This last week, citizens from the United States voted into office the next  President of the United States of America.  For months prior to the actual vote – and for several days since – the bickering, mud-slinging, wrangling and chaos of that process dominated the airwaves, facebook, twitter, email, and every imaginable communication imaginable.  The stakes were high!  Everyone was polarized in a way I’ve never before seen to this degree.  I knew of no one who didn’t have VERY strong views on who should be the next president.  It seemed like little of the rhetoric was based in fact.  Had it been, there wouldn’t have been as much insanity, in my opinion.

Each party put forth scare tactics and their plan of action to change the course of our economy(!), job creation(!), health care(!), social services(!), food labeling (!) and judicial systems(!).  (Yes I added the exclamation point to make my point.  lol)  Every system in our country was looked at, debated at length (OK ad nauseum, actually!) and picked apart.  Statistics and figure were spouted and skewed, depending on who was talking.  The babble was deafening chaotic and obnoxious to almost everyone!

No matter who you voted for, the theme was that either Romney or Obama had ultimate control of the outcome of ANY discussion.  That they would PERSONALLY make all those campaign promises happen come hell or high water (no offense, New York and New Jersey).

Which is NOT the truth! 

The truth is that the President of the United States, although a powerful world figure, is ONE man.  He is, by and large, a figure-head in many respects.  He is not a king with unlimited power!  In fact, (despite one former president’s grab for unlimited power) he is bound by the U.S. constitution to hold a BALANCE of power within the government – and his office is only one component.  He is the leader and can make recommendations, but he’s not the person making the laws.

The truth is that our representatives and senators are the people that pass the laws and bills that govern our country, determine how and where our taxes are spent; how those taxes are collected (and at what levels); and which departments under the arm of the federal government are granted those monies.  The president may have the final approval on some things – but he is NOT the person making and issuing orders and arranging things to his own liking!  He can propose bills, but it is up to Congress to pass those bills.  It’s easy to make one person responsible in our minds, because he’s the most public figure.  It’s harder to make an entire body of people responsible, because there are so many of them and because we don’t get personally involved in the process!

And we haven’t even addressed all the secret deals that go on behind closed doors and in the darkened hallways of our nation’s capital by lobbyists and special interest groups!  They appear to have extraordinary influence regarding votes.  They seem to be able to buy power and position for their own purposes that have NOTHING to do with the best interests of United States citizens.  (But that is probably a rant for another time.)

What is important here, is that we need to take personal responsibility for the decisions we make about who our represents us and what we will tolerate!  We, as the citizens of the United States, need to hold them personally accountable for the decisions they make on OUR behalf.  This is a democracy, which means OF THE PEOPLE, BY THE PEOPLE, FOR THE PEOPLE!  I think we have forgotten that.

Which brings me to my next point.  If we are electing officials who are self-serving, corrupt and not serving the public’s interests, we need to look in the mirror.  Our elected officials are a reflection of us as a collective.  If we have officials who are not acting in our best interests, why are we electing them?  Why are we not demanding better candidates?  Why are we not willing to require better than what we have been getting? Are we involving ourselves in the political process so that we are informed of what is really happening?  Why are we not demanding – and getting – plainly worded bills that have single initiatives?  Why are we allowing legislation and house bills that are thousands of pages long – that NO ONE reads (and many of us can’t!) that are packed with pork and special favors that have nothing to do with the bill?  But more importantly, how are the actions of those who represent us in government the same as our own in our daily lives?

Here are some tough questions to ask, if we are to get better political representation in the future:

How are we out of integrity and willing to take short-cuts on fiscal policy, military policy, banking policy, and education policy within our own lives?  We have to BE what we our leaders to be!  It is that simple.  Because they represent us, they ARE us.  And that might be the most uncomfortable awareness we have to make.

•       Are we acting in honesty and integrity at all times in our personal lives?
•       Are we committed to the highest service for all in everything we do each and every day?
•       Are we willing to balance our own checkbooks, and be fiscally responsible?
•       Are we peaceful toward ourselves, our loved ones and each other – or are we at war?
•       Are we willing to be supportive and be of enlightenment in every aspect of our lives?
•       Are we acting as leaders?  Because in truth, each and every one of us really ARE a leader.  There is always someone who looks up to you and is impacted by you in some way.

I believe that it is all an “inside job.”  Until we can heal the inner wounds that prevent us from being in full alignment with ourselves, and create the peace, prosperity, honesty and integrity within, we will continue to attract “leaders” who are not really leading us where we want to go!

The new paradigm that is being ushered in beginning in 2013 will not allow us to bring with us the old paradigm energies of hate, discontent, bigotry and self-serving energies.  We have a unique opportunity these last few weeks of 2012 to look at what is no longer serving us individually and collectively.

I hope you’ll join me for a group experience of cleaning up and clearing out the past.  Please go to www.QuantumSoulClearing.com/2012cleanup for more information about how you can participate.  Time is short.  2013 is the beginning of extraordinary opportunities for evolution, transformation and joy.  Please don’t miss out!  Let’s use the impetus that is remaining in 2012 available to us to make this world what we want it to be!

Many Blessings,

Michelle