Editor:

On April 17, the Senate rejected a bill which would require background checks in any gun purchases, in an attempt to keep guns out of the hands of criminals and psychos. All of the Republicans and four Democrats voted against the bill, despite 90 percent approval from the citizenry. This is a blatant demonstration of politicians voting their own interests, not those they supposedly represent. The four Democrats are in deep red states and require massive corporate campaign contributions to get re-elected. So the ongoing slaughter of innocents continues because a handful of self-centered politicians want to keep their cushy jobs and great perks.

There are many examples of our lack of representation in government; the Citizens United ruling that effectively called corporations people and said spending billions of dollars in campaign advertising is their free speech rights; their refusal to consider the obvious dangers of global warming and their rejection of equal pay for women, are some of the more insane.

The Tea Party, a decaying form of the Republican Party, is right when they demand “I want my country back.” We need to take it back from those we gave it to, the Koch brothers and their kind. The only way that can be done is to put term limits on all political and judicial positions, so no politician can stay bought. The only way that can be done is every eligible voter go vote in every election. On April 2, only 20 percent of eligible voters went to the polls. How shameful. Democracy may not be a very good form of government, but it’s the best we’ve got and it is worth the fight to keep it. Not just worth it, it is our duty, one of the most important jobs we can ever do.

The American economy is staggering, while the Wall Street economy is booming and we let them do that to us by not voting. All Republican-controlled states are writing laws to stop people from voting while we Democrats demand that you vote. You should think about that.

Barrie Johnson, Exeland