Many pundits and politicians from both sides of the aisle have raised all the usual and obvious issues and priorities: get our economic house in order; control debt and entitlements; reduce unemployment; stop foreclosures; reverse staggering inequities; invest in infrastructure; simplify the tax code; establish energy security; trim military spending; address climate change; protect social programs; tighten financial regulations; invest in skills and technology; resolve immigration issues; encourage innovators and entrepreneurs; incentivize new businesses; support scientific research and advancement; encourage saving and investment; curb the growth of entitlement programs; provide a basic safety net; and more. If you follow the game, you’ve heard or read it all before.
Why haven’t our leaders accomplish these tasks? That is their responsibility. That is why they are elected, paid, and pensioned. These are not terribly complex issues. It’s truly not rocket science, as the saying goes. Many solutions abound from expert and diverse sources. The problem is not with the difficulty of the issues, the difficulty lies in intransigent partisans. Too many think that only their watch tells the right time. It’s the arrogance and utter failure of rigid ideology. It’s the ignorance of partisan politics and partisan politicians.
Rigid ideology is one of eight structural, systemic, or procedural problems that plague our country, have decimated our decision making process, and thereby our democratic form of government. Our process is defunct. The combined impacts of our modern self-created obstacles have distanced us from that which was envisioned for America. If the source is polluted, the stream cannot be pure. Our source and our stream are polluted. The issues below are long overdue for common-sense solutions if we are again to have a government of, by, and for the people that nurtures shared responsibility and shared prosperity.
1. Get the Founder’s Vision Back
Our forefathers, at the gravest personal risks, established the extraordinary form of government that we have inherited. It is a process that emanated from humankind’s natural instinct to be free and evolve – an irrepressible force. The ideals of democracy are the ideals of humanity. Out of the freedom afforded by that foundation grew a strong and prosperous nation.
Rather than respect the integrity of our democratic process, we have drifted away from it and damaged its potential. We have eroded that which has given us our strength.
We have forgotten – if we were ever aware of – the vision of shared prosperity and how to achieve it. Those lawmakers who don’t understand this live in the wrong country and have no business being involved in making laws.
Our form of government, democracy, is one in which political power resides in all the people. As described by Abraham Lincoln, it’s “government of the people, by the people, for the people,” not government of some people, by some people, forsome people. It recognizes the value of widespread participation, broad-based input, and shared opportunity. It invites the richness of diversity.
Democracy implies responsibility. Those who benefit from its opportunities must share in the protection of its integrity. Democracy implies concern for others. It is within the mystery of giving that the human spirit is set free to soar to its highest levels. Democracy represents an appreciation for life, a celebration of diversity, an acceptance of oneself, a rekindling of the human spirit, and the road to peace, freedom, and security.
Democracy says, “Do not look only to yourself and like-minded for answers, rather avail yourself of that which others have to offer, for life is diverse.” Democracy says, “Do not be rigid or inflexible, be open and adaptable for life is dynamic and alive.” Democracy says, “Do not compete with each other, cooperate for life presents challenges enough.” Democracy says, “Do not make participation exclusive, make participation inclusive, for life is all-encompassing.” Democracy says, “Do not gravitate toward extremes, seek moderation for life requires balance.” Democracy says, “Do not represent only those who have influence, represent all for life demands equality.” Finally, Democracy says, “Do not tamper with this process for it is your lifeblood.
Seven Words That Can Change The World - Part 1 from Joe Simonetta on Vimeo.
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