There is a massive disconnect between Government and the citizens. It no longer matters how it started or when it started or exactly who started it. When problems get this large it no longer matters what side of the aisle you sit on. If you can’t set aside your personal beefs, pet peeves, and ignorant ass opinions when the problems get this big…you don’t deserve to have a seat at the table.
The future of this country is based on education, national security, and infrastructure. I understand there are many other very important things like jobs (which, in my mind, fit in to the above three issues mentioned), environment, and so on…but without those first three issues mentioned, who cares.
When we get to the point that our children are only going to school three days a week due to budget cuts, clearly there are massive problems in this country. And I am not here to say that I have all or any of the answers. However, I am here to say that I care about my city, my county, my state, and my country as much as anyone else out there and I expect better from those leading, and from those watching from the sidelines.
Can we agree that enough is enough? Can we stop the bullshit bickering and constant finger pointing? Can we stop saying that it’s not my problem? It is your problem…and mine. These things impact each and every one of us somehow, some way; maybe not right this second, but trust me that impact is there.
Things that should not be accepted anymore…stubbornness, close mindedness, inability to listen, lack of understanding, petty disagreements, lack of compromise, and screwing our children and grandchildren…the future of our country, our legacy.
Can we at least agree on this?
Let’s start the conversation…but don’t come in riding your white stallion acting like you have the only answers. We all have ideas and opinions, but the biggest hurdle in our way are the rules and regulations that prevent us from making common sense decisions. To the average citizen it makes no sense if there is existing money for a new park and that money can only go toward a new park, when in a common sense world those funds she be able to be transferred for educational purposed (furlough days) or roads that are in absolutely horrendous condition.
I don’t know folks…I get passionate and angry about these things too. At the end of the day we are all people, even politicians. I wish there was a way to filter out the greedy citizens and greedy politicians. I wish there was a way to put responsible people in control that could make common sense judgments and follow through. The next best thing I know to do is at least have the conversation…get involved as much as you can, write letters, email, talk to friends and family, engage your local politicians, and most importantly (from my perspective) leadership today (whether political or in business) is different than it was 10, 20, 50 years ago.
Today’s successful leader needs to be seen and engaged with their “people”, they need to be a source of motivation, they need to rally the troops…it’s a fortunate or unfortunate effect of the times. We have evolved into a very social society where we expect to have access to brands on Facebook or what have you. Times have changed. We can no longer use the same leadership skills from 1950 to run a city, a state, a country, or a business. In return, those of us expecting that need to be open minded and be rational enough to understand that not everything can go the way we want it to.
Anyways, I realize that I am rambling now so I will just end this by saying that we all need to be a little more patient and open minded, but we still need to solve these serious problems with actual solutions, not band-aids. Let’s start talking.
It’s pretty obvious to me that we have lost control of our government at all levels and govenment is now dictating to us what we must do. It’s like the tail wagging the dog. The problem as I see it
is getting enough folks like you and me to be able to come together and reverse the course we are on. Call me a pessimist, but the folks willing to go along with whatever course our elected officials choose seem to far out number those with common sense. The number of protected individuals (Teachers Union, SEIU, welfare recepients of all types and the like) have reached a level that they have enough power to control and are never going to vote out those who promise to protect them from those wanting to change the mess that we are in today. Just my two cents.
I appreciate the comment Ed…I don’t claim to know everything about politics, but I do think the general sentiment is that people don’t trust politicians. I completely agree that it is going to take a lot of people like you and I to stand up and demand/ expect change. That is unlikely, but if it were to happen we just have to be careful to continue working with each to overcome the heap of shit…if you and I suddenly realize that our politics are similar but still pretty different, we’re likely to implode and have the current folks continue their reign.
Overall, I think we need more people being accountable and more people demanding accountability. We’re human, therefore imperfect, but there has to be a better way to communicate and problem solve.