WHAT TO DO - A MORAL IMPERATIVE

Folks are overwhelmed to the point of just throwing up their hands, giving up, and sitting down and doing absolutely nothing. We view ourselves as “babes in the woods”, “Hansel and Gretel”; and worse yet, as victims of a system gone awry. This is a very dangerous situation in which to be. The victim mentality places us into a survival mode of thought.

The survival instinct, embedded in every single human being (and all other life) is the gut-level initiator of actions. In this survival mode, our perceptions are very often distorted. We often ignore very important input. Basically, we set a goal, which is perceived as a solution to our problem, which oftentimes is not the real solution; and then, we pursue that goal to the exclusion of any other possible alternatives. Our vision becomes tunneled, we see nothing but the goal. We do not even see the necessary steps to get to that goal. It becomes “goal, or bust!” And, many people in survival situations DIE, because of it! In fact, more people die, than survive! We must take the time to assess our options BEFORE we act!

Right now, there are hundreds of groups around our country trying to effect change in the way things are done. No doubt, change needs to be initiated. But, have we overlooked some very important facts? Have we initiated actions which are the result of tunneled vision? More importantly, have we, individually, entered this survival mode of thinking? How many times have you heard some form of the word “survive” used in everyday discussion, in support of some action, in describing what you are going to do?

So, “Where do we go from here?” becomes the question of the day. And, the answer will determine what our communities, our states, our nation, and ultimately, what the world becomes for our children, our children’s children, and our children’s, children’s, children First, we need to assess the way things have been established for the survival of our nation, which ultimately, determines our individual survival.

I‘m not going to waste time and paper, talking about what we hear about what our “Founding Fathers” did in establishing our Constitution, and our Republican form of government - except to point out the single most important feature: Our government is forever to be a government, “OF the people, BY the people, FOR the people”.

Abraham Lincoln's words at Gettysburg now applies to our entire nation:

"But, in a larger sense, we can not dedicate -- we can not consecrate -- we can not hallow -- this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us -- that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion -- that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain -- that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom -- and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth."

“We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.” -
The Preamble to The Constitution of The United States of America.

“The people made the Constitution, and the people can unmake it.
It is the creature of their will, and lives only by their will.”
Chief Justice John Marshall - 1821

That said, let us look at how that government was actually to be instituted, and preserved. First, it is “we the people” who are to do these things, both initiate and preserve. The Founding Fathers envisioned a government with its foundation built on the masses of the people, much like the base of a triangle. Every entity of government arising from the will of the people would, of necessity, be under the control of “we the people” governed by that entity of government, from the local (county) level to the national (Federal Government) level. Consider, the imagery of the triangle: from the base; from the mass of the people arise smaller and smaller entities of government, up to the highest level, the Federal Government. Granted, the portion of the triangle representing the various levels of government may be greater or smaller, depending on how we envision the business of government. But, consider this: The larger the portion representing the government, the greater the weight upon the people, the foundation of that government. This is absolutely true in every single incidence of governmental intervention into the lives of the people, irrespective of the particular governmental entity! The more of our individual responsibility to live a decent, orderly life that we give to the government, the greater becomes our individual burden, our individual responsibility, to insure that the government carries out; not THAT, but OUR responsibility.

It becomes very evident, that the mess we are in right now, stems solely from the rejection by the masses of “we the people”, of our individual responsibility to support, and preserve, the rightful government instituted “in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity”.

We have simply forgotten our rightful place in the hierarchy of our government. Instead of having a government dependent upon the mass of “we the people”, we have a government entirely in the control of a very few people, who “we the people” mistakenly believe have our individual interests, our county interests, our state interests, and our national interest, at heart. We have become drugged (in some cases, quite literally), into a euphoric sense of security, which does not exist. We have relinquished our responsibilities; and in doing so, have become irresponsible babies in the hands of tyrants. IT IS TIME WE GREW UP, shoulder our responsibilities like a grown human being is expected to do, and do the one thing that will change this scenario… get educated, motivated, and involved in the everyday affairs of our government, at whatever level we can. That is, educated, in the processes of our political party structures; motivated, to help change the processes so “we the people” remain in control; and involved, in every decision made in your local political party, and government, to the extent possible.

And, this is not a “well, I’ll do see what I can work in….; I’ll try to find some time for…; I don’t think….” You will do it; or, you will not; that simple. And, just as simply, you’ll wallow in the cesspool of the government we now have. Or, you’ll assume your personal responsibility, your moral imperative, and help change the way things are going. Your responsibility, your choice.

Our Founding Fathers built our government upon the moral imperative that we live a decent, orderly life which would necessitate a very limited government. Since our social imperative, “that every individual is free to be and do whatever he chooses“, instills the new moral imperative that “everyone else is to be allowed to be and do whatever he chooses”, we now have a society that has relinquished its collective responsibility en toto. Nothing matters so long as I can be and do whatever I want to be and do! It requires only a glimpse at the entertainment, the activities, and the news which the vast majority of our society (literally) enjoys! This is not the society our Founding Fathers envisioned for America!

The original “American Dream” was of a free society of free people, governed by the free people. Somewhere along in time, it became “a mule and 10 acres”. Later, it was a “a washing machine and a Chevrolet”. Then, it changed to our own house and two cars. Now, the sky’s the limit. “Take everything you can, by whatever means, and live like the devil” (figuratively and literally). Have the “things we can buy” displaced the “things we cannot do without”? A glimpse of the current structure of society can reveal some amazing things!

“The things we can buy” necessitates something with which to purchase them. Now, in the everyday scheme of things, we work all the hours we, and our spouses/partners/significant others, etc., can work, for which we receive a token amount of money. Of course, my time is not nearly so valuable as someone else’s might be to them; so I’ll settle for much less than others will. (After all, it’s only my lifetime I have to spend.) “The relative value of my (life)time is directly proportional to the amount of money I have available to use.” There are very few people, around the world, to whom that statement does not apply! Money (of any kind) has become the measure of a man, not “free”, “slave”, “oppressed”, or “praised”. This mentality has changed the political processes of our country.

Currently, it is the few people with massive amounts of money that control the politicians and agendas of our government. Numerous people who are citizens of the United States (and, others), have more money than the leaders of just as numerous other countries! And, the money they possess controls, in all likelihood, just as many people as do those other leaders. This means that our government is controlled from the top down, not the bottom up. The national level of our political parties decide who and what they will support, depending upon who gives the most money. They tell the state level what the agenda is to be; and the state party sends it down to the local level. Then, the folks who bought the party leaders, now dump more and more into the campaigns of their choices, and simply, buy the position. Coupled with a mass media owned, pretty much, by the very same folks, we are cajoled, entertained, and coerced into voting for/choosing/”confirming” their candidates. “Money makes the world go ’round” is a fairly common saying these days; but, IT IS NOT TRUE! Money makes things go around the world, but money will never stop the earth in its orbit, or in its rotation!

?Have you ever stopped to consider what the real benefits of a government properly controlled by “we, the people” would accomplish?

Campaign Finance Reform would be instantaneous. “We, the people” would not support anyone who received “bribes” from anyone. It would not fit the moral imperative under which we would be operating.

Transparency in Government would be self evident, because “we, the people” would tell our representatives how to vote on all issues, great and small. Or, they wouldn’t be back!

A balanced budget would be attained, simply by doing as “we, the people” have to do if our own finances would become so entangled. Stop borrowing, stop unnecessary spending, and cut back on what we give ourselves (our representatives). “We, the people” are obligated to cut wages, cut benefits, find better means of doing business; our government would get no better consideration.

The tax schedule would be adjusted to fit the income of “we, the people”. Those who have more, would be obligated to give more.

Lobbyists would have to present their demands on a moral imperative platform, because the representatives are going to vote the will of “we, the people”. Therefore, the lobbyists will have to convince “we, the people” of the validity of their claims.

An “all or none” approach to issues would probably become the order of the day. Either all of the governed of any particular government entity would benefit by proposed legislation, or none of the governed would be burdened with the cost.

Large business entities would no longer prevent the local businessman from competing fairly by means of government subsidies. If anything, the tables would be turned and local businesses would become the recipient of the subsidies, as well as lower income level folks, the disadvantaged, and the impoverished. Our moral imperative would see to that!