BABY BOOMERS AND OLD FARTS: It’s Up To Us To Fix Our Country PART III

WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE NOW TO SALVAGE OUR FUTURE

Ours is a government of the people, by the people and for the people. Theoretically, that means our government is ours to run. That, of course, is just theory. The plain and simple matter is that those of us who took Civics in High School, or who went to American Legion Boys or Girl's State, or who served in the American armed forces... We learned that the price of liberty IS eternal vigilance, and we pay close attention to our government. But, Civics is not taught in high school any more, there is no draft and very few get chosen to attend American Legion Boy's or Girl's State. In fact, those who do pay attention to our government are now being ridiculed as "extremists."

The upshot is that the torch of "eternal vigilance" has been extinguished. People take the American way of life for granted. And, without that "vigilance," our freedoms, justice... the things we hold so dear to our hearts... have been slipping through our fingers and evaporating into thin air.

Therein lies the answer as to what we old geezers need to do now to salvage our future.

During these past few decades, as we have been sleeping at the switch, government has seen fit to take advantage of our weakness; government has been, on a daily basis, glomming on to our freedoms, liberties, and justice in a subtle power grab that has, over time, almost left us defenseless. Then comes the shocker: given the current status of things in this country, the younger folks have suddenly been jolted into awareness that things "just aren't the way they should be" in America.

There's our opening. Here's what must be our agenda:

1. Re-instill American values

2. Show other Americans that yes, we still have enough power left in us to take our country back; what happened in the tax votes in California certainly demonstrates the will of the people can and must rule the day.

3. Seek out in our midst...identify those citizens who share our principles and who have the qualities of Americana and leadership that we all so desperately yearn for.

4. Plan now to toss out every incumbent, regardless of party, in November of 2010.

5. Groom those whom we have selected to take those jobs, and get them elected.

We can do these things, and we should if we are going to salvage our futures. We must start now.

That's MY AMERICAN OPINION, respectfully submitted,

Next Week: HOW DO WE GET QUALIFIED LEADERS TO RUN FOR OFFICE?