THE UPCOMING PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION
The upcoming election has everyone on edge and fiercely taking sides. This happens every election cycle and should not be a surprise. However, in my 65 years, this could be the most unusual race I’ve ever seen. Some of the players in this election are the most unqualified I’ve ever encountered, speaking with a rage and intense fervor that is unbecoming, both to the office they seek, and to the nation they wish to represent. There is plenty of blame to go around on both sides of the aisle, with the voters (or lack of) who elect them, and also with the media we once called and relied upon to be a free and responsible press. Still, it seems there is a root cause for the extreme dysfunction of the majority of our governance on every level. I offer this thought for your consideration.
As a child growing up in the 1950’s America, our leaders were trusted to do what was right for our nation and its’ people. They seemed much more successful than today’s leaders, and were willing to compromise. They focused on great goals to benefit all. People were happier, life seemed easier, and America was a success, both at home and abroad. WHY WAS THAT?
My best explanation is to consider the America those leaders emerged from. They were older and had survived the desperate times we now call The Great Depression. They grew up saving everything and creatively making do with whatever they had. They wasted nothing, and greatly appreciated anything extra. Secondly, they experienced the horror and sacrifices of World War Two. The human costs, the rationing of goods and services, and the years of uncertainty caused by that struggle left a lifelong impression, touching every American. The result of leadership drawn from that generation was governance on both sides fervently devoted to America and her people. They carried with them an ingrained sense that we were all in this together. Their mindset was a shared sacrifice by all Americans for the greater good. Then, government was servant to the public and its’ best interest.
Having lived through the depression, they vigorously protected the economy. They knew a growing economy that protected our national interests would benefit both our GDP and our citizens. They never dreamed of shutting down the government over petty political rhetoric, or wasting millions of dollars on useless personal projects for their districts or friends. They were stewards for the nation’s good. Their focus was on a better future for all.
Viewing, first hand, the horror of the Second World War, they new both the human and economic costs of such a conflict. The result was those leaders were less likely to carelessly hurl our troops into harms way without a very good reason. They were frugal with our power. They understood the need for a strong defense, but also understood the dangers a militant government represented. Eisenhower, one of the greatest warriors in history, warned us about the emerging Military Industrial Complex.
Unfortunately, few people from their generation carrying the life lessons they learned remain. Today, we are governed by leaders who behave more like spoiled children than responsible adults. They never knew want, and few served their country in uniform. To them, the economy is a game, not a fundamental foundation of their country. They also seem ignorant of the waves created by every word they speak on the global economy. To them, being bellicose from a podium in a speech has no real personal repercussion. They pledge to sacrifice our military anywhere, anytime in the world, as if we hoard an endless supply of manpower and weapons we could easily replace. They, and really the American people who elect them, have never known the true sacrifice of war. We never lost huge numbers of friends and family, or had to ration food or fuel. It is easy today to forget how horrific war is when we’re so far removed, insulated, and distracted by our daily lives and modern conveniences we take for granted.
So that’s my take, my opinion. The American people are just as guilty as the leadership they elect and support. We watched our elders successfully guide America from the Depression to the Moon through compromise and smart decision making, yet we seem to have learned nothing from their example. America is a work in progress and should be treated that way. Surely our best days are not behind us. Today, when I look at how little we’ve improved, at the fierce differences dividing us, at the greed that now consumes us, and at the field of incompetent contenders we see running for all government positions…I am truly saddened.
We are America. We are better than this! We need responsible leadership, not just at home, but throughout the world. It requires our involvement and is our civic duty. Each of us must decide what is best for ALL OF US…not “JUST US.” The future of our nation demands we grow up and focus on the big picture before it’s too late. AMERICA NEEDS US NOW MORE THAN EVER. WE MUST CHOOSE RESPONSIBLY THIS ELECTION.
Nestor J. De Prille
Westfield, MA
