Do you cherish this country’s politicians?
Published 9:39 am Tuesday, March 17, 2015
My Point of View by Jerrold Dettle
Are you able to recall a politician that you despise or maybe even hate? If so, are you aware that over 50,000 people are said to be politicians in America?
Elderly American citizens learned in the day to love folks named Washington, Adams, Jefferson and Lincoln. Millenials have been influenced to focus attention on political leaders like Guevara and Chavez.
John Locke and other writers during the Age of Enlightenment targeted for examination a politician’s nature of human behavior. LOL! Most Americans of all races, gender and age generally rate politicians in their personal geographical area much higher than those elected in other domains. This characteristic of bias is mostly harmless in the realm of sports teams. But in the extremely important lifespan of a democratic Republic, an informed, logical and unemotional voter is critical for a nation’s longevity.
Many have tried our general form of government and all have failed eventually. The good news and bad news is that we have already exceeded recorded history’s average. I can only think of two Republics with longer duration, the Republic of Venice and the Republic of Rome.
Ultimately, we, as citizens of a Republic, whether a voter or not, whether politically active or not, bear equally the moral and personal responsibility for the nation’s continued preservation.
Although likely in my mind, one cannot be 100 percent assured that a deity will record our personal behavior in this matter. It is a given that our children and our children’s children will chisel the record of our strength or weakness, our success or failure into the stone of history.
The first area of responsibility for us today is to honestly recognize the precarious position in which our country is currently located. There is an explosion of corruption and deceit at all levels. A multitude of tyrannical nations are now threatening us with violent attacks.
The national debt will soon reach an astronomical height that will insure our total downfall.
Our educational system has after nearly 200 years at the mountain top, fallen to a level below many third world countries.
We have allowed vocal national enemies that promise our annihilation the capability of nuclear weapons. Our leaders have been unrestrained in reducing military strength to 1935 levels. We are looking away as production and manufacturing dwindle, and the number of able-bodied people not working breaks all previous records. The sad increase in part-time workers and unskilled laborers is widely ignored.
As an increasing number of leaders and judges circumvent a proven Constitution. Many of us seem to cowardly coil away. So in reality, we are one in the same with those despised politicians. The old adage is back to haunt us, “We have met the enemy, and it is us!”
Self-interest has been raised to higher levels. Thus our increasing tendency to be in denial and re-elect our hypocrites while demonizing those far away politicians. To personally share the responsibility of preserving the Republic is not easy and entails suffering, but in the end we will feel better about ourselves and be proud of our efforts to preserve a great nation.
Benedict Arnold and Neville Chamberlain were glorified as great leaders in their time.
Examination of their records has shown them to have been driven by self-interest and disastrous in their leadership.
Let us pray that in this time of severe peril, we will each develop a greater propensity for individual responsibility, seek a platform of helpful change and promote a lifestyle of individual liberty for every child born today.
Jerold Dettle of Albert Lea is a member of the Freeborn County Republican Party.