Representative Democracy (Where is Susan?)

Congress has a recess this week, so many of us are asking for town halls with our elected members (sign our petition here). This is an opportunity for the community to communicate with their representatives so that We the People™can have some faith in knowing that our government is representing us.

And that’s where this idea of “Representative Democracy” really breaks down. Susan Collins has yet to return a single message — not a phone call and not even a canned email response. Nothing. And she hasn’t held a town hall meeting with her constituents for years (Newsweek). There are petitions asking her to show up, but so far, nothing. I have spoken to aides or gotten messages back from Angus King, Chellie Pingree, and Jared Golden… but not from Susan. Where is she hiding? And more importantly, who is she representing if not us?

I guess we should hand in our Gadsden “Don’t Tread on Me” flags, because We the People are getting stomped on when our supposed senator is AWOL, carrying water to Mar Largo apparently. The fact is that we don’t have a representative democracy if our “representatives” never interact with us. And to anyone who revels in the half-truth that “We are a republic, not a democracy” — just like “Democratic Republic of North Korea” — it is well to ask the important underlying question: “How representative of a democracy are we?” The oligarchs pushing statements like that are not fighting for your freedom, so why green-light their power grab with a bumper sticker? Are you happy to give up your voice so long as those in power “stick it to the libs?” Are we really selling out our freedom and the essence of our country for a few shekels of vindictive dopamine?

Even if you love Susan Collins and you love Trump, wouldn’t you want to know that your priorities are being addressed by your representative? Or are we just going to hope she infers what we want? I for one demand more representation. Call me back Susan. Come to a town hall. It is literally your job.