We have long considered ourselves a shining beacon on a hill. But our beacon is losing its luster and the hill is eroding under out feet, and we don’t seem to notice.
Our borders are an open sieve, our electric grid is outdated and insecure, our healthcare system is costly and unfocused; crime rate is soaring and our prisons are overloaded; our basic educational system is falling behind the rest of the world; our highways, roads and bridges are crumbling; our railways are a joke; many disappointed allies are abandoning our ship; our dependance on unreliable foreign countries for critical parts and products is perilous and our foreign adventures are costly and counterproductive. We discourage use of our own vast hydrocarbon resources while importing the same from external, often unfriendly, places. We try to extend our own high values far and wide but win few friends and reap much condemnation. Our congress is totally divided and grossly inefficient. Even the routine approval of a budget is an annual traumatic circus.
Aside from these, everything is rosy.
All the while, we continue to pretend that we are still that shining example for the world. We were before, we can be again, but, unfortunately, we are not now.
The task of addressing these many issues is monumental, especially for our form of democracy. Rightly so, our democracy is the envy of the world, but a democracy has one major inconvenience. It tries to be all things to all people and is therefore agonizingly slow, and too often sub-optimal. Too many can halt or impede progress for a personal agenda. One example: Why is it that just one senator, in the Senate body of 100, can put a hold over 425 military promotions for a whole year?
There are times and circumstances when rapid, unimpeded, and sorely needed decisions must be made and quick decisive actions taken. Our current system of government does not deliver on this.
So here’s a crazy, sweeping, option to get us back on track – – – but one that will never happen.
1. Suspend the Legislative and Executive branches of government for 6 years.
2. Elect, by popular vote, an executive Czar for a single term with absolute power over everything, except the Judiciary, the Army and the Air Force. We should be able to find among us at least one Abraham Lincoln or a Nelson Mandela.
3. The Czar’s mandate will be to merge “Build Back America” and “Make America Great Again”
4. The Czar will have Advisory Councils for healthcare, education, infrastructure, etc., all to be nominated by elite universities and elected by popular vote of the people.
5. States may not frustrate actions deemed in the national interest.
6. During this interim period we will maintain a few strategic military bases, continue support for NATO, and maintain essential trade relations. Otherwise, we will pause all non-strategic foreign overtures.
7. The Army and Air Force will be under the management of a Board, also elected by the people – – to prevent its use for nefarious purposes.
Unless our politicians start working together to restore American greatness, putting America first over personal, party or state considerations, a crazy idea like this may be our only salvation.
– – – – – Just the view of a common man
Views of a Common Man 