Despite all the gloom and doom of a seemingly endless political campaign, the USA is doing better economically than any place in the world. China is not factored as a comparable due to its lack of freedom. Russia has an economy equivalent to Illinois. Yet, we whine and demonize each other. Our economic engine has progressed because business and research are the magnets that attract talent.
The juxtaposition of our strong economy compared to our bizarre politics is becoming more and more apparent. The recent Presidential “debate” rubbed our noses in a sad truth. We witnessed two old men making fools of themselves. One didn’t answer the questions he was asked and told multiple outright and transparent lies. The other was confused and incoherent. They are both the products of weak political parties that are both attempting to convince us that we aren’t really witnessing what we are plainly seeing and hearing. An overwhelming majority of Americans are dissatisfied with both candidates. Most will be voting against a candidate rather than for one.
The party that brought us Eisenhower and Reagan gives us a liar, fraudster, and criminal? The party that brought us civil rights for women and persons of color gives us someone who is obviously beyond his prime? The weakness of both parties, which have both allowed this to happen, is uncomfortable to call out, but it has to be stated publicly rather than just whispered in the hallways. The privacy and the financial rewards of the private sector are more alluring than the public sector. Public service and involvement, however, are our duties as citizens. Would we still be a free country if none of our ancestors had done their duty to our country?
We, as citizens, need to be more than exhausted spectators who neglect our duty. There is no excuse for what is happening. Bad things happen when good people do nothing. Getting involved is messy. Benign neglect is messy too. Doing nothing is not an option. We have to be better than this. If not us, who? If not now, when?
