My dad is a smart man, and when he made a suggestion of how he felt our national representatives should function, I think he was on to something.

With today’s technology, he said, he thought it would be more prudent if these senators and representatives communicated with one another through teleconferencing.

What a brilliant idea.

Not only would it help out the taxpayers, it would squelch the special interest groups who metaphorically lay in bed with these men and women.

This idea of dad’s was driven home with me this week when I personally had the opportunity to participate in a teleconference.

The Warren County office of the MSU Extension Center hosted a Quick Bite program this Thursday, and I signed on to participate.

For those who don’t know how a teleconference works, one way to describe it would be to compare it to Face Time on a computer or smart phone.

And for those who aren’t familiar with Face Time, a teleconference is when telecommunication (phone/internet) networks allow people to virtually be in the same room.

For example, during the Quick Bite program, I could see and speak to MSU extension instructor Lauren Lindley, who was in Starkville, and she could also see and talk to me. And in addition to our interaction, I could also see and hear and speak to the other participants that were tuned in from around the state.

It was the coolest thing!

Hubby uses this form of communication on a regular basis as an on-line instructor for Walden University.

So why do you think that with all the supposed intellect that resides in Washington, D.C., our leaders have not thought to take advantage of this form of technology.

Could it be they enjoy the city’s cherry blossom season more than their own home state’s agricultural beauties or maybe living in a “big” city is more exciting than traveling down the rural streets of their home states?

And certainly listening to one of their constituent’s concerns is not nearly as interesting and lucrative as mulling over all the promises made to them by lobbyists?

It is time for this to change.

Us little people are tired of hoping and wishing for things to be different. We are ready for our voices to be heard.

We need to take to task all of those we have elected and demand they live among us and represent us accordingly.

It’s obvious this cannot be achieved by our national senators and representatives, who live so far from home.

Like a student who plays around in college and doesn’t take seriously the objective, it is time for these folks to come home and get a taste of the real world.

Terri Cowart Frazier is a staff writer for The Vicksburg Post. You may reach her at terri.frazier@vicksburgpost.com