USA:Jump Ship or Fix

A recurring theme for a lot of people in my small group of  friends is that they are so disappointed with our countries legislation and playing with other countries policy and a lot of decisions that depressingly small or religiously motivated minds come up with on our collective behalf.  I use disappointed as a vastly understated term to the outrage that I typically hear.  I can understand their disappointment and share in some of it.  But is this strong enough to leave the country seeking better social environment?  That is the biggest question in my mind.

 

I am reminded of a book that Ann Rand wrote that I read in a critical thinking class in High School.  Through out it asks blithely, “Who is John Galt?”   This being the general answer to why the government did something stupid as to limit creativity and ingenuity to the point of punishing the person that came up with the innovation.   In the book, Atlas Shrugged I think the title is.  The top thinkers, scientists, economists, engineers, and artists are disappearing slowly.  This is cause for great concern for the government and for the people that actually care about the state of the country.  Reducing the USA to an even more mediocrity of a country and in the book could eventually turn the country into something resembling a third world country.  That is the premise.  It has been a long time since I read the book, over 2 decades so bear with me if I get stuff wrong.  We come to find out that the people are voluntarily disappearing to greener pastors to a sort of self contained socialism setup where their particular Genius is appreciated and rewarded. 

 

If some of the people that I talk to get the money and means to “Jump Ship” of this country then on the grounds of the stupid legislature and a few stupid individuals that are in charge and making decisions make they are more than happy to take their lives elsewhere.  This is several friends that have this opinion and not just one or two.  I am also sure that this sediment does have at least a countable and measurable percentage in the entire US populace.

 

That is what is most disappointing.  Our School systems, law systems, and way of life is declining in some aspects.  Now I know that I don’t pay much attention to the world around me and I am not truly up on many political issues, local, statewide, or countrywide.  Occasionally I do find something that I agree with and a lot I don’t agree with.  Mostly, I feel that the common person, that is the type of person that is not in power and making decisions and not the ones that are in the seat of power to enact change, feel that they have no voice or recourse over the bad laws or rulings that get past.  This is the most terrible realization.

 

Long Time getting to the point, I know.  Background is necessary.

Me, I am an American, not any type of American just an American.  I remember a quote someone posted from Benjamin Franklin and to paraphrase, We have no room for divided loyalties, if someone is an American then they should describe themselves as such, Irish American, German American and the like are divided loyalties and are wrong.  Or some such sediment.   I happen to passively agree.  While you can honor your decent of heritage if you are Born here or Naturalized here then you are an American.  The laws and way of life should hence be American.  Keeping in mind that America was originally about diversity coming together as a whole, Food, and religious customs are not lost while being an American.  A country is more about it’s social meld than an individual’s bloodline.  We have discarded entirely the concept of Royal Blood being a ruling class and do not have “Classes” except in the financial sense.  While I am sure that one can argue with this we can all agree that the laws for one citizen are not different than another citizen.  The same can’t be said of the Serf/Merchant/Noble/Royalty feudal system that was discarded by most of the planet earth.

 

So the big question is, Is the current problems with this country and it’s social environment worth saving, or possible to save and rehabilitate, or is it not worth it and time to jump ship?  Stay or go?  So lets examine the options a small moment.

 

Going: Where do you wish to go?  There are some countries that may be more liberal or intelligent in their governance but their might be some issues that might be just as bad as where you left.  If the laws are good now but one law is that you need to be a landowner and over 55 to vote then things can turn sour fast.  If the laws are good but taxes are high so that advancement is very difficult then “what you get for the money” better be worth it for you.  How many countries out there will have an intelligent congenial design and not be undesirable in some fashion?  Probably one or two countries that I have heard of but I don’t know much about the inner workings of that country, less than ours.  Research would be needed and in detail.  Then a comparison.  Who knows we many not be wanted there and the social environment might be hostile.  Do the locals long to come to our Country?  If so Why?  Many questions, I would have before I would be willing to move.

 

Staying:  Well, yes, some of the decisions suck.  How can the common person go about changing it?  How can we make it better?  If we make the decision that the USA is worth saving then how can we change it so that it is better in our corner of the world and for everybody?  Well there is a law system that does bow to the common will.  We even have a government that allows for the total disbanding of itself if we are collectively in agreement of it, I would assume at least a 2/3 majority for this to take place.  I can say that we do have a lot going for us.  Those Geniuses in their field would need to come to the foreground and help us make the social change and governance changes.  This sounds big and impossible.  But I though humans shaping entire mountains in faces and creating artifacts that can be seen from space to be impossible at one time.  Also when you take a look at a few skyscrapers and think about that humans made it, wow.  To Quote the movie Contact, “Humans, You have such wonderful dreams and such horrible nightmares.”    So do I think that it is impossible, NO.  Do I know what I can do?  No.  I don’t even have too clear of an idea of what is wrong half the time.  But I know that there is recourse built in our system for some changes.  Turn over of certain laws and the like.

 

A recent experience does hold promise, I was recently a Juror on a trial.  They stressed the applicable laws and the Innocent until Proven Guilty by the prosecution.  That the burden is on them to prove “Beyond a reasonable doubt” that the defendant did the crime.  Now the participation was exhausting and mentally trying but worth the experience to see at least on a micro-scale how the system works in one small cog of the machine.  It has encouraged me enough to think hard about our way of life and compare it to what I hear of other countries. 

 

Personally, I am not willing to give up the ship because of a few holes in the hold, I don’t feel that those holes are that big compared to some other ships I see, so to speak.  I don’t think that this country is not worth saving and don’t think that it is truly out of my hands or rather our collective hands to do so.  Also from a citizen standpoint, I don’t think that is worthless for us to put in charge or put our faith in some people that can make a difference.  Voting is a key and it seems that lobbying and the like can be other tactics.  Something else that seems to be gaining momentum as a voice of the people is Blogging.  Which I find interesting.  Spreading the word is what gets things done.  I know that some of you who know me will realize that I have typically not paid attention to the pertinent issues and have seemed to “Put my head in the sand” on the world outside of my direct observation.  So yes, feel free to call “Bullshit” on me but I still maintain that I am an American and that is not something that is to be ashamed of.  We sometimes take for granted our system of government and the power that we collectively and individually.  Let’s hope we can modify the system so that we are not punishing our gifted but rather rewarding and celebrating them and placing our trust in them.  So we wont have them disappear like in the book I mentioned earlier.  America is richer for its diversity and for it’s innovations and ideas, not poorer for it..  We just have some bad leadership and too much focused on religious agendas and that is actually not what the Constitution intended. 

 

I am not sure how to fix it.

I now open myself to hopefully intelligent discussion and not ridicule and flaming.

 

Dave