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 Jan 27 2010 4:40pm
I am reporting this from a thread on
the discussion Board. It is sort of my evolving ideas on the
"Pledge" idea we discussed in CS episode #168.
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Okay...this is not yet the "Pledge" I promised in show #168. As I was
writing it it turned into some sort of declaration (ending with the
phrase we are using on one of our upcoming T-shirts).
But, I
thought I would (In Churchill's words) "Fling it to the Public" in its
current form and see what you thought of the first draft.
Here it is...
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Is our system of government broken?
That
is a powerful and important question to ask. It has huge ramifications.
It is also a bit upsetting to think that something we take so much
pride in may be in so much trouble. But if we are ever going to make
things better, we need to admit how bad things have become.
We
all know that there is a big difference between an ideal government on
paper and the way any government actually runs. A founding document may
proclaim in high-minded Enlightenment era tones about the power of "We
the People", but when all the other real-world narrow interests get
through with our Washington D.C. elected officials, there is often
precious little reason or incentive for government to concern itself
with the broader good of all Americans.
Yet it is the broader
good that is in need of massive attention right now. All the issues
that people of different ideological stripes debate every day come
second to the idea that the conduit between "The People" and our
government has somehow, over time, become severed. It doesn't matter
what your political viewpoints are, all Americans want a government
that reflects the will of the People and one that can perceive and deal
with the important major issues that affect us all, rather than voting
against those broader interest because of the narrower concerns of some
corporation or a powerful special interest group. Those elements play a
legitimate role in our system, but they should not play the preeminent
one.
Yet anyone watching must be dismayed by the obvious
inability of Washington to cope with the big problems on the table.
Bills to address major issues like heath care and government deficits
and debt are diluted, whittled down and laden with pork by special
interests until they become frighteningly expensive efforts sold as
"reform" but which solve nothing (or maybe even compound the original
problem). This is the warning sign of a systematic failing in our
government.
And yet, as the problems become worse Americans turn
on each other when they need to be joining forces. The partisan ire
between Democrats and Republicans has never been more vicious, fanned
in the media (for ratings and money) and exploited by the political
parties. This is the equivalent of the real rulers of this country, The
People, fiddling while Rome burns.
There will be plenty of time
for us to all fight with each other over questions of political
ideology and social and cultural issues. In the "arena of ideas" that
our country is designed to be, that's part of the process. Yet victory
in the Arena of Ideas means nothing if the government isn't crafting
legislation and policy to reflect such realities. All our little
political squabbles are just a game and "victory" is meaningless if the
People are not really the ones calling the shots.
We are divided by many things. These divisions are being exploited by many outside interests for many reasons.
But Americans of all ideas and persuasions have certain issues and interests that unite us all.
We all want:
A
Government that works. Good government is essential for a strong
country. It makes the long-term decisions that set up the future
prosperity of the nation so that this generation's children also have a
strong, prosperous country in which to live and raise another
generation.
If the government is so co-opted by narrow, segmented
societal interests that it cannot address issues of broader impact and
concern, then it cannot function and is an impediment to reform. Even
if the citizens seek changes to the system the co-opted government can
stifle such reform efforts to protect the current way of doing things.
The
#1 issue facing the United States of America is a systematic one. No
system is maintenance-free and ours is long overdue for reform. The
longer it goes without maintenance, the more brittle and calcified it
becomes. We need to repair the connection between the Government and
the People who vote for it or none of our other concerns matter.
The
issues facing the nation are bi-partisan problems. They will not be
fixed by one party (and yet neither major political party has any
incentive to work with its adversary). The two major political parties
are actually more of a hindrance than a help, and they play a major
role in perpetuating the current state of affairs. The systematic
repairs that are needed will have to come in spite of the Democratic
and Republican parties, not via them.
We Americans are an
inventive people. When motivated we are capable of great things. No one
has all the answers to address the issues we face. But if we will at
least openly acknowledge the scope of the problem, and the need to
unite and focus our ingenuity to deal with it, we will have taken the
crucial first step that any reform effort starts with.
The Government is Broken. What are you going to do about it?
Okay...now I have to get back to the upcoming HH show...
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