City on the Hill

I know government is complicated.  There's all that go along to get along, I'll vote for this if you vote for that, you donate X to my campaign and I'll do such and such. Some politicians probably go into the work with good intentions, who knows? But one thing is sure, our big government isn't efficient. 

Yet we expect it to go around the world fixing everything.  Earthquakes, starvation, lack of education, lack of health care, floods, corrupt officials - the U.S. government is supposed to clean up everything.  I think the U.S. government should take care of people who're affected by earthquakes, without enough food, who lack education, who lack heath care, etc.  It should take care of American people. 

It should make sure every American has the basics of health care, education, food, housing - you know, the basics.  As for corrupt officials and bad tyrannical governors, it has enough to deal with right here at home.  It is ridiculously arrogant of it to go to work on the flecks in its neighbors' eyes when it has a couple of 4 X 6s in both its eyes. When the U.S. is perfect - when all our people are fed, housed, educated, have health care, then perhaps the government can go help others countries.  But we're a long way from that. A long way.

I'm not unconcerned about the plight of people in other countries.  I'm very proud of the way the American people individually and as part American non-profit organizations  help people, other animals, and their habitats all over the world.  Non-profits are held accountable for their efficiency and we as individuals can choose which ones to help through.  I'm proud to be an American!  Just think how much more the American people could help if we were all secure.

And yes, I think the government must defend us from all enemies that threaten to harm us.  I just don't think we need to go far to find threats.  Our biggest threats are those we face right here.  You need only to go to an ER, look under bridges, listen to a high school English class, or talk to a 15 year old about to give birth to get an idea of what threatens us.  I would be no less proud of our soldiers if they were engineering our roads, turning around street gangs, and providing health care here at home.  And I don't think it's too much to ask of all young Americans to serve their country for a couple of years.

We are the city on the hill.  We'd better fix our roofs, wash our windows and grow healthy gardens if we expect to set a good example.

It's unrealistic for us to expect our government to be efficient if we expect it to be all things to all people.  The government, brothers and sisters, had better be us. If you aren't letting your elected representatives know exactly want you want on a  regular basis, then you aren't doing your job.  How can they represent us if they don't hear from us.  Obviously, it doesn't work when the only people they hear from are the ones who give huge gifts to their campaigns. 

It's supposed to be of the people, by the people, for the people. I reckon that means the people of the United States.