Political Agendas and National Identity

While our economic system struggles through the changes that are the result of globalization and modernization, what is the focus on softening the impact of these turbulent times on the most vulnerable members of our society?  Will the way politicians handle the budget cuts reflect what is politically expedient, or a value system that defines us.  That’s what determines whether our nation will not only be able to recover, but prosper.  The agendas we pursue will dictate who we are.

So, who are we?  I’d like to think we’re a country that can handle the truth.  We’ve had a tremendous amount of prosperity in this nation and we’ve become lazy and selfish, and our political process reflects that.  We’ve focused on what our politicians can do for us, rather than what J.F.K. said, we could do for our country.  We want quick easy solutions, regardless of what the long term consequences or costs will be.  A resourceful and industrious people can only remain so if they recognize that building a society is not simply a matter of political decisions.  A government cannot spoon feed civilization into a society.  It is up to the people to have a social consciousness that will then be reflected by the political process.

If the goal of freedom is simply to pursue selfish goals, then it is natural to think that solving our economic problems will allow us to revert to the natural order of things.  However, it is precisely because of that avarice that wealth is pursued and hoarded to the point where people are blind to the destruction inflicted upon society by their greed.  The market collapse of 2008 was just another symptom of the culture of ME!

Modern, commercialized man is indoctrinated to believe freedom is simply the opportunity to pursue their own agenda, especially when it comes to matters of making and spending money.  While a functioning capitalist system requires most decisions, regardless of social consequences, to be made by individuals, it is not necessary that these decisions are made without consideration for the rest of society.  Educating people to do so is how we transition to a culture of WE!

The Green movement has gotten people to think about the bigger picture with respect to how their consumption affects the environment.  This attitude needs to be transcended into how our political, economic and legal systems impact people.  In the short term, it should be reflected in how we make our budget cuts.  With the breakdown of the family and other social institutions, our government plays a crucial role in caring for the most vulnerable members of our society.  The elderly and the disabled should not be taking a hit, especially those that are institutionalized.  Nor should the educational system, upon which the future of our economy is dependent.