Total trust? Not really. Here's the truth: We are snake-bit when it comes to politicians and promises

It's not like Americans headed to the ballot boxes around the country last night and rubber-stamped every Republican candidate they could find to send "hope and change" back to the showers.

Far from it.

Many of the races were close -- and there were some surprising results in many states, where on one hand voters jettisoned Democrats, but on the other, they kept them around.

What's the reason? You guessed it: Most voters have been through this "change" stuff before -- many times.

We are used to rhetoric, promises and falling for what seems like sincerity coming out of the mouths of both Democrats and Republicans.

And we are not 100 percent sure that we have not fallen for it one more time.

So, we decided to build in our own cushions -- our own safety net.

If absolute power corrupts absolutely, and a party in charge with no one to offer a counter-argument can decide it knows better than its constituents what the country's next step should be, then there was no way anyone was going to have a clear majority in every aspect of government. No way, not again -- that's how we got the health-care fiasco.

So here is the message -- and take heart, voters, some of those politicians on both sides seem to already understand what it is: Get to work, stop bickering, listen to the citizens who put you in office and stop taking yourselves so seriously.

And, by the way, if it is good enough for us, it is good enough for you, too -- no more privileges, no more exemptions and no more raises.

The economy is off its tracks and we are scared. We do not want our children to pay off trillions in debt -- and we want it fixed now. We are not fooled -- or lured -- by pork or entitlements. You say you are going to get to work, well, stop crowing and do so.

Voters were reminded this election just how much power they have. And, many of them have decided they will never again be afraid to use it.

If you don't follow our rules, beware: 2012 is just around the corner.

Published in Editorials on November 3, 2010 1:02 PM