Blog Postings
2010-2019: The Decade that We the People Improve Our National Security and Rebuild American Prosperity
01.01.10
The time between Thanksgiving and the New Year is a wonderful time for people to pause and give thanks for their blessings, and experience more deeply the joy, peace, and hope of the Christmas season. Ideally, we should give thanks and live a joyous, peaceful and hopeful life each day.
As Americans, we have much to be thankful for and much to anticipate with hope. Polls in the news say that most of us feel the just ended decade was our least favorite of the past six decades- for those of us old enough to remember. Certainly we have had to deal with many challenges, but in many regards no more serious than those faced by previous generations. Many books, articles and movies have been made about the generation that faced the Great Depression and World War II. For example, I enjoyed watching Band of Brothers over the holidays. I believe that it is time for this generation to step up and tackle in positive ways the challenges of our times.
The Greatest Generation has been noted for rolling up its sleeves, putting its shoulder to the wheel and making personal sacrifices to keep this country free and rebuild prosperity. The average citizen did not live in the past but pressed forward to solve the problems of the day and lay the foundation for a safer, more prosperous America. Instead of wallowing in self-pity, engaging in bitter recriminations, or waiting on the federal government to deliver them from the problems of the day, ordinary citizens quietly and purposefully took on the task each day to build a better life for themselves, their families, friends, communities, country and the world. "We the people" won World War II and rebuilt the American economy.
This is the example we must follow in the decade that begins today. Public policy in America should focus on unleashing the American people by removing governmental barriers to personal creativity, ingenuity, spontaneity and responsibility. The founding fathers recognized that the true source of the greatness of America is "We, the people of the United States." Government is necessary but is limited in purpose to provide an environment in which every citizen can pursue the meaning and purpose of his or her life with minimal governmental interference.
Let us begin this decade with the same resolve and purpose that the American people had in the 1940s. Just as they worked hard and made personal sacrifices to win a war and rebuild America's economy, so can we. Instead of wasting energy complaining and casting blame, lets us press on to accomplish that which is good and has a positive impact on all people in this country and the world.
Only a humble, efficient limited federal government can empower and allow the American people to provide innovative solutions to the challenges of our time. We must truly adopt what Bill Clinton described in his second inaugural address: "We need a new government for a new century- humble enough not to try and solve all our problems for us, but strong enough to give us the tools to solve our problems for ourselves; a government that is smaller, lives within its means and does more with less."
When 2020 dawns, let us be able to look back and appreciate how the hard work, sacrifices and creativity of we the people improved national security and restored prosperity. Let us also see that while the energy, power and ingenuity of the people expanded in response to the challenges of the times, the federal government actually grew smaller, lived within its means and did more with less.
As Americans, we have much to be thankful for and much to anticipate with hope. Polls in the news say that most of us feel the just ended decade was our least favorite of the past six decades- for those of us old enough to remember. Certainly we have had to deal with many challenges, but in many regards no more serious than those faced by previous generations. Many books, articles and movies have been made about the generation that faced the Great Depression and World War II. For example, I enjoyed watching Band of Brothers over the holidays. I believe that it is time for this generation to step up and tackle in positive ways the challenges of our times.
The Greatest Generation has been noted for rolling up its sleeves, putting its shoulder to the wheel and making personal sacrifices to keep this country free and rebuild prosperity. The average citizen did not live in the past but pressed forward to solve the problems of the day and lay the foundation for a safer, more prosperous America. Instead of wallowing in self-pity, engaging in bitter recriminations, or waiting on the federal government to deliver them from the problems of the day, ordinary citizens quietly and purposefully took on the task each day to build a better life for themselves, their families, friends, communities, country and the world. "We the people" won World War II and rebuilt the American economy.
This is the example we must follow in the decade that begins today. Public policy in America should focus on unleashing the American people by removing governmental barriers to personal creativity, ingenuity, spontaneity and responsibility. The founding fathers recognized that the true source of the greatness of America is "We, the people of the United States." Government is necessary but is limited in purpose to provide an environment in which every citizen can pursue the meaning and purpose of his or her life with minimal governmental interference.
Let us begin this decade with the same resolve and purpose that the American people had in the 1940s. Just as they worked hard and made personal sacrifices to win a war and rebuild America's economy, so can we. Instead of wasting energy complaining and casting blame, lets us press on to accomplish that which is good and has a positive impact on all people in this country and the world.
Only a humble, efficient limited federal government can empower and allow the American people to provide innovative solutions to the challenges of our time. We must truly adopt what Bill Clinton described in his second inaugural address: "We need a new government for a new century- humble enough not to try and solve all our problems for us, but strong enough to give us the tools to solve our problems for ourselves; a government that is smaller, lives within its means and does more with less."
When 2020 dawns, let us be able to look back and appreciate how the hard work, sacrifices and creativity of we the people improved national security and restored prosperity. Let us also see that while the energy, power and ingenuity of the people expanded in response to the challenges of the times, the federal government actually grew smaller, lived within its means and did more with less.
