[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 158 (2012), Part 3]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 4032]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                       HONORING BLAKE HUDDLESTON

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. PETE OLSON

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, March 22, 2012

  Mr. OLSON. Mr. Speaker, I am privileged to interact with some of the 
brightest students in the 22nd Congressional District who serve on my 
Congressional Youth Advisory Council. I have gained much by listening 
to the high school students who are the future of this great nation. 
They provide important insight into the concerns of our younger 
constituents and hopefully get a better sense of the importance of 
being an active participant in the political process. Many of the 
students have written short essays on a variety of topics and I am 
pleased to share these with my House colleagues.
  Blake Huddleston is a senior at Pasadena Memorial High School in 
Harris County, Texas. His essay topic is: In your opinion, what role 
should government play in our lives?

       The American form of Democracy is built upon the principle 
     that every man has the right to have his voice heard, yet 
     today many Americans revoke this right. Neither Congress nor 
     the President can adequately govern such a vast land and 
     people as the United States without participation in 
     government, which has been declining in recent years due to 
     an increase in American apathy.
       Adequate governance does not require petitions, marches, or 
     protest; simply voting for issues and candidates is enough to 
     ensure that the American voice is heard in the white halls of 
     the Capitol. But in order to create a sense of honor in 
     participating in our centuries old processes, both those who 
     are in positions of power and those who seek office must 
     offer their constituents something worth speaking for.
       In times of discord and partisanship the American people 
     become disillusioned with what is perhaps the greatest 
     Democracy to ever exist. By compromising, by understanding 
     not only their own personal beliefs, but the beliefs of those 
     opposed to them, congressmen and presidents inspire the 
     people they represent to become involved in the American 
     process because their electors believe that the system does 
     work; that the system can solve serious problems without 
     mindless bickering over irrelevant issues. There exist a 
     social bond between electors and the elected in America: when 
     the elected rise above politics and become statesmen, 
     Americans will rise as well. When the elected fall, so too 
     does the will of Americans to participate.

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