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With the most recentNBC pollshowing sixty-eight percent of Americans see thecountry as moving in the “wrong direction,” this represents a level of pessimismabout the nation’s future, seldom, if ever, seen before. While it is true that we areimmersed in a war without a discernable end, a President who is incapable ofresolving national problems, and a Congress mired in endless argument, the directeffects of this incompetence are relatively unfelt by most citizens.This in no way mitigates seriousness of the problems we face. A Middle East, wherepeace is a distant dream, an immigration flood with no solution in sight, a nationaldebt beyond anything we have seen before, all confront us on a daily basis. Yet, thenation has faced equal or more severe crises than currently experienced and havemet them with confidence, enthusiasm, and pride.If this perception is correct, how do we explain the deep national depression inwhich we find ourselves? Having lived through the Administrations of twelvePresidents (Truman to Bush 43), I can remember no time when there was suchpublic cynicism, while at the same time an unwillingness to participate in changingor managing the national leadership responsible for our problems.In a recent blog,Joel Hirschhorn makes a telling comment: “For a nation that was built on a revolt against oppressivegovernance by the British, something has been lost from ourpolitical DNA. We apparently no longer have the gene forpolitical rebellion. It has been bred out of most of us. Andthose of us that urge a Second American Revolution are seenas fringe, nutty subversives.”It’s not as if there were no options available to people. Ultimately, as a nation, wecould “throw the bums out,” through the use of a provision of the U.S. Constitutioncontemplating just such a situation as that in which we find ourselves. This is theprovision for a new Constitutional Convention.
Article V --
The Congress, whenever two thirds of both housesshall deem it necessary, shall propose amendments to thisConstitution, or, on the application of the legislatures of twothirds of the several states, shall call a convention forproposing amendments, which, in either case, shall be valid toall intents and purposes, as part of this Constitution, whenratified by the legislatures of three fourths of the severalstates, or by conventions in three fourths thereof, as the one orthe other mode of ratification may be proposed by theCongress; provided that no amendment which may be madeprior to the year one thousand eight hundred and eight shall inany manner affect the first and fourth clauses in the ninthsection of the first article; and that no state, without itsconsent, shall be deprived of its equal suffrage in the Senate.Hirschhorn argues that we are not yet in sufficient distress to make the massiveeffort which would be required for such a major reorganization of governance. He
 
further takes the view that the Internet provides a “release valve,” allowing freecomplaint, while damping pent up demand for action.There is little reason to doubt the validity of these arguments, but I believe that, atthis point in our national experience, there is an additional element at work. GeorgeW. Bush and all who have been his ardent supporters, have introduced a cancerinto the system which has metastasized to an effect on the national spirit whichmay prove to be fatal. This symptoms of this cancer are already manifest:1.The Rule of Law no longer exists : The operation of any legal system requires thatonce a law exists, it must be enforceable. George Bush has demonstrated thatbreaking the law is readily achieved with complete impunity. From ending ofHabeas Corpus, the politicization of the Justice Department, the treatment ofprisoners held in Guantanamo Bay to the disregard for FISA protections, we seea continuing pattern and practice of failing to even acknowledge law applies tohim. He is after all, “… the Decider!”2.Congress is a law unto itself : Congress has chosen to take its own path, passinglegislation which directly counters the desire and needs of the citizens who theyrepresent. Moreover, they have failed to hold the President accountable for hiswinding detour from the constitution. Instead, they focus on granting amnesty toillegal immigrants, a position opposed by 80% of the citizenry. Presented withoverwhelming evidence from their own investigations, they are unwilling to evenissue a non-binding vote of No Confidence in the “leadership” of AlbertoGonzalez.The defining characteristics of the American spirit are those of
honor
,
trust,integrity, selflessness
and
sacrifice for others.
Telling the truth, keepingpromises, loyalty are the ideals which upon which all of our commitment to andpride in country are based. There are, of course some aspects of American lifewhere these values remain constant. We see them reflected in the courageousbehavior of the vast majority of our combat-engaged military. Yet, that qualities of behavior and attitude are far more the exception than the rule.For most of us are sole experience with this nation’s leaders, be they in business orgovernment, leads us to distrust all that they say or publish. We have been fooledsufficiently often, to have an instant response of distrust and cynicism.That is the cancer that has spread unchecked, through the body of America. It hasspread into every facet of our interactions not only with institutions, but with ourpersonal lives as well. Do we have to look much beyond dishonesty to find the mostlikely explanation for our soaring divorce rate? How about the billions in uncollectedtaxes resulting from the cheating of average citizens? What lies abound on ourresumes? Then, there is the scandal of the protection of sexual predators by churchleaders. I challenge readers to identify any area of their lives where truth is the rule.Worst of all is the spread of approval of dishonesty to our children. Do you needevidence of that? Just spend some time reading this article about a majorcheatingscandalby school administrators in Camden, New Jersey. While there are someeducators who will foreverbattle cheating by their students, itsrampant prevalence  makes this effort a lost cause. In this kind of atmosphere, those students who seek
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02 / 14 / 2011This doucment made it onto the Rising List!
sfacets-locked

Too bad most people who vote for Bush don't (can't?) read, or they could read up on just how bad the situation really is.

reply06 / 18 / 2007
Yoda2

Interesting points on this so valid topic.

reply06 / 17 / 2007
socialista

The abuses and crimes of the current Bush administration are too numerous to list, as is the death and destruction that they have wrought across the planet.

reply06 / 17 / 2007
blackcandle

i agree about the inevitable decline of all civilizations - i think at a certain pt things just get too complicated and people too apathetic or cynical. thanks for this essay!

reply06 / 17 / 2007
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