How to fix it...

I realize that there are many problems with the US. So my question is... How do we fix it? Obviously elections don't do it. It doesn't matter who is in there "running" things. So what do we as "The People" do about it? Can we, as "The People", set America back on track with the way that we all think it should be going?

I don't want to hear some rant about such and such politician. It does no good. I'm not looking to hear some talking point, I've heard those already. I don't care about the Left or the Right. I don't care about your political party. In "my" country there would be none. I believe that government is needed to keep order but we have gone WAY off track. I believe in the Constitution but it dosen't seem to hold up much and that pisses me off. What do we do about it?

How do we come back to the point were we are responsible for ourselves? How do we get out from under the stones that are "helping" us live better lives?

Can we ever?

[edit on 28-10-2007 by -Reason-]

The unlikely election of Dennis Kucinich as president would certainly provide the kind of change we are looking for.

Are you being serious??

We open up our minds first. We grow up spiritually, grow some empathy, grow our own ideas about the world instead of our parents' ideas or our school teachers' regurgitated ideas. We teach others to teach themselves.

Really, we need an evolution of our souls... and if the 100th monkey theory is correct, enough people's souls have evolved beyond the point society is at, that a mass awakening is on the verge of coming. Until then, we can't do anything because we won't let us.

Yup, totally serious. I am the 99th monkey. Dk is a runt but a fighter.

He's a politician. He can't fix anything.

Teach our children the value of education, self-reliance, and vigilance against tyranny...to remember the lessons that history teaches...to be giving to those in need...and to never indulge in feelings of futility.

Piece of cake, isn't it?

reply to post by -Reason-


You have hit on the quintissential question of the upcoming election. This boils down to how do you pick a real leader. If you watch a show like "survivor" what happens to the real leaders- they are quickly voted off as threats-unless they can dominate the competition in challenge events(then they may survive to final 4 or so). What has happned in US is people seem to think lawyers=leaders. The last thing this country needs is a lawyer. We need someone with honesty, principles, common sense, and a deaf ear to lobbyists and special interests. We need people with real vision. Those that see what is wrong and want to fix it(not patch it).

Originally posted by BlackProjects

You have hit on the quintissential question of the upcoming election. This boils down to how do you pick a real leader. If you watch a show like "survivor" what happens to the real leaders- they are quickly voted off as threats-unless they can dominate the competition in challenge events(then they may survive to final 4 or so). What has happned in US is people seem to think lawyers=leaders. The last thing this country needs is a lawyer. We need someone with honesty, principles, common sense, and a deaf ear to lobbyists and special interests. We need people with real vision. Those that see what is wrong and want to fix it(not patch it).

The problem is our election system is set up to allow only a very few to run for president or even congress. I see absolutely no one to vote for, I see plenty of people I would vote against. I don't know the answer but I do know the problem.

You said many truths with your statement!

Originally posted by loam
Teach our children the value of education, self-reliance, and vigilance against tyranny...to remember the lessons that history teaches...to be giving to those in need...and to never indulge in feelings of futility.

Piece of cake, isn't it?

Ah but what is futile? What constitutes a futile exercise to me may not be so to you.

It is a very good question you bring up,

In the infancy of the United States,

Having 1 person represent the 13 states was a simpler process.

In the beginning it was not uncommon to have people serving int the Nation's capital because they were well respected and trustworthy men.

A lot of them would have rather been taking care of their own businesses and interests but the call to represent their area was answered.

It was an honor to serve, not so much a career and a way to gain wealth.

Today the nation has grown to what may not have even been considered by the founding fathers.

While in principle, it is a good form of government, I wonder has the country outgrown the original intent.

Serve the people, represent your constituents.

I am not a scholar on the history of the US government, I rely on what I have learned over the years to make my assessment.

So keep that in mind if I have erred in my opinion.

I think the electoral system today severely puts some of the US citizens at a disadvantage, something the founding fathers would have not allowed in my opinion.

They would revolt again if they were able to see what has happened to their idea.

Our Federal government has been corrupted, it didn't happen overnight, it took decades to bring it to this condition.

It will not change in one Presidential election.

What would I suggest?

Instead of one person holding the office, why not 3, each elected from a region to be determined.

Each beholden to their citizens.

After all, it is OUR country and they are supposed to represent US

Not corporations, lobby, activist groups, unions, etc etc....

US the individual citizen,

The one who is paying the taxes

The one's who suffer the impact of rising fuel costs, at the pump for our own,

And again in the stores paying for everyone elses rise in fuel costs.

Is my idea a bad one?

I don't know, it is only an idea.

One thing I do know,

The Times they aren't a changin...

[We need someone with honesty, principles, common sense, and a deaf ear to lobbyists and special interests. We need people with real vision. Those that see what is wrong and want to fix it(not patch it).].....gee ur gunna get someone killed talking like that....rockalien was on the right track...we change the world be changing ourselves...it all starts with us...if the world is hell bent on destruction & refuses to 'grow up'...meant to be...we got to get ourselves 'right' with the Creator...we really only have two choices...we side with the world or with Father...we follow our 'big brothers' example or we don't....big spiritual battle going on...who's side are u on?....big hard testing coming up for all...one's who try to make it without God, won't....as long as the world continues to 'ignore' our 'Old Man'....lotta darkness moving in...been warned over & over...how many listening?....how many putting their faith in humans instead of God?.....how many looking for human approval (fear of man) instead of our Fathers?....so far ALL the prophecies have come true...i believe the rest will too...we reap what we sow...& we are sure starting to get a good taste of it now...still early days...still time to change (ourselves)...GB

It's all well and good teaching our kids about how to make a better tomorrow, but it won't work unless we set the example.

People need to take a more direct approach in understanding world events - we need to be able to write to our political representatives and ask "What's going on with this problem, is there some way that i, as an individual, can help?".

Until we take responsibility for the world's problems on ourselves, the people in dire circumstances (warzones, homeless-ness, domestic abuse even) will see the situation as hopeless.

You cannot expect a mouse to save itself from the trap it's in.

I'm not saying that we're to blame - i'm trying to avoid the issue of blame altogether, all blame does is seperate people.

If each and every one of us worked to making the world a better place for humanity, then perhaps we might get around to dealing with a few problems.

It depends on your viewpoint, if you already believe the world is doomed anyway, then that's a close-minded condition and no one on earth is going to be able to get through to you.

It's down to the individual, and whether or not he (or she) believes it's in his/her power to make the world around them a better place.

If you don't think you can, then i'm sorry to say it but you're just propogating the situation.


EDIT: In brief, DON'T GIVE UP.

[edit on 29-10-2007 by Throbber]

3 things in my mind.

Change the economic system...
Change the levels of influence corporate entities have over political parties
Ensure common people are the ones who RUN to be president.

Though I'm certainly capable as some of you may know, I'm not going to go off into a long rant about what needs done, I'm just going to let the very men who gave us this great country guide us with their own words.

When in the Course of human events it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. — That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, — That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security.

Perhaps its time for a second revolution here.

Republics do not fall to external forces untill they have decayed from within.

We need to arrest the moral and ethical decay that is occuring in our society.

We need to vote, and vote in large numbers. 50% turnout or less is not going to change ANYTHING.

We need to educate and nurture our children as best we can. Its a cliche but they are the future.

We as a society need to stop election politicians from Texas to national office. I for one have had my fill from both sides of the coin.

Red State, Blue State.... enough of that nonsense, we are Americans with a capital A


How many times in her short history has the United States of America been said to be down and out? Many of you are too young, but at times during the 70's it seemed just as bad to those who came of age during that time. Vietnam, the Nixon debacle, the Cold War. yes events today are differnent, yet they are the same as well.

Originally posted by FredT
Perhaps its time for a second revolution here.

We need to vote, and vote in large numbers. 50% turnout or less is not going to change ANYTHING.

I agree, the 50% who usually fail to show up are the one's intentionally turned off by the left-right bickering, pointing, and everything BOTH parties do to make sure that the SILENT MAJORITY remains silent.

Oh to see the 50% show up and really throw their plans in the blender!

If politics TURNS YOU OFF,

USE YOUR VOTE


If you do...


A change can occur, maybe not for us..

Most likely for our children, grandchildren, the future

I am voting.

Join me, it is quick, painless, and a right we should cherish.

What do you say?

This is what I am trying to acheive with this thread... the poeple of America coming together to talk about the problems of America without coming to blows.

COLE: Thanks for that. It is something that needs to be read over and over again.

Obviously we all agree that the current political system is broken. I believe that politicians should not be paid. It should be a completely voulantary (I'm a terrible speller) system. As soon as politics became a "career" that people strive for, the system went wrong. I know it sounds cliche, but you take the money out of it and things would change dramatically.

BlackProjects: I would like to say that it is just about picking the right leader but I think there is far more to it. Personally I don't believe that the government should be the ones controlling our lives. I think Jefferson had it right. But I also know that in todays society people are so ingrained with the "we need a good leader" mentality that we have forgoten how to govern ourselves. It is human nature to want a leader or king and they always go bad. Maybe not in this generation, or that generation, but in some generation... and it only happens because we let it happen. You are right though about the qualities that our "leader" should have. I just wish that we didn't have to have one.

Throbber: I agree with you 100% about teaching or kids through example.

Anybody who tells me that we have to wait for the next generation to change the country is wrong. To me, they are a person who has given up already. I'm 31 years old. Young to some, old to some. I refuse to believe that we cannot make a difference RIGHT NOW.

What has happened to the America were hope was a prevailing attribute? Hope for a better future and the faith to believe it can happen. Faith leads to the courage to fight for that hope, for you cannot have courage without faith and you cannot have faith without courage.

FredT: You may be right. Maybe it is time for another revolution. Where is the America were a person would rather die than give up their freedoms? Where is the American that would spit in a tyrants eye and yell at them, "Give me Liberty or give me death!" If this is the course that America is headed down than I hope that it happenes sooner rather than later because I personally would rather be the one fighting than my little girl.

We are all to comfortable.