The founders of America had a serious question to answer when they designed the political blueprints for the United States of America. They had to decide how to set up a government that would give individuals a chance to be proactive in government, but appropriately allocate political responsibilities.
They had two options. The antifederalists wanted an Athenian-type democracy in which each person had a civic responsibility to take place in all government decisions. The Federalists wanted elected representatives to represent the majority of the population. What we have today is a compromise of the two.
It was almost like the founders of this nation had a crystal ball. Could you imagine a country of this size having active participation in any and all government decisions? It would be virtually impossible. Anyone can see how problematic this could become. People are just different and we all like to express our different opinions. Americans have also become lackluster and apathetic toward politics because they have either lost faith in the system or only become proactive when the government’s decisions negatively affect them. Luckily, the founders set our government up in a way where all we have to do is fill out a ballot. The problem of this day and age is not finding a politician, but finding a good politician.
What happened to men like James Madison, George Washington, Ben Franklin and Abraham Lincoln? There is no doubt these human beings had their flaws — we all do. But these men knew how to accomplish goals and do it in a way that would benefit the greatest amount of people. Politicians today like to bring up these men in their campaigns and pretend they have a huge influence on their lives. But let’s be honest, in today’s society, nothing is more important than a title and a dollar sign.
North Carolina has unfortunately become a breeding ground for corrupt politicians — whether we want to talk about ex-Gov. Mike Easley’s latest investigations or the most corrupt individual this state has ever produced — John Edwards. It is time that we stop blaming the system for our state’s and nation’s problems. We elect these individuals. We can try and say we despise how corrupt politicians can be, but we continue to allow this corruption.
It is very easy to get caught up in their charisma. It is even easier to get caught up with what the media say. We are about to get hit with countless political campaigns and commercials that will point fingers and attempt to further polarize voters. The focus of campaigns should not be to get elected, but to elect the best person suited for the job. The almighty dollar and desire for power run elections now.
We need to look for candidates who are morally sound in front of the camera and behind closed doors. We need candidates who know the value of hard work and how important it is for hard work to be rewarded. We need candidates who value economic responsibility, not how much risk they can take for immediate rewards. We need candidates who can promote individual responsibility that benefits both them and their fellow man. I could go on for four pages about how people should act, but I think everyone gets the hint. I do not know if these leaders exist anymore, and if they do, they are probably smart enough to avoid the game of politics.
If they do exist, we can only hope they will reveal themselves soon — for the sake of the state and the nation.
