What Are The Great Issues Of Our Time?

I think it's about time that all our political leaders and political advocacy groups wake up and face the true actuality of our situation. The Post War Era is now officially over. What Post War Era? -- World War II.

Europe, Japan and China have re-emerged as major players in the international arena. In a few years, Russia; as a nation, will also re-emerge. The advantages America enjoyed over the rest of the nations on planet earth is gradually eroding. As more nations and peoples fully recover from the devastation of World War II, our future will become even more uncertain and the world; itself, increasingly more dangerous. The reason: There are many old debts that must settled. The settling of these old debts will impact everything we do in America.

Therefore, I caution against "Hot Button" politics and "Issue" driven reactionism. Let's briefly, ask the questions...what are the great issues of our time, nationally and internationally? Let's not do this casually, but bring the greatest minds to bear on discovering and defining these great issues. Surely, a great issue of our time is not increasing the minimum wage. This is "Hot Button" politics at its worst. It will get people to the polls to vote because this is a cheap way for the masses and political demagogues to enrich themselves.

Surely, a great issue of our time is not returning America to Conservative values. What does Conservatism mean to many Americans. It means "Jim Crow" and "Boll Weevil" politics. Corrupt political machines. Second class citizenship for ethnic minorities. TheKlu Klux Klan, Southern Baptist styled racism and gangsterism in high office. Surely, no one wants to return to this. At least I don't .

Surely, a great issue of our time is not school vouchers, Lean Manufacturing, drilling for oil in Alaska, school choice, flat tax or any of the narrowly focused views that drive American politics, which in turn is driving an entire nation of people to the very precipice of obliteration. These "so-called" issues are for the weak minded and the greedy.

The weak-minded because they are incapable of thinking beyond their own selfish needs and the greedy because any good political hack or demagogue can use these weak narrowly focused "so-called" issues to ensure his/her ascent topolitical power or maintain his/her power base. From power bases, these political hacks hand out favors that will enrich themselves at our expense.

President Bush and his current team have made one blunder after another. Republican Congressional leaders have also made one blunder after another, and the Democrats are also making one blunder after another. These blunders will eventually add up to ruination for our country. The Democrats did not win control of Congress, theRepublicans lost it. Surely, which party controls the keys to Congressional toilets is not a great issue of our time either. If this is the best our Congressional leaders can give us...then we are in trouble.