Lessons Learned

Over the past few decades there have been a number of lessons we hope our leaders have learned and will apply, not only for the benefit of the US but for much of the rest of the world. Here are but a few important ones we need to keep in mind.

POLITICS: Identifying domestic terrorists for what they are rather than what they say. This election has produced the worst possible choices. Granted, most Americans want change, but we need to pay closer attention to what’s being promised and demand explanations of how that change will happen. We need to identify and focus on the real issues, not the made up ones; and we need to insist that our free press once again learn to focus on the real issues and set aside the carnival atmosphere by demanding answers and not relenting. And lastly, bring back election reforms by admitting that corporations are not people and limit the amount ANY person can give to an election to $50 per person/candidate so any and all can compete. We want our politicians to be elected, not bought and sold.

ENVIRONMENT: We need to once again trust our real scientists and ignore the self-proclaimed “experts”, too many of which admit they are not experts, but bore us to tears with their opinions that have no evidence to back them up but even more opinions. We need to demand real solutions and reject calls for more studies. The real scientists have done the studies, crunched the numbers, all without massive Federal or private funding.

ECONOMY: We need to get back to basics. Put our money into infrastructure, clean air & water, a good highway system and all those things that make day to day life livable. No more “pet projects” for special interests but projects that benefit everyone’s interests. No more sneaky bills and attachments to bills that steal money from the people and real laws that deliver a KO punch to any that attempt to skirt those laws.

LAW & ORDER: We need national standards for Police, Fire Departments, and similar critical services. Not laws or attempts to take over the same, but standards by which to evaluate and grade each with annually published reports of who’s making the grade and who isn’t. We also need a system to deal with those that refuse to comply. One that is fair and balanced and includes voices from each community to insure that community standards are being addressed. We need to de-militarize our police so they look like police, not storm troopers. We need laws that require Prosecuting Attorneys to apply and abide by laws and remove their protection from prosecution; a return to a system where everyone is accountable for their actions and no more “free passes” for lawyers, prosecutors, or judges.

EDUCATION: This needs to be returned to the states. Monitoring by the Federal government is fine with the same published results and a ways & means of dealing with those that will not comply that again, includes heavy involvement by the community.

CITIZENSHIP: There is a long standing debate on this topic. Citizenship is given to everyone born in the US, but there could be some parameters by which to grant citizenship. Simple things like obtaining a High School Diploma would be a good start. Simply put, everyone should “earn” their citizenship as an incentive for voting, eligibility for social programs, etc. This could be the stepping stone to many other things but in an environment of “privilege” some kind of incentive can go a long way towards advancing our country and reinstilling a good work ethic, pride, and goals to live by.

This certainly is by no means a total answer, but it is a step in the right direction.