How do we reverse the seemingly inexorable trend of sliding into apathy and oligarchy, covered by a thin veneer of democratic play-acting? How do we revitalize the ideals envisioned by our
founders, and the few of us still bearing torches against the darkness? Especially those of us who swore an oath to protect and defend the Constitution.
PROPOSED SOLUTION NO. 1 – A NEW POLITICAL ENTITY?
Given this overwhelming political inertia, it seems highly unlikely either party will take the first step towards reestablishing amity. However, earlier this year, some former Republican officials publicly floated the idea of splitting from the GOP. Traditionally, third parties have been doomed from the start. Any alteration of our current direction is going to require cooperation from both sides of the aisle. The time for hypothesizing is past. We require politicians from the current parties to exhibit courage.
Any new direction should embrace our traditional core values of individual liberty tempered by collective responsibility; genuine free market capitalism undistorted by corporate misinformation and manipulation; freedom of religious expression but adherence to the principle of separation of church and state; and so on.
The focus would be on effective government, not pandering to religious fundamentalists, special interest groups, and conspiracy theorists. Compromise would not be by whittling proposals down to the lowest common denominator to a solution equally distasteful to all, but by combining the best ideas from both sides to create enduring, admirable solutions. We need to shed the baggage encumbering both current parties who only view accomplishments as success for one side linked to defeat for the other.
PROPOSED SOLUTION NO. 2 – NATIONAL SERVICE
Upon completing secondary education or one’s nineteenth birthday, whichever comes first, that person reports for two years of national service. It doesn’t have to be just the armed forces. There are other programs where people can serve. Even those with disabilities less than completely debilitating; for them, national service could actually be a means of inclusion and validation. National Service could be incentivized by offering higher education or technical training. Everyone has a shared experience; everyone has “skin in the game.”
SOLUTION NO. 3 – FOREIGN POLICY
Our world view needs to be corrected to understand that not all peoples in the world see things the way we do. A foreign policy that is respectful of other nations should drive our defense strategy as well. Can we really justify a defense budget that is not in lock step with how we see the world? With all the military might we possess, it is hard for the rest of the world to not see the United States as paranoid. What are we afraid of?
SOLUTION NO. 4 – BETTER CIVICS EDUCATION
It could be posed that each of us is a representative of the nation. We carry with us the responsibility for maintaining the ideals set forth in the Constitution. Yet we have neglected that responsibility. Could it be that there are few who understand our government? Could it be that there is no sense of national unity that binds us? Would having a better understanding of the mechanics of our democracy strengthen our nation and purpose? We are the maintenance people who have inherited a most unique nation. It requires maintenance. Doing nothing in that regard is the same as working against it.
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