Restoring Optimism (Again) in America

Freedom is required in order to pursue happiness. As such, every citizen should be poised to defend it.

Nobody can take away your God given rights. Our Declaration of Independence clearly indicates an authority higher than any man-made code or treaty. Although there are no references to God in the Constitution, our founders saw fit to translate those rights into words and ratify them as the first ten amendments to our Constitution—the Bill of Rights. Every single State in the Union also references a God as a higher authority in their Constitutions.

So, the only way our freedom can be taken from us is if we yield to hostile forces, tolerate injustice, turn a blind eye toward the erosion of our culture, and stop participating in the perennial need for every American to engage in the defense and protection of our republic. Our Constitution doesn’t protect itself, and neither do massive political parties. It’s up to citizens to become the guardians of our freedoms and hold politicians accountable.

Washington’s historic statements warning about political parties is as relevant today as it ever was. Both of the major political parties have become seeded with politicians who can’t be trusted and are so self-absorbed with their ill-gotten power that they ignore the voice of the people. This has caused many to develop complete disinterest in politics—they feel hopeless. We need to restore faith in our political processes by holding all public servants accountable.

Looking back at the conservative revolution led by Newt Gingrich in 1994, it’s impossible to ignore the improvements our country enjoyed for the following six years. An important question to ask is why such progress didn’t continue? The answer is similar to why institutions often fail over time—they are run by humans, and humans are fallible. In the case of the Contract with America, what happened is that statesmen who previously stood with the principles of the Contract eventually fell away from their commitment to the principles within it. Instead, many began to focus on the personal character flaws of then President Clinton, who actually announced “the end of big government” during his campaign in the wake of Republican victories.

We need more politicians who will start with and stick with conservative policies instead of getting mired in missions of character assassination. Many politicians took their eyes off the ball to focus on an affair had by President Clinton and prove him a liar on the subject. They did that in an effort to win back the office of President for their party. It served no other purpose. What was lost was more progress made on behalf of the American people. Frankly, I don’t care about the party affiliation of any statesman or what they do in their private lives as long as the official actions of elected politicians are in the best interest of the people, reflect the will of the people, and are not criminal.

We must restore optimism in America, as Ronald Reagan so famously did. When Jimmy Carter issued nationwide depressants with his claim of a great malaise and looming energy crisis, Reagan turned it around with positive statements and energy. Similar to Donald Trump’s “Make America Great Again” campaign slogan, Reagan focused on the positive and possible, re-energizing all honest Americans. We are not victims, but rather, we are capable human beings who cherish freedom. Reagan was also boldly honest. Who can forget his “Mr. Gorbachev, tear down that wall!” speech? Freedom is important to optimism, as optimism fuels ingenuity and is key to success. Great leaders understand this. Not-so-great leaders say things like, “it’s going to be a cold, dark winter.”

Attitude is so important to success in so many arenas. I know this from my experience as an entrepreneur. Nobody starts a business with the notion they are going to fail. That optimism is what hoists all business leaders above any hurdles that get in their way. The same attitude is required by statesmen. Those who lack the spirit of America are the ones who believe things are so bad that we need to control the thinking and behavior of all people. They don’t trust people to make decisions for themselves, or parents to make decisions for their children. This is wrong-headed and must be battled daily to maintain our freedoms and the American dream.

Like Donald Trump, Newt Gingrich had the courage to swim upstream. Gingrich laid out his policy agenda and legislative proposals well ahead of the election in 1994. That type of strategy was always frowned upon by the world of consultants because it was thought the equivalent of “showing your cards.” Put another way, if you actually tell citizens what you plan to do once in office, you are handing all media a chance to directly pick apart both you as a politician and your proposals. But what would be so wrong with that? Why not be clear and direct regarding your ideas and let them get picked apart if they are not good?

The hidden reason why some don’t reveal what they really think is so they can hide their true feelings and motivations, or change them according to the direction of political winds. If that’s the standard, then why not just draw the names of representatives from a hat? If none of them spell out their beliefs or agendas, on what basis do we choose our leaders? Is it how they look, the sound of their voice, the clothes they wear, or some aspect of their personal life? If that’s the case, it’s small wonder that we can’t trust our current leaders.

We can restore faith in American politics. What’s required is simply that all candidates and elected officials are pressed to say what they mean and do what they say they will do; that all proposals are held up against our Constitution; and, that corruption is not tolerated at any level. Justice must be administered quickly and equally in order to maintain peace and allow citizens to pursue happiness.

A moral compass is required in order to keep the republic. Our founders understood that. But we have failed to do our part as citizens—hold feet to the fire. It’s understandable that people are consumed with their own duties, and life can get in the way of many people becoming active in politics. But it is our duty to become engaged. We are top of command when it comes to preserving our freedoms and protecting our country. Of course, these are not my words, but “Now is the time for all good men to come to the aid of their country!” Everyone can do something. If you’ve never called or written to a representative before, I urge you to do so. Do whatever you can. Bring the common sense of the silent majority back to the front of the minds of elected officials.