Important Ideas

I’ve been struggling through Liberalism: The Life of an Idea  by Edmund Fawcett;  it traces liberalism from its 18^th century roots to today.  It reminds me about the county’s roots and my own.  We hear it often that America is a center-right nation but whatever truth there may be in that notion, America was founded by liberals.  Liberals, mind you, that have very little to do with the “liberals” of modern Europe and less to do with today’s American progressives.
 

America is beset by the most illiberal political parties in our history.  The parties are supported by propaganda machines that not only invent their own facts but operate with no ridicule from the nation’s press and less criticism than any time since I started reading the papers. 

You may find this small collection of columns eclectic but they fit my perception of the loss of leadership, common sense and accountability in America generally which has distilled into government with each ascending level worse than the preceding.  Populism reigns with all that human nature brings – government by Facebook.

 

From Gaza to Ukraine, the Effects of World War I Persist

             Jon Meacham

Time Magazine - July 24, 2014

http://time.com/3028068/from-gaza-to-ukraine-the-effects-of-world-war-i-persist/

 

From Cupcakes to the Police, Fed Up With Government

George F. Will

Washington Post - August 20

http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/george-f-will-from-cupcakes-to-the-police-fed-up-with-government/2014/08/20/8f5997e4-27c9-11e4-958c-268a320a60ce_story.html 

 

How the Carolinas Fixed Their Blurred Lines

By Stephen R. Kelly

NYT - AUG. 23, 2014

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/08/24/opinion/sunday/how-the-carolinas-fixed-their-blurred-lines.html?module=Search&mabReward=relbias%3Aw%2C%7B%221%22%3A%22RI%3A9%22%7D&_r=0

 

Personally I’m not one to despair.  The solution to our sad state is readily available.  Soon we will return to our roots and drive the progressives, Bible-thumpers and libertarians back to the fringes where they belong.  We have to stop taking sides with the propagandists;  get the facts straight;  prioritize;  do important things. 

 

Key tools will surely include reducing the power of the two parties.  We need open primaries;  we need to take districting away from legislatures.  But most important, we need to vote – and vote where it counts: in the primaries.  Belatedly I’ve come to realize that voting is not a privilege, as I was taught, it’s a duty.  The uninformed and misinformed have no chance for responsible action.