Politicians and constituents must work as team

I'm beginning to think we need to have our own "Boston Tea Party" to take back our state government. How about the "The Great Salt Lake Green Jell-O Rebellion"?

Our government seems to have been taken over by lobbyists and special interest groups that determine what gets done on Capitol Hill. And residents have no voice.

Most candidates for state office run on the usual "Utah hot buttons": less government, more local control, less taxes and the most elusive one, "Utah Values." But once they are in office, what do we get? More government, less local control, more taxes and more government control over our daily lives.

"They" say we get the government we deserve, but I don't think so. Our problem may be that most of us live by the rules and think everyone does the same. We used to believe elected leaders told the truth, were fair and acted with integrity in the public's interest. We now know that they do not always act accordingly, but we put up with it because, unlike the lobbyist industry, we do not have the staying power to help politicians keep their campaign promises.

I applaud people who have the courage to run for office, and believe they are honest and have good intentions. However, once elected, some become victims of their own rhetoric, sense of power, and the lobbyists. They often fall prey to the frailties of all human beings — wanting to be liked, feel a sense of importance, power and, once addicted to it, becoming vulnerable to the special-interest groups and lobbyists who promise them money and political support if they support their issues. Politicians "hooked" on keeping their seat with money quickly forget the concerns of their districts.

Each legislative session, on the legislators' desks we see hundreds of bills bound in 10-inch binders and almost impossible to decipher. It becomes an agonizing and conscience-tugging task for some legislators who try to have an understanding of what is being presented. Only divine intervention, or lobbyists, can help them figure out what is being proposed in the bills they helped write. Lost in the maze are the people's issues and the campaign promises about "Utah values," helping families meet basic needs — education, health care and jobs.

Our elected leaders need our help. They often become victims of "political abuse" where they undergo relentless interrogation and pressure from the various groups who hold them hostage. They would do well to return, weekly, to their districts to get a reality check from their voting neighbors to help them stay focused on the issues of their district.