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Aug. 19, 2006 America needs a vision. A real vision. Not something created to buy votes but an actual vision that works for all Americans. Partisanship only creates a great divide that cannot be branched by any special interest or back door deal. Some ever pretend to be true uniters but I'm not buying it. It is something that should be a marriage betweren idealists and realists, throwing ideas at each other and seeing what this group of people can come up with. The problem lies in the utter hatred between of both sides. Neither party is totally right nor totally wrong. But neither side wants to compromise in fear of losing what assumed ground they have. Americans, like it or not, need governance. Without it they have little chance to pursue their dreams or fulfill their goals nor do they have the protections they so desperately need. This is where a true goverment of the people, by the people and for the people comes into play. But how does out government learn to compromise without almost starting over again from stratch? Do we elect all new officials? Do we have a new constitutional congress that spends months, maybe years, pounding out a new constitution to fit these modern times? Some believe that ther founding documents are set in concrete. OThers believe that it they are living documents. I believe it is high time for all parties to re-evaluate what they want out of government, find the common points and common interests and work towards the goals of working for the common good, not the partisan interest. I think both major political parties have lost their ways and need to be cleansed of their current way of thinking. Getting back to basics is not a bad thing. It can be good for their platform and great for theose they represent. And I cansee great things coming from such an undertaking ala Mr. Smith Goes to Washington. Realizing that there are common interests and realizing that there are people at stake, rich and poor, can help in a catharsis of thought that would allow the goverment to regain the respect it truly deserves. But how would I do it? First I would purge the ranks of Congress of people who have no business in running a government. I am talking about those in it for the power and benefits, not the true ideals of representing the people. Second would be a massive trimming down of benefits for those in Congress. It makes no sense to make Congress a place where the rich get richer and the poor grow in ranks. Just because someone can afford to run for Congress doesn't mean they are qualified to work their. You wouldn't let a plumber remove your appendix, would you? (unless they were a board-certified MD) So why would you let someone who has a lot of money and a bunch of buddies in high places decide that your rights only matter if you have a six-figure income? The third thing would be to have term limits. And, after that term, you go back to being Joe Citizen with no pension for life kind of thing. If you had enough money to get into Congress then I am sure you can make your own money once it is over. I am tired of politics being a popularity contest. That is fine for student councils where the elected officials have no real authority but this is a federal government for crying out loud. Like it or not, the president should not be elected based on if you would want a beer with them or not. Do CEOs get elected that way? Don't you think that they should have at least some kind of qualifications to be the chief of executive of a country? Lastly I would say the best way of reinventing government would come to be known as the "Great Apology." What this would consist of is not just saying that we are sorry for basically going against the principles our founding fathers set out to have govern this great land but it would also consist of a new way of being honest with the people of America, no matter the outcome. Too much has transpired in the way of deception to not work towards the common goal of bringing honesty back to our country. There are too many secrets, too many half-truths and too many back door deals and add ons that it is time to come to terms with why we were created in the first place. America has become exactly the government it was trying to get away from. Now is the time to turn things around and work towardsre-establishing credibility to those we govern and the world we ticked off. I believe that we not only make amends but get back into what it means to be a free country. We need to accept truths for what they are and do something about it with no motivation but to do the right thing. I hope I can convince some of you that it is time to come together for the benefit of all. Otherwise I can only see it getting uglier. Peace. ------------ About the author: Nicholas Olson is a long-time journalist who has been a columnist at his college newspaper and is currently a military journalist. Email: nicholasjolson@yahoo.com Comment on this article here! ------------ All articles are EXCLUSIVE to Useless-Knowledge.com. Please link to this article rather than copying and pasting it onto your site (which would be unauthorized and illegal). |
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