Hi This column was printed today alongside an editorial by the editor/publisher Jim Nowlan on Understanding Corruption in Illinois. I told the Jim that I appreciated the opportunity. Tell me what you think. G
Sour Grapes and Saddle Sores
George Hirst
The American Political Experiment January 29, 2009
Our political life is a two hundred plus years old experiment which, under the inspiration of these words, ‘In order to create a more perfect union, we the people...." (Preamble of the US Constitution), introduces the fundamental purposes and the guiding principles which the constitution was meant to serve. The union has never arrived at a stage when we can say this is perfect. We have had fixers, persons who know it al, experts in law and politics, in all those years. During that time some one has found things to be corrected, or with which they did not agree, so that we change governing styles, institute new ways of governing, and we change the governing political party. We have made mistakes and found great ideas, all of which have contributed to the national experiment.
The inauguration of our 44th president and the envisioned changes he brings with him thrill me. I would have all of you remember that because the "union" is a work in progress and therefore has gone through many changes, that we are still experimenting with the way we work through this two century old idea that practices freedom for citizens of all kinds. An interesting example of this experiment is the right to vote. The nation has gone from only every male, to women, to people of color as voters. Each change was resisted but in the end has proven to be good.
Wars, other national disasters, financial crises find the political experiment developing changes and installing different officers and agencies to deal with issues. A good thing is that our present set of problems has produced an increase in numbers of voters and a strong involvement of people in the nation’s political life. The historical moment of the inauguration of an African-American as president and the tremendous number of people who stood in the cold for hours to attend the installation is a witness to the presence of hope in the midst of problems.
We all cast votes in the November election and, while the results were not overwhelming, we gave witness to our willingness to bring about changes. The people who spoke about the need for change must also take responsibility to bring those changes into being. Every person who now holds office in all the positions of our land will be held responsible to bring changes about, and every person who cast a vote must also be responsible in the ongoing experiment.
Responsibility is upon all of us, no matter for whom we voted, or our political views, the experiment is our experiment. We must not be arrogant or greedy because that is selfish and excludes our neighbors. We celebrate, we disagree, we support, and we seek to find changes that we can make to bring about this century's attempt to find a more perfect union.
More Sour Grapes and Saddle Sores
Sour Grapes and Saddle Sores
George Hirst
The American Political Experiment January 29, 2009
Our political life is a two hundred plus years old experiment which, under the inspiration of these words, ‘In order to create a more perfect union, we the people...." (Preamble of the US Constitution), introduces the fundamental purposes and the guiding principles which the constitution was meant to serve. The union has never arrived at a stage when we can say this is perfect. We have had fixers, persons who know it al, experts in law and politics, in all those years. During that time some one has found things to be corrected, or with which they did not agree, so that we change governing styles, institute new ways of governing, and we change the governing political party. We have made mistakes and found great ideas, all of which have contributed to the national experiment.
The inauguration of our 44th president and the envisioned changes he brings with him thrill me. I would have all of you remember that because the "union" is a work in progress and therefore has gone through many changes, that we are still experimenting with the way we work through this two century old idea that practices freedom for citizens of all kinds. An interesting example of this experiment is the right to vote. The nation has gone from only every male, to women, to people of color as voters. Each change was resisted but in the end has proven to be good.
Wars, other national disasters, financial crises find the political experiment developing changes and installing different officers and agencies to deal with issues. A good thing is that our present set of problems has produced an increase in numbers of voters and a strong involvement of people in the nation’s political life. The historical moment of the inauguration of an African-American as president and the tremendous number of people who stood in the cold for hours to attend the installation is a witness to the presence of hope in the midst of problems.
We all cast votes in the November election and, while the results were not overwhelming, we gave witness to our willingness to bring about changes. The people who spoke about the need for change must also take responsibility to bring those changes into being. Every person who now holds office in all the positions of our land will be held responsible to bring changes about, and every person who cast a vote must also be responsible in the ongoing experiment.
Responsibility is upon all of us, no matter for whom we voted, or our political views, the experiment is our experiment. We must not be arrogant or greedy because that is selfish and excludes our neighbors. We celebrate, we disagree, we support, and we seek to find changes that we can make to bring about this century's attempt to find a more perfect union.
More Sour Grapes and Saddle Sores