History repeats itself regularly, but nobody pays attention to the re-runs......

I read an article today about ancient Rome today that struck me with its last few lines.  In it, the author discusses Caligula, his bad reputation and if he really deserved it.  The lines that struck me were the last two:

"The Romans thought they were getting freedom, but got more of the same.

Considering what happened then, it's hard not to think of the excitements and disappointments of the Arab Spring."

It struck me because I could immediately see the point she was making.  Egypt is a strong current example.  People strove for freedom and thought they had achieved it.  Then they held free elections and elected people that would take that freedom and bend it to their personal and religious preferences.  Anyone with common sense could see this on the horizon after the elections.  My only shock was that the military stepped in as early as it did. 

But yet, we also see the same in our elections here in the US.  Our federal government is full of people who have rarely held what most would consider a real job.  They are mostly career politicians who do not know what the real world looks like.  Some have private sector experience, but it is in executive positions, which I find still somewhat removed from reality.  There are those who have extensive experience outside of government, but few who have that outside of the legal profession.  During every election cycle, we always hear about people wanting to get rid of the gridlock in congress, get rid of the dishonesty in the White House.  Yet every election cycle, we vote in the same type of people and are shocked when they continue to pass foolish laws, participate in the graft and corruption that has become everyday business and retire with excessive retirement benefits.  

Until we stop electing people, we will continue to see the same reruns.  History will continue to repeat itself.  When voting next time, be it local, state or national, and you have a choice between a politician, a shopkeeper and a homemaker, vote for one of the latter two.  They might surprise you.