Dear Editor,
In light of the recent volatility we have been seeing in our federal government, one has to ask where does accountability begin? Time and over again, I have read articles from many governing officials on how they would like to hold our government more accountable to the Constitution, the laws of the country, and the due process in which we deserve as citizens of this country – as voters that have seeded them into the positions they hold. Yet from local government to federal voices, nobody is expressing our thoughts and our concerns and they are being given little value.
For instance, Miami Township has several published articles of code available on their website. This code is in place to guide urban growth and development in accordance to the type of property that is being developed. Miami Township is undergoing a tremendous amount of growth and demand, which can be reflected in the rapid home sales the area is experiencing. However, when a citizen voices their concern over a violation of the code nothing in turn is done about it. Empty promises are delivered. Accountability is sacrificed. Trustees are emailed and complaints fall on deaf ears. In turn, the township has taken the stance of, “It’s not my job to enforce the code.” If the trustees will not enforce employed position of the zoning office to enforce published code where does the accountability fall? Where does the voice of the citizen have any guarantee that they will be heard? A violation against the code is a violation against the code. Instead the township cowers to a response of, “We cannot enforce code violations because someone in the position is not here to respond to them since they have left the township.” Since when is this country run by the presence of certain individuals being in position? Much like this country being founded with a Constitution, the township has a zoning code. Their response compares to a president taking office and saying, “I can’t enforce the Constitution because I was not present when it was created.”
To our federal government, where does the accountability begin? It begins with listening to your constituents and upholding the due process that is written into law. Much like a doctor seeing a patient, you listen to their ailments, you assess their needs, you may sometimes have to be creative if there is not a known answer to their problems, and you figure it out with constitutive process of receptive communication and feedback. This is not being upheld, especially with our District 2 Representative Brad Wenstrup – and he is a doctor – podiatrist. Yet time and time again, we read communications from his office stating he is meeting with constituents and listening to our concerns. Yet, when you look deeper, you see he is only meeting with small groups of people from select categories, two and three people at a time face-to-face, but his Facebook and Twitter feed is flooded with outbursts of angry constituents. Who is he listening to when he is casting his vote that is supposed to be representing the citizens of his district?
Again, I ask, despite the volatile environment in which our government operates, where does the accountability begin? The people in which we elect to office should be holding our governmental processes, codes, laws, and Constitutions in order and referring to the written laws and codes put into place by the founding democratic processes that this country was founded upon. They should not be putting accountability into the voices within their own heads and hearts.
Sincerely,
Nicole White, Miami Township Resident