What To Do, People?

The income gap. Overflowing prisons. Drones. Torture. Global military presence. Rogue banking system. Campaign finance. Money = People. Gerrymandering. Decaying public education. Increased skepticism of government. Lack of economic vision. Immigration. Data-mining. Decaying journalistic practices. Misinterpretation of the Constitution. Breakdown of Democracy.

We must first answer:
What is it to be an American? What is the vision of what We want to be — both in a domestic context and in a global context? How do We get there?

Freedom of Speech

Increasing the opportunity of those with more money to donate more money to politics un-evens the playing field for the Voices of the People with less money. So much for equal opportunity.

To Think or Not to Think

Alexis DeTocqueville said that one day Americans will decide they’d rather be amused than think deeply about matters. Are we already there? If so, what do we do?

A More Perfect Union

Ideals are imperative to the existence and thriving of a free People, especially to the dialogue among it. It is when the ideals of others are ignored that we become not principled, but stubborn. This obstinance not only hinders progress, it blurs the vision of the Constitution — that of a civil society in which the People may freely pursue their happiness while building a “more perfect union.”

The solution to the obstinance? I have not a clue. Happiness, freedom, and unity can be defined differently for everyone. The writers of the Constitution, though, knew of our limitations as human beings –especially of our inability to be perfect. We do not live in Pleasantville; we are going to disagree. It is when the dialogue, being necessary to building a more perfect union, breaks down that we truly lose our freedom — a thought that our government and People need to digest.

A Level Playing Field

A “more perfect union” can become so only under equitable conditions.