Happy Birthday America

It is 8:15 P.M. on July 4, 2009. I am sitting on my front porch, listening to a party three houses down, and another one can be heard from over a ridge at a local motorcycle shop. My neighbor's party must be primarily teeny-boppers, as I have heard nothing but modern pop music, and I can hear a very strange live rendition of "Sweet Home Alabama" coming from the cycle shop.

Another neighbor is lapping their house on a small ATV.

And since it is the fourth, and we are fast approaching dusk, I am hearing fireworks pop all around me, at various distances.

Today's society seems to be a strange one indeed. Being politically informed, I see our liberties being taken away from us little by little by our political leaders. Worse yet, a very select few people seem informed, and even less seem concerned. It is very troubling, because I know that our situation will continue to deteriorate until the masses educate themselves, unify, and mobilize efforts to quell the political wrangling taking place today.

I sometimes wonder what our forefathers would say if they saw The United States today. Would they find it as disconcerting as I do? What would they suggest? So, for her birthday, I am going to make six suggestions as what needs to be done to retain our level of greatness and exceptionalism. These are only six among many potential actions, and I offer none of them as cure-all solutions. I just think these things should happen for the betterment of our society.

1. Move election day to April 16.
2. Create and implement a litmus test on the subject of American government one must pass before they can vote.
3. Implement a flat tax.
4. Implement honest and true transparency in government.
5. Make sure the final copy of the full text of new legislative bills are submitted, approved, and posted online where all the House of Representatives, Senators, and the American Public can read, and scrutinize, two weeks before any voting occurs.
6. Make sure that every federally elected official has, in addition to all his experience and education, held a post-college, blue-collar position for at least five consecutive years, so they may learn to understand the true value of a dollar.