Are we losing our way?
Back in 2017, the British Economist declared the United States a flawed democracy. I found this shocking. But when I thought it through, I began to notice more and more my Congressional colleagues putting party and self before country. Which got me wondering, are we a wounded democracy, are we losing our way?
In his inaugural address to the nation, President John F. Kennedy encouraged us to consider, “Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country.” He was asking us to focus on the future wellbeing of our nation, focus on the generations to come, and not on ourselves.
We need to ask ourselves, if we continue to focus on what can our country do for us, and not what we can do for our country, what kind of country are we actually leaving our children?
The fact is, in the year 2000 the national federal debt was less than $6 trillion, today it exceeds a staggering $34 trillion, and still climbing, the result of questionable spending, and one tax cut after another … annual deficit spending and tax cuts for us, and a huge national debt for our children.
And besides accumulating a huge national debt, our roads, bridges and waterways are in serious decline. Our educational programs are depriving too many young people of the education they need to meet the needs of a vastly changing world. Our southern border is alarmingly porous with a flood of immigrants we cannot manage or service. Our cities are confronted with serious crime, and in some parts of our country an increasing lack of drinkable water. And the threat of global warming is upon us, with all the negatives that brings.
The failure to focus on what we can do for our country, by addressing the urgent present and future needs of our nation, cannot continue. The extreme partisan positions of both major parties have bought us to standstill, endangering our democracy, and the country we love so dearly.
The path forward can start by recognizing our Founding Fathers established the Constitution of these United States out of intense compromise, designed to create compromise. Our founding fathers realized in a diverse nation,
We need to ask ourselves, if we continue to focus on what can our country do for us, and not what we can do for our country, what kind of country are we actually leaving our children?
with different cultures, customs and views, compromise is the only way our nation can ever get things done.
In a closely divided Congress, moderate Republicans and Democrats have a unique opportunity to fill the void, and take a leadership role in meaningful dialogue and positive accomplishments.
Compromise will not come easily, but it can become contagious. Moderate lawmakers in both political parties, have an opportunity to take a leadership role by seeking common ground, and saving our democracy from continually spiraling downward.
We cannot lose our way. Americans want and need elected officials who strongly advocate what they believe, but who also realize they cannot dictate the outcome, given there are others with equal passion, holding differing views.
What they can do, is seek a result both sides can accept/live with, and move on to the next issue confronting our nation. And what we can do as patriotic citizens, is recognize and reward those elected officials, who seek to find common ground, with our admiration and enthusiastic support.
Our wounded democracy, our children — and the generations to come — require it.