To the Editor,

For the past 40 years conservatives in Congress have muzzled progressive actions attempting to take advantage of emerging technologies to better the lives of all our residents. The sharp divisions now existing in the House and Senate at the federal level extending to all the states has made advancements for the “common good” a patchwork of minor improvements across the states leaving the potential  for broad consensus on major infrastructure  investments in limbo.

This is all foolishness and unnecessary. We must go back to our founding as a nation to understand how we got here and where we need to be focused to get back on track. While mind catching slogans,  are simply made up for short term political advantage, there are statements that have endured since introduced as the fountainhead of our Democracy, now in danger of being shred  under the constant barrage of disrespect  and disregard  for our Constitution and the laws derived  therefrom.

  The first enduring statement that comes to mind is from the Declaration of Independence is: “We hold these truthes to be self evident, that all men are created equall, that they are endowed by their creator with  certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.” 

That led to the preamble to the Constitution with these profound words: “We the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution of the United States of America.”

The statement, “We the People” is the foundation of our democracy and the force behind our enduring efforts to provide the voice of the people through the election process. Unfortunately, the election process is now being used for political purposes that may be good to get elected but is a danger to our democracy.  The very term, voter suppression, violates the principles of fair and honest elections.  

I doubt whether our current leadership in Congress and the Senate and some Presidents have read and understood the preamble much less the Constitution they swore on a Bible to uphold.

The current case in point is the infrastructure bills, physical and social, now being argued in Congress. If our politicians have any sense of loyalty to the constitution, those bills would be unnecessary. Their contents should be provided as a matter of course in governing the country.  There is no 10 year limit on their need. No special bills or appropriations are necessary. The funding is simply what our taxes and other forms of revenue are designed to cover. The needs never go away so simply accept the responsibilities as most, if not all, industrialized countries do for their people.  That is, all except the United States.

Lee Purrier

Park Rapids, Minn.