A Night of Reflection... Something Politicians Should do More Often
by: Les Carpenter
Rational Nation USA
Liberty -vs- Tyranny
There was a time when politics was an honest pursuit. Or perhaps choosing to believe so is merely a tired figment of my imagination?
Putting the correctness ascribed, or lack thereof to any given philosophy of government or governance aside, isn't there many examples of exceptional leadership in America's history?
Great thinkers with common vision and cause, who also sometimes vehemently disagreed on method came together and founded our great Republic.
As our nation grew in size and stature we continued to share many common values and yet had many differences. Even given our differences, somehow as a nation we were able to come together for the common good of our Republic and move forward. Thus becoming ever more secure in our founding principles and our liberties.
Americans, and I mean the real people who believed in the principles found in our Declaration of Independence and our Constitution pushed relentlessly to correct the injustices prior generations of Americans overlooked.
Injustices of slavery, the disenfranchisement of Native Americans, women suffrage, child labor, in our time the discrimination against gays and lesbians just for a few examples.
The advancement of individual rights as guaranteed by our constitution has been a steady march and has enlisted the efforts of patriots, people who love the concept of liberty and the ability to lead their lives and secure their happiness as they see fit. Within the framework of respect for the law.
America excelled, becoming the greatest, most powerful, and the wealthiest nation the world has ever known because we were the most creative and industrious. And because we had leaders at the local, state, and national level that understood that ultimately cooperation is required to succeed.
Drawing on the strengths of our people and the competent leadership they elected to lead the country we achieved greatness.
We became the great nation we did because of the strength of our great diversity. A diversity united in a common cause. A cause embraced by all Americans... to insure our liberties wre not infringed upon, and to create he opportunity of prosperity for all.
A prosperity that is realized only by pursuing rational goals and hard sustained work guided by the ethical and moral compass of rational egoism.
The driving force behind America's great journey and her success rests in the fact the nation produced great leaders at times they were most needed.
This last, and important component to maintain continued greatness is glaringly lacking in many of today's politicians and wannabe be leaders. Save a few. From this perch it seems that many are focused on the circus below rather than on the issues of substance.
Rational Nation USA
Liberty -vs- Tyranny
 |
The Four Stages of Reflective Learning |
There was a time when politics was an honest pursuit. Or perhaps choosing to believe so is merely a tired figment of my imagination?
Putting the correctness ascribed, or lack thereof to any given philosophy of government or governance aside, isn't there many examples of exceptional leadership in America's history?
Great thinkers with common vision and cause, who also sometimes vehemently disagreed on method came together and founded our great Republic.
As our nation grew in size and stature we continued to share many common values and yet had many differences. Even given our differences, somehow as a nation we were able to come together for the common good of our Republic and move forward. Thus becoming ever more secure in our founding principles and our liberties.
Americans, and I mean the real people who believed in the principles found in our Declaration of Independence and our Constitution pushed relentlessly to correct the injustices prior generations of Americans overlooked.
Injustices of slavery, the disenfranchisement of Native Americans, women suffrage, child labor, in our time the discrimination against gays and lesbians just for a few examples.
The advancement of individual rights as guaranteed by our constitution has been a steady march and has enlisted the efforts of patriots, people who love the concept of liberty and the ability to lead their lives and secure their happiness as they see fit. Within the framework of respect for the law.
America excelled, becoming the greatest, most powerful, and the wealthiest nation the world has ever known because we were the most creative and industrious. And because we had leaders at the local, state, and national level that understood that ultimately cooperation is required to succeed.
Drawing on the strengths of our people and the competent leadership they elected to lead the country we achieved greatness.
We became the great nation we did because of the strength of our great diversity. A diversity united in a common cause. A cause embraced by all Americans... to insure our liberties wre not infringed upon, and to create he opportunity of prosperity for all.
A prosperity that is realized only by pursuing rational goals and hard sustained work guided by the ethical and moral compass of rational egoism.
The driving force behind America's great journey and her success rests in the fact the nation produced great leaders at times they were most needed.
This last, and important component to maintain continued greatness is glaringly lacking in many of today's politicians and wannabe be leaders. Save a few. From this perch it seems that many are focused on the circus below rather than on the issues of substance.
Guess I don't need to tell you what us religious folks think.
ReplyDeleteWe suffer from an extreme paucity of statesmen these days. The Everett Dirksens, David Borens, Warren Rudmans, Howard Bakers, Lee Hamiltons, Fritz Hollings, etc. have all but literally disappeared, and all that we seemingly have left are progressives and tea partiers (Tom Coburn and Kent Conrad possibly excepted).
ReplyDeleteRational egoism seems a bit of a non sequitur here. The reason we haven't the leadership we need now is that the society - our nation, our people, our lives - has become extremely complex, with complex and serious issues. This isn't about individuals, it's about the society, the masses of individual people.
ReplyDeleteThe people, on the other hand, are intellectually ill-equipped to deal with these issues. They are ill-informed, ill-advised, and looking for answers that no one seems to be offering.
Most Americans want progressive taxation, universal healthcare, strong public schools, more support for higher education, less international involvement, more rights and less infringements, but no one is offering these things. And so, the people become disaffected, and more and more over the course of the past few generations they are disillusioned. Only half of citizens even bother vote, feeling the system is against them no matter what they do or who they vote for.
What we need is a more educated electorate - I do not believe objectivists are interested in promoting that with their tax dollars, regardless of how well earned.
JMJ
jmj... Yawn
ReplyDeleteLes, after reading this, I had a thought I wanted to share with you.
ReplyDeleteNow, you know I am a believer and I read The Scriptures. What I haven't told you is that The Scriptures don't always make me feel happy. The Scriptures smack me down when I need it, and don't put up with my foolishness. The Scriptures point out to me my weaknesses and faults, and also provide the solution for said issues.
Bear with me here...I'm going somewhere with this.
I really, really like The US Constitution. I do. But like The Scriptures, it sometimes hits me hard. I do fancy myself a Conservative, but at times The Constitution puts me in my place on certain issues.
In other words, The US Constitution forces me to bend to it, and not it to me. Just like The Scriptures.
The point: If The Constitution was just a document that didn't challenge me or cause me to consider my own beliefs on governance, it would be worthless to me. I think Ron Paul is successful because just when you think he is going to say something that would justify Conservatism, he says something that justifies The Constitution first and foremost, causing Conservatives to gasp and wonder about Mr. Paul's intentions.
Kinda like his comments about Iran getting nukes. Modern-day Conservatives were freaked out and thought he was handing us over to Iran, but Mr. Paul upheld the Constitution mindset in that like the Founders, he is not interested in being the World's Police.
Like I said, just a thought.
What you want jmj is more people who think just like you and the rest of the statists.
ReplyDeleteYou do not want free THINKING individuals that challenge you and the statist mindset. You want RoboTrons who will bend to your's and the states will.
JMJ said: "Most Americans want progressive taxation"
ReplyDeleteSo do most Republicans, actually. Consider the so-called "Radical", "pro-rich" tax cuts by Bush and Reagan. After these cuts, the rich ended up paying a lot more in dollars and percent of income than the middle class and poor.
"...universal healthcare..."
Now this is a misleading attempt to attach a favorable label on something to make it look better than it is. Now, if you were honest and referred to it as government-controlled healthcare, there'd be little support.
"...strong public schools..."
Conservatives favor this more than liberals. Liberals favor teachers unions which drain money out of schools and bankrupt them. Conservatives oppose this, and favor strengthening public education with charters and other advances.
"...more rights and less infringements..."
The conservatives fit in with this much more than liberals. Look at "Citizens United" for a perfect example. The conservatives protect the right of people to criticize the government, and liberals want it abolished.
"he conservatives protect the right of people to criticize the government, and liberals want it abolished."
ReplyDeleteSo do neo-cons.