Helvig's Helvitorials

Congress, Voters on Different Planets

Published in the Holland Sentinel on August 20, 2007

The U.S. Congress is doing a real crappy job of serving the citizens of this country.

According to Real Clear Politics, the latest poll average puts the job approval rating of Congress at just 24.7 percent. Americans are obviously not happy with the current performance of our so-called leaders in Washington, D.C.

Among other things, the left is upset with the Democrats for failing to end the war in Iraq. Liberals actually believed last year's campaign promises and have been once again duped by those who simply tell them what they want to hear in order to get elected or re-elected.

Meanwhile, the right is still ticked off about the repeated attempts to grant citizenship to illegal aliens. Not only did a number of Republican senators spit in the face of their base, but the president himself went out of his way to belittle and berate the most loyal of his supporters.

Let's not forget about the independents. Those in the middle would give just about anything to see something positive get done on Capitol Hill for a change. Their No. 1 question has got to be, "Whatever happened to common sense?"

It is obvious that our senators and representatives have forgotten just who they work for and what their job is. Maybe they all need to go on a leaders' retreat to re-evaluate their pitiful existence and re-educate themselves about the U.S. Constitution. They all seem to know what the document is, but they are obviously not living up to what it says.

The biggest problem I see today with our Capitol Hill cronies is power. There are those who have it, those who think they have it, those who want it and those who will do anything to get it. Having and wielding power has become more important than doing what is right for the sake of this nation.

I must have missed the paragraph in the U.S. Constitution that places an emphasis on attaining power while in office. Silly me, I thought these leaders were in Washington to serve their constituency. Somewhere in my twisted past I learned that our government was supposed to be of the people, by the people and for the people.

One of the fixable keys to attaining power is longevity. The longer we leave elected officials in office, the more they strive for and typically acquire power.

If you had to name the five most powerful people on Capitol Hill, would they not be those with the most tenure? How much better would your life be if those five individuals were no longer eligible to serve in the U.S. Congress?

The ultimate solution to the power problem is term limits. The absence of term limits has created a false sense of invincibility and immortality in too many of our legislators. If we would simply restrict our elected officials to 20 years on the Hill, we would not have to deal with the insanity that seems to settle in on our career politicians.

Once the term limits are in place and the toilet of corruption has been flushed, the American Congress can get down to business and get back to work for the American people. Then and only then will the congressional approval ratings get back above 50 percent. Then and only then will our national legislature be truly effective.

Then and only then will Congress be what it was originally intended to be.

Abortion is not an 'Option'

Published in the Holland Sentinel on July 16, 2007

Back in January, I introduced you to my niece while she was still in her mommy's tummy. If you caught the Jan. 15 Sentinel article, "Right to choose is wrong," you saw an ultrasound photo of what appeared to be a smiling baby in the womb.

Well, I am most pleased to provide you with an updated photo of the latest addition to the Helvig clan.

Cassidy is now about a month and a half old and is doing great. Her sister graduated from high school just days before she was born, and her brother will be a freshman this fall. This means my sister and her husband are starting the parent track all over again, just as it seemed they were ready to move toward the empty nest stage of life.

It would have been so easy to say "oops" and go to the doctor for a quick fix. After all, they had paid their parental dues and now should have been a time for them to enjoy each other more.

And what about the money? It would have been much cheaper to get an abortion than it will be to raise this child. These arguments are sadly commonplace in our society.

I praise God that my sister does not think the way too many Americans think. I am so pleased that abortion was not an option when she received word that she was pregnant. I am also very happy to have this opportunity to introduce you to my niece.

Cassidy has already brought great joy into the hearts of many people. She is a blessing to her parents, her siblings and all who have had the opportunity to hold her. She is a beautiful baby who is just beginning to experience what is sure to be a wonderful life.

Cassidy is also the same human being she was back in January, when she was but a few months along in the womb.

As I stated back in January: "Although the topic of abortion is highly debated in religious and political circles, I submit this article in the interest of human decency. The value of the life of a child should not be used as political fodder, nor should it be used to divide a society. Abortion should simply be outlawed because it is wrong to take the life of an innocent human being."

Considering this picture and the ultrasound photo from January, how could anyone say that it would have been OK to kill my niece before she was born? What in the world is going on in the hearts and minds of the pro-choice crowd?