What Makes America Great?

What makes America great? Is it the air we breathe, the water we consume, the teams we cheer for, the religious choices we get to make, the right to bear arms or the freedom of speech? What makes America great? Is it because we have rules of law and our systems of infrastructure? Is it the right to serve and enlist in the military or the right to join local volunteer organizations? Maybe the freedom to make choices? 

Do these things make America great or are they the byproduct of individual innovation and a pursuit of good will for our neighbor? Are these the byproduct of years of trial and error OR did we come to this end with some level of intentionality?

Some celebrate and some groan on the backside of elections. “Our team WON!!!” OR “Dang It, we will get ‘em next time!” The hope is that the vote we cast is not made in vain. I have heard for years that the job of a politician is to keep getting elected which seems to be a complete departure from the people’s motivation to “not vote in vain.” It’s an illusion that “said politician” learns over time, if not in the beginning, the illusion quickly becomes apparent…”follow through on a few promises and then focus on re-election.”

There are several senators and representatives who have been in office for years. “Fighting” on behalf of those who voted for them while becoming tycoons in the stock market. Many of these personal investments can be tied directly to insider information that those elected hear about, vote on or see coming long before the opportunities are revealed to the public. A few years ago, a college student started to notice patterns with nationally elected officials. He developed an investment application that followed and mimicked the real time investments of those elected officials and began to make millions himself. Later he opened the platform for everyday people to invest as well. Sounded smart to me, but is it the college student or the elected official who is smart? Tom Carper(D), Rick Scott(R) and Nancy Pelosi(D) might be some to investigate. Is this wrong? This is not a new concept, with stories of Jack Brooks having to borrow money for a train ticket to Washington D.C. after being elected and then retiring as a millionaire.

Is this wrong? Is it wrong for our elected officials to reap personal financial gains as a result of being elected? Is it the hope that “your team” will hold the corrupt accountable? Is it the hope that those you elect are not corrupt or self-serving and that they spearhead a movement for accountability?

Unfortunately, the populous often go to sleep when elections are over. “We did our job, now let’s see what “our candidate” will do!” We the People almost beg for a middleman to rid themselves of personal responsibility while creating a focal point of liability and blame. So then do we get mad when they enrich themselves? “We the People” elect those to positions of authority in hope that they fulfill the promises to “We the People.” Do we even care? Does it really matter? Is it smart or wrong to use an elected position for personal gain? This is where I fear the dilemma is. Do WE believe it is wrong? Or is it smart?

Is this not the issue? Some say it’s smart while others hold a more purist view. Are we puritans and saints or are we self-serving when the opportunity presents itself.

I spoke at a political club gathering some time back. It was like most small political groups. A group of elderly types with big hearts gathering to eat some lunch and be entertained with this month’s speaker. One or two spoke up about a few serious state related issues but got little to no traction with the group other than some smirks and squirms. The speakers almost got the same reaction a child completing its first sentence might get from a grandparent… “Awe, look at them… they got all the words right and look how passionate!” It was a familiar couched condescension of those tired of beating a war drum. I took my time to present a challenge much like I am doing now. The audience consisted of a group of people from their mid-fifties on up. I’ve heard for years that the older a person gets, they begin to question their role in society, place in community and their importance. So, I went straight after that.

I started by saying, “How many of you feel like you do not have a voice in what is going on in America anymore? A few heads started to nod.

I then said, “Do you believe there is corruption in Washington?”

Many said “Yes!”

I continued with, “Do you believe we need to do something about it?”

Audience responded, “Absolutely!”

I asked, “Do you believe there is corruption in this county?”

Again, answering with an emphatic “YES.”

I said, “We can all see the problem but many of us can’t put a finger on the solution.”

Towards the end, the group sat silent while I reminded them, “We are all complicit! WE ARE ALL COMPLICIT! If we believe there is corruption in this county and do not try to find a trustworthy candidate to run against those in leadership… then we are complicit in the corruption.” I felt a sense of inspiration upon hearing that some of the people immediately went out and began to look for that candidate that would not go along with corruption.

The unfortunate part is that WE THE PEOPLE can’t determine if using an elected position for personal gain is smart or corrupt. Why do I keep saying this? We are all on one side or the other. We have purists on one side and those who will use their positions for gain on the other. Have we always been this way? Or has this sense of “self” leveled up over the last few years.

For the non-purist, has the goal always been self? And if so, what does that say about who we are as people because charting this out only ends in selfish intent warring with other selfish intent. In a way, we all want to do good by ourselves and our families and further our personal goals but should an elected position be the tool for that bidding?

Aren’t we all in the cross hairs of being selfless or selfish with our positions? The constitution of a man should be to take care of himself and his family but does that extend to self-gain as long as we don’t break any laws.

There are a lot of secrets in these counties and many in elected government. Far too many for this editorial piece. I struggle with some of the information I am privy to. Waste Management documentation potentially falsified, misappropriation of funds to rehab a kitchen, people selling property that is still owned by the county, elected officials investing in companies that received tax benefits, line itemed “prison money” being spent out of the general fund, timber and property being stolen, lawsuits and settlements, pay-offs and buy outs, this one saying the county is broke and telling the employees not to cash their checks yet, while the county buys new equipment out of the bonded fund account, this one scratching the others back because we are all in the same club and while that one scratching is being investigated by the feds. Is it really all a secret or are we all just complicit and the purist bury their heads while the self-centered serve themselves. Yes, yes, these are all rumors… conjecture… rumor… rubbish… suppositions… surmisings and yes, you might be finding me writing through a drunken stooper… and maybe I made it all up. Who knows? What is real? What is right and what is wrong? Interesting sidenote though, some, all or none of these secrets sit in pews on Sunday. This is not hidden.

Who can reconcile all of this? I like to think of myself as 40% selfless, 40% selfish with 20% undecided, but most of the time the gears inside steer me to the nobler side of things. Not saying I’m a saint but in my own selfish way… I don’t sleep well when I operate from my selfish inclinations. Although for some, they tend to sleep like babies. I was asked years ago, “Can you be bought?” My answer was a youthful, “Absolutely not!” The mentor stated, “You haven’t heard the price yet!” I said, “What price?” He said, “YOUR Price! You haven’t heard the PRICE that puts you on the roll.” I said, “What roll?” He laughed, “The Payroll! Everyone has a price, and you haven’t heard yours yet.”

Which brings me to this final point, someone might buy me off tomorrow. Someone might find me in a moment of weakness and present a price I can’t refuse. Ultimately, America’s greatness does not stand on the ideals we profess but it rests in the choices we make. What is right and what is wrong. What do we stand for and what will we tolerate. I say, "Whatever makes you sleep sound and doesn't make you flinch when you look in the mirror. 

We, America, are in dangerous times and danger comes in all shapes and sizes. Danger comes from decisions made and not made. We are in danger of not defining what we will tolerate with our national leaders as well as those who lead at home. The danger is complacency. Hold the line!

The most dangerous ones to the system are not the gossips or rebellious, not the Facebook warring intimidators or bullies. The most dangerous are those who are calculated, informed and make their individual choice to serve the community as selflessly as possible by holding corruption accountable at all costs. This requires an engaged team.

Is it a question of Smart? Is it a question of ethics? Is it a question of right and wrong? Is it a question of our lives pointing to a better way for all people? If it’s a question…it will be questioned and if it’s a question of being bought… I will try to stay NotOnThePayroll.