By the time this article is printed, the election of 2008 will be over. Whatever the outcome, let no one doubt that we are in a difficult time and no one can foresee the course that will be taken to begin the process of a renewed confidence. We will be rid of the political ads, the ground swell of questionable promises and hopefully the mudslinging between political parties.
The news media has had a field day with the daily polling results which were different depending on what you watched, read or heard. It was Sir Winston Churchill who said; “A lie gets half way around the world before the truth gets its pants on”. He was unaware we would have the internet explosion. We have been barraged with unsettling news and been ushered into a state of confusion and fear.
We are still faced, however with the unprecedented bail out of the financial institutions and our own state budget crisis. Local governments will be bracing once again as our lawmakers in Sacramento face hard decisions and will undoubtedly continue to court ideas about how to take from local government.
Frankly, I’m tired of listening to the voices of opposition when there don’t seem to be concrete alternatives and the dissident voices finding fault while perceiving gloom on all sides. When times are tough like this, I turn to the great leaders of our past. In doing so, I’m able to better understand and embrace the vision they had when creating the foundation of government for this great nation. I find solace in knowing the strength and will of those leaders who prepared the framework of our democracy.
It is a strength that has been tested many times but not to the degree we are now facing. I found a quote by Thomas Jefferson which resonates with modern time. He states: “I sincerely believe that the banking establishments are more dangerous than standing armies and that the principles of spending money to be paid by posterity under the name of funding is but swindling futurity on a large scale.”
It’s time that we, the people, take a step back and reflect on our home and family as we dig down to our pioneer roots and be more self sufficient as a people. We will be judged more by what we do at home than anything else. Many months of sacrifice and self discipline lay ahead, a time frame in which both our patience and our will will be tested.
This is a time of courage and challenge and we must unite in our heritage of the past in order to fulfill the hopes for the future. The quote by John F. Kennedy is more poignant now than ever…, “Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country.”
In case you want to get started, we are looking for a few people to join our advisory committees. You may contact me about this and other issues by email at lkoelling@fostercity.org.
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