Americans need to take part in electoral process

We, the citizens of the United States of America, live by a set of rules cited in a magnificent document called the Constitution. Or do we?

Our form of government is called a representative democracy. But is it?

Lately there is doubt in the minds of a lot of folks as to whether or not our elected representatives (particularly at the federal level) and in the federal agencies are living up to their responsibilities. We see corruption in the organizations that are entrusted to keep things honest and legal, and to do so without regard to the political party of those found to have violated the law(s). It is difficult to have confidence in a government when those who are in charge of the FBI and the DOJ, just to name a couple of agencies, have involved themselves in partisan politics.

The distrust is exacerbated when members of Congress — those who are supposed to represent us, and have sworn an oath to protect and preserve our Constitution — refuse to confront wrong doers because of politics. How did we get to this point?

That said, many will think this is just a meaningless rant by someone old enough to have witnessed the changes in our government, or maybe a sort of manifestation of the frustrations many of us are experiencing. Think what you will, but it really is a reminder that there is an election coming up in Nov. — a chance to make changes. The campaigns have begun, so it’s TIME TO PAY ATTENTION! Look at the voting records of those seeking re-election. Learn all you can about those who are running for the first time. How else can we, the American citizens, affect how our government operates if we don’t exercise due diligence in the electoral process? Or don’t you care? GENE LEMON Yuma