“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.”
As we move further from a
nation of individuals, banding together to secure their independence and
working to secure a common good, the divide between us grows. On the one hand we have people who want to
limit government so that its power is not so absolute as to rob us of our
freedom. On the other we have people who
see government as the vehicle to protect us from all things and will, as a
benevolent power, look out for its citizens.
In between these two positions
we have the politicians. Individuals
who offer to serve and guide the Republic, but who are shown time and time
again to be humans, subject to all the failures of society. Greed, arrogance, pettiness, and
self-interest are all common quantities, yet we reelect the men and woman at an
astonishing rate. Because of these qualities
the established parties are not so different, they both seek to maintain the
status quo with a little give and take in the middle.
As our younger generation grows
to become the majority we will see the fruits of our parentage, and the impacts
to reason from the technologies we have created. Who will they elect to address the problems
of the nation, and perhaps the world?
Will it be those who promise all things, or those who promise
freedom? As we move from “Ask not what
your country can do for you” to “People feel like the system is rigged against
them, and here is the painful part, they’re right” belief sets will we thrive
or will we sink under our own weight of expectations that others will make our
lives rich and support a comfortable life without effort?
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