My name is Jenna. And I am a politics junkie.

If you have opinions about our current government, capitalism, and the war on the rich, this is the article for you!

My name is Jenna. And I am a Politics Junkie.

Yep, it might be sad, but true. I have tried to hide it, but there is simply no denying that I have grown into someone who is actually engaged in the world around me. Over the last couple of weeks I have tried to wean myself from the drama of the current events of the world, but to no avail. I have am like a vampire who has gotten a taste for blood: There just ain’t no turning back now.

I guess this might be a negative thing for most other people, as most people try everything in their power not to become involved. I have asked people why they don’t spend their time reading books, newspapers, watching CSPAN, watching documentaries, studying history, and learning all they can. I always get the same basic responses when I ask why:

“I don’t understand what’s going on.”

“It scares me.”

“It’s always negative, I can’t listen to it.”

“There is nothing I can do about it, so what’s the point?”

I am here to tell you, people: If there was any time in our nation’s history to get involved with what is going on, now is it. Whether we are in a recession, in a time of surplus, it doesn’t matter: this should be your thought always. I really just cannot accept that people who live in a society such as ours do not understand how powerful they could be if they became engaged and did something about the problems we are facing as a nation. I could care less what it is that struck your fancy, what your issues are, your passions, your take on an issue, your party affiliation. It doesn’t matter, just as long as you are informed and actively taking a role in what is going on around you. That is the most important thing.

Americans, I have many hopes for us as a people.

 My hope for you is that you learn more about the type of society we live in. We live in a capitalist society and so few understand how a capitalist society works, including our representatives in Washington. A capitalist society is the most successful society to date. There is no other society that benefits the most people who live in that society than that of capitalism, at least, none that has been created. If you do not think that because you are a “have not” in this country and you are sitting at home being mad of the “haves,” guess what. In a capitalist society, you can become a “have” if you put your mind to it. You have that freedom  here that no one else who lives in another type of society can say they have. If your circumstances have prevented you from doing this, or things have happened beyond your control, it’s not society’s fault, it’s the circumstances you are in. But the beauty of living in a free enterprise system is that you can change your circumstances. Not many other cultures in the world can say that. If you are someone who wants a hand out and never wants to work hard, it doesn’t matter where you live. You will be that person always until you decide to change it on your own. Please do not blame capitalism for things that are not its fault. Greed does not equal capitalism, nor does lying or deceit. Those are human flaws, not the flaws of the system. The system, if left to its own devices, is actually pretty effective. I challenge you to study more about this system and understand the difference between being a capitalist and a greedy monster.

My hope for you is that you will pick up a history book and learn about the hard choices our past Presidents have made and the consequences or triumphs they have seen as a result. It seems as though people in this country have forgotten one major thing: we are NOT the first society in the history to be the most powerful nation in the world and if we don’t start reading our history and learning from mistakes, we will not be the first powerful nation to have fallen. History repeats itself. It always has and it always will. Congressman, members of the Cabinet, Mr. President, if you are not careful, you are going to drive such a rift right down the middle of our country that there is nothing you will be able to do to repair the damage. It scares me to think that there is becoming such a huge animosity towards the people that have the money from the people that do not. And what is scary is that it is not even the haves and the have nots, it is the people with some money and the people with less money. Washington, by trying to make everything fair and by raging a war on the rich, you are playing on the emotional well-being of many people who have lost their jobs and lost their houses and have nothing left to lose. Someone in Washington, please have enough sense to learn from our ancestors mistakes.

My hope for all of us is that we will be reacquainted with the definition of the word integrity. I have never seen such a public lack of integrity as I saw in Congress on Wednesday. There is nothing scarier, America, than a group of our leaders who have made just as many mistakes as anyone in the room that can look at a man who has nothing to do with the problem and point fingers and blame so readily and publicly with absolutely no trace of accountability on their own part. Has anyone heard the phrase, “People who live in glass houses should not throw stones?” Congress, I urge you. For the sake of this country you love so much. Be an example. Take responsibility for your part in all of this. The only man in that room with an ounce of integrity was the one ready to take the fall for the sins he was not even responsible for. Not only that, but this man was asked by the government to help a failing entity and then crucified months later by the people who had just as much as part in it as anyone else. As far as I am concerned, if Libby ran for President in 2012 I would vote for him, not because of any other reason than he had the courage to be the face of the enemy in front of a nation who hates him so much and say, “Yes. I take responsibility.” Oh, the great things that would happen in this country if everyone in America, not just our leaders, could say that phrase, learn from our mistakes, and move on. Greed might have caused our problems, but pride will be the continuation of them if someone in charge does not have the humbleness to admit when he is wrong.

The problem is, America, that we have become so bogged down with negative thinking, “whoa is me” thinking, “I am right” thinking, “you can’t convince me otherwise” thinking that nothing is going to be done that will fix our problems until we are ready to fix what is at our core. If you want change, change yourself. If you want change, be a voice. If you want change, change your circumstances. Nothing else will do it. You have the power to do it, so stop whining about it, stop the blame game, and start with yourself.