I recently shared on social media a Gallup discussion on their regular poll addressing What is the Biggest Problem Facing the US.  At this time, the responses refer to the president, to the government, and this has been a top concern since before our current administration.  What has been determined is that our issues are not what some of our government representatives market it to be, that of the government being too big, but of its dysfunction.  But we knew that, some of us anyway.

In my philosophy of government, it exists for the common good of all its citizens and interests.  It does well to regulate in the interest of a level playing field for private interests including opportunity for of all its citizens along with protecting public interests from the overreach of private interests.  If we are paying attention and not emotionally hijacked to false belief systems, it should be easy to see that the dysfunction with government is it being more and more beholden to private interests over the public good.  It has itself been snagged in the snare of power mongering – that very thing that  religious founders, authors and philosophers alike have been warning us against over the ages.  And, we know that, too.

I confidently venture that money, second only to attractiveness, is the main position of power extolled in the US (perhaps elsewhere, but I’ll stick to the familiar).  And, according to Hofstede’s research on power distance in the US, this is widely accepted as the norm.  What if we were to extol instead the power of the intellect?  Of moral character?  I think we did once, and there is evidence that we still do, but power has a way of strategizing toward more power, and the financial ilk has become a cancer in our political system.  The question remains, is it extractable?  And if so, how is that done?  We have much playing against the public good in the likes of gerrymandering and Citizens United alone.  As a democratic republic, it is necessary for each of us to take an interest in and play our best part in our political system, for it simply cannot function to the common good without us, all.  But you know that, too, especially if you’ve read to here nodding your head.

The development of our ability to function as citizens for the public good in our political system is and will be key.  Civil discourse of civil responsibility must ensue and permeate our social being, and in pockets especially, this has been lost, much to the strategic work of power mongering to emotionally hijack with soundbites over echo-chamber and social media.  Read books, take classes, earn another degree, talk with strangers, get away from what you know and support others to do the same.  Go to the lost pockets and “spread the good news” for our goodness’ sake.