Letter: Out of touch politicians

The real reason Scott Brown won the Massachusetts Senate race wasn’t what all the professional pollsters and politicians are saying. The two-party political machine is out of touch with the average citizen. Politicians have their paycheck so they don’t recognize the pain of one in six Americans being without a job or money. When they continue to spend like drunk sailors on liberty, the average guy understands the politicians are not in touch with the needs and will of average Americans. The people call them, write letters and out of frustration end up at Tea Party gatherings protesting out-of-control government that no longer represents the people. Both parties still don’t get it.

Another example of the disconnect is airport security. Frisking an 85-year-old, Italian granny from Iowa while allowing a 21-year-old Middle Eastern male student who studied in Yemen to pass through the same security without questioning him tells you all you need to know about Washington "think.” They fly on private airplanes, so they never go through the same airport security, therefore, they are not at the same risk. Mr. Brown’s position on terrorism and the Christmas Day Bomber is absolutely what changed an assumed win for the Democrats in Massachusetts.

Senator-elect Brown said the bomber shouldn’t have received constitutional rights and should be interrogated by the military. He connected with the common sense of the people. It doesn’t matter what party to which you belong, Washington is failing us because they refuse to listen to the will of the people. They are in a position of power, sometimes for years, but the real power is in the vote of each individual.

Clear-minded folks in Massachusetts recognized that spending and security are paramount. They also sent a message to every elected official that their job is on the line. Perhaps, now we can really have some change we can believe in.

Richard King

Palo Alto