A Fractured Nation

by: Les Carpenter
Rational Nation USA
Birthplace of Independent Conservatism

The picture to your right represents businessmen {forgive me ladies I couldn't find a picture with businesswomen in my limited time}working together in teamwork to find resolution to business problems that effect them all. As well as those who work for and depend on them making the right decisions for the business. The business that pays all their salaries and upon which all their livelihoods depend.

Teamwork. Concept seems simple enough to me. I am sure it does to you as well. Hm.

If the above paragraph(s) make any sense at all then does it not make sense that teamwork in government might make sense as well? Just asking because I sure as hell haven't found the answer to that question on conservative blogs {even my own}, conservative news sites, liberal blogs {including Truth 101}, liberal news sites or anywhere else for that matter.

I find myself wondering why. Cant't help it. There is certainly a wealth of intelligent fiscal conservatives, Libertarian, modern  liberals, classical liberals, social conservatives etc. and yet we find our nation in the most divisive state since perhaps the mid 1800's.

I just recently felt a strong need to take a hiatus. Still do. But as I spent the time bouncing from site to site, including conservative, Libertarian, and liberal I began to realize that each and every one of them really want what is best for America.

Having thought the above I had to ask myself just what is it that I feel is best for America. After going through the list of my fiscally conservative, moderate  Libertarian, and classical liberal beliefs  I realized it is the need for the proponents of all the varying belief systems, and political  principles to talk with each other rather than at each other.

It is time for all special interests to put American interests first. It is time that labor unions recognize business is their life blood. It is time that corporations recognize that labor is the engine that drives their success. It is time that corporations, labor, and government actually acknowledge this nation is indeed standing on the precipice. It is time for solutions. Time for American solutions to the unique problems that are America's.

A I stand prepared to be criticized by both the hard right as well as the hard left I stand ready. As an independent conservative, the owner of  the site that is the Birthplace of Independent Conservatism, I know that America has a population that indeed loves their country, its Constitution, and its way of life. Which for all you far left leaning dudes and dudettes is pretty damn good!

Now, as I prepare to once again return to my well earned, if I may say so myself, hiatus, I shall leave my thoughts for your consideration. I assure my brethren of the fiscal conservative right, and my brethren of the moderate Libertarian center, and my brethren of the Classical Liberal left, I have not, and will not forgo weighing in on all issues of state and national importance based on how I view them from my unique perspective. I simply have grown to realize that no political or philosophical premise can stand only on its own beliefs. We are a diverse nation of ideas. We always have been.

Is that not how our founders saw it? It is not correct ? I leave it to you to decide.

Cross posted to the Left Coast Rebel.

Comments

  1. Jersey McJonesMon Mar 07, 06:07:00 PM EST

    From now on, whenever someone is on vacation, or on the weekend, or whatever, and they work - I'm calling it Doing a Les! LOL! ;)

    I always considered myself a realist first and a liberal second. Part of that realistic worldview is the understanding that we live in a world in which capitalism must be balanced with socialism, nationalism must be balanced by ethicism, free trade must be balanced by fair trade. It's not, nor ever was, all one or the other. Effective government is compromise, it is balance..

    I have a few expressions I often use:

    "Life is roughly half luck, and half what you make of it."

    "Not everything necessary is profitable, nor should be, and not everything profitable is necessary, nor should be."

    "Those who feel compelled to rationalize their faith are those with very weak faith indeed."

    There is one other expression I also always observe:

    "Follow the money."

    I think if we all just remembered these tenets, we'd all be able to work together much better.

    JMJ

    ReplyDelete
  2. Eric NorenMon Mar 07, 08:06:00 PM EST

    Interesting idea that if teamwork is so good for business, why wouldn't it be good for government. My first thought was that both parties are too heavily influenced by ideologues, so meeting in the middle is counter-productive when the goal is to be reelected. As I've written in the three political tensions, they need a little more pragmatism and less ideology.

    My second thought is that businesses are moving toward a common goal, so teamwork within an organization makes sense. But I'm growing to believe that our two parties don't have the same goals anymore, so teamwork doesn't make sense. When you factor in that politicians' goals are to be reelected, while our goals are to make a better country, and lobbyists are trying to divide the spoils, you see that no one seems to have a common goal anymore.

    Lastly, I'm not so sure that teamwork even works in business anymore. You'll never hear me say that in an interview, but while everyone lauds teamwork and being a good team player, I'm not convinced it isn't just a big drain on resources. Meetings are just dollars being flushed down the toilet. Teams only distribute decision making and eliminate accountability.

    There are some good examples where two heads are proven to be better than one, but the business world has overdone it on teamwork.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Will "take no prisoners" HartTue Mar 08, 12:02:00 AM EST

    Dogma and depravity are a powerful mix, RN. I'm not so sure that they can be overtaken. But, yes, those of us who consider ourselves lesser dogmatic/depraved should certainly continue to try.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Les CarpenterTue Mar 08, 08:53:00 AM EST

    Sadly I find myself having to agree with you H.R. and Will. At least to a large extent.

    You both make valid and reasoned observations. The fact that this country has devolved to the condition of which you speak ought to frighten a great many people.

    So, for those of us who try to live by reason and view issues from all sides we simply must continue as you say Will.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Les CarpenterTue Mar 08, 09:04:00 AM EST

    JMJ - Unfortunately capitalism, as it once was and ought to be has vanished from our nation.

    Thanks to the businessmen that shot themselves and a government that was only to willing to craw into bed with business.

    Hence we have subsidies and crony capitalism, and there is worse to come I believe.

    Socialism unfortunately is here to stay. And I suspect, and this is only speculation at this point, that if there is anything good in socialism the very proponents of it will destroy it as well.

    Cynicism seems to be the rule of the day.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Jersey McJonesTue Mar 08, 10:16:00 AM EST

    Les, we are still the most freely capitalistic major nation on the planet - by far. Capitalism is alive and well in America. Yes, the separation of business and state has been eroded and needs to be revamped, but if we can work together on that, we could do tremendous good for this nation.

    As for socialism, we are also still the least socialistic of all the major nations. We have to understand that the erosion of the separation of business and state is not socialism, but rather crony-capitalism, as you said, or as I call it, corporatism. If we can work together to limit corporatism, socialism will be less and less needed or wanted.

    JMJ

    ReplyDelete
  7. commoncentsTue Mar 08, 05:50:00 PM EST

    Thanks for posting this! I always enjoy coming back to your site!!

    Steve
    Common Cents
    http://www.commoncts.blogpsot.com

    ReplyDelete
  8. Les CarpenterTue Mar 08, 06:30:00 PM EST

    JMJ - Perhaps you might find the following interesting.

    http://www.heritage.org/index/

    Interesting, draw your own conclusions.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Les CarpenterTue Mar 08, 06:32:00 PM EST

    Steve - Thanks for stopping by. I ;ll be getting to yours soon as I am back more "full time."

    Les

    ReplyDelete
  10. Jersey McJonesTue Mar 08, 11:01:00 PM EST

    If the US ranks so high on that ridiculously conservative scale, what the heck are you complaining about? That's what I saying in the first place! I'd rather live anywhere than the top nations on that scale!

    JMJ

    ReplyDelete
  11. Les CarpenterWed Mar 09, 12:02:00 AM EST

    JMJ - Study all the data. It is extensive. There are area's we do not rank as favorably.

    Perhaps if some policy geeks with sharp minds for tax structure, trade policy, regulatory sanity, and building manufacturing infrastructure etc. were to put together a comprehensive national economic plan for the future we may be on to a fresh start.

    Of course this won't happen because politicians must worry about getting elected and reelected, CEO's must worry about the next quarters profits (to hell with the next 10 years, the special interests much worry about enlarging their personal piece of the pork pie, and on, and on, and, so forth

    Seems we can't see the forest for the trees.

    Hey, I'm supposed to be on a hiatus.

    ReplyDelete

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