation. All they know is what they are told by their political party leaders and the mainstream media. Unfortunately, the mainstream media is no longer a reliable source for the whole story--the true story, the big picture. Talking heads simply regurgitate the talking points their wealthy owners tell them to; biased much?

Want outrage and revolution? Help the People understand that we can't believe everything we read in newspapers and magazines, or see and hear on TV, especially not cable channels or programs that claim to be “news” oriented. Convince them that they need to form their own opinion to ensure the furthering of their own interests, not just spew someone else's taglines and bandy about their catchphrases. Encourage them to take time to seek out unbiased, independent, reliable sources of information and to think critically about the facts, and point them in the right direction to find what they need. Revolution will happen all on its own, if everyone has the relevant facts.

It's a slow method to stimulate change, but a reasonably reliable one. Yes, it reaches just a few people at a time. Take heart in the fact that we’re not feeding them for a day, dispensing positions to our readers like SeaWorld trainers chucking fish to dolphins--arguably smarter than your average American today, unfortunately--for jumping through hoops and smacking balls with their noses. We’re teaching them to fish for themselves, and through them, many others. Eventually, that will be enough. The mainstream media will be forced to adapt or risk extinction, and we, by virtue of our independent actions, will one day tell the talking heads, “So long, and thanks for all the fish.”