Where Are Our Visionaries?

We are no longer a people of action destined for great things. We are a people of talkers destined to talk about some incident until no one can hear it or cares to hear it. And, when we take action, a faction of American politicians and pundits do everything in their power to derail and demonize any program or idea that does not fit into their limited scope no matter how positively it will impact the country as a whole be it healthcare or food programs or highway and bridge repair or NASA.

As a nation that one time set its sights on the moon and beyond that built the largest transportation infrastructure the world has ever seen, we have become rather pedestrian in our present visions. We still build the deadliest weapons ever imagined, but we no longer seem to have the ability to see the big picture as far as society stands. Politicians are unable and unwilling to take risks to propel us forward.

We are trapped in a twenty-four hour news cycle. We can only see the small and petty. We do not trust each other and can longer no come together to better society and more forward.  There is no way for people from differing ideologies to step up and compromise. It is this my way or the highway philosophy that signals the decline of a once great country, which brought together divergent opinions to drive the ideals and ideas of America forward. It is a sad and disheartening time to be an American.

As a country and a society we are at a crossroads. We are at a place that where politicians in so called leadership positions want to jettison many of the beliefs that the government is here for the benefit of society. I realize that in 1980 Ronald Reagan signaled the beginning of the end in terms of the benefits of modern government as far as creating a safety net to protect all Americans no matter their situation. Today, there are far too many politicians that want to punish Americans that they deem as being unproductive and a drain on society while giving away more and more of the American Dream to corporate America.

This is nothing new as societies go throughout history. The powerful always use their influence and position to protect and enhance their interests on the backs of the weakest in society, and when the government sides with the wealthiest, then, we as a society have to decide if we really want to go this way and penalize the lowest on the economic scale.

Starting in the 20^th century the American experiment became an idea that wealth could be spread through more of society under the guidance of the government. American capitalism was never purely a libertarian ideal. Throughout American history the government has stepped in and regulated commerce and behavior. Sometimes to the benefit of the wealthiest and sometimes to the benefit of the poorest. There has always been volatility between the classes, which is why governmental interventions are used to stabilize economic tensions. In the last 6 years, we the people just made 10 billion dollars from GM by giving them a loan to prevent bankruptcy. This is not the first time the government has stepped in to help business.

So we have to ask ourselves the question, “Is government the problem or the solution?” This is a critical moment in history where we are faced with important decisions that will determine the trajectory of our society for a generation. The battle over government intervention will get uglier before it gets better. The distrust and anger is palpable. But, as Americans, we must take on this problem.

Healthcare is the first and foremost issue for Americans today. The lies and misrepresentation of the new system are flying across the air waves. It is these extreme views that are helping to eat away at the fabric of our society. And, it is the average American that will be hurt by all these attacks and misrepresentations.

It is disgusting that politicians and pundits alike are lying through their teeth and want to refuse to help their fellow citizens. The majority of these talking heads have never missed a meal or been denied medical coverage in their lives. They are unable or unwilling to empathize with others who are hurting and not being served by the capitalistic system in its present configuration.

In their world, there is no room for hungry children, there is no room for the uninsured and sick in our country. It is time for those in power to get off their high horse and see what it is like at the bottom rung of the ladder. All Americans need to look beyond our on individual needs and think about the needs of society.  This idea is not communism or socialism.  It is humanitarianism. We will send food and supplies half world away but we will not feed or cloth or immunize an American child in need.

In the future, where will the visionaries come? Who will work for the greater good of society whether it is to develop the next extraordinary space mission or take care of the sick, hungry and tired? Have those words emblazoned on the Statue of Liberty become fiction?