Rebuilding Our Neighborhoods

Let's take a vacation from whining about injustices real and perceived. No, this isn't an endorsement of Phil Gramm's silly economic brain lapse. Our economy has suffered greatly and many Americans are feeling the pain, at the pump, in the grocery store, and in many other places. But, perhaps we need to put some of our mental anguish to work, pull up our sleeves and start to rethink how our smaller cities and communities should function. How about this for a plan of attack?

1) Let's educate our citizenry, so we have a more empowered community. Government is supposed to work for us. Our representatives in Washington have forgotten how to behave, but that's no excuse for us to begin to believe they operate independently of our desires. Let's retire a few permanently and eventually we'll get a group that understands that they work for us. So, watch your back senators.

2) Let's take a lesson from Powell, Wyoming. This small town built it's own store when the big chains either refused to move in or chose to leave. Guess where the shareholders live and shop. You guessed it. Community members in the city are the ones receiving the dividend checks. Can you think of a better reason to shop locally.

3) Let's take a new look at our schools and encourage the hiring of creative teachers and administrators looking to do more than simply pick up a check. But, we also have to give them the freedom to discipline appropriately. When schools receive money based on butts in seats instead of performance, disaster can be expected.

Let's start to live a can do life in our communities. I think this is something great that emerged from the election trail. Perhaps this is the spirit that many sense from Obama, and even Clinton. On the Republican side, perhaps even Ron Paul, Duncan Hunter, and even Mike Huckabee. Why did I choose these candidates. On the Democratic side, these candidates were given a podium and really took advantage of the spotlight so their message could be heard. And, for the most part, their message was often positive. Yes, we can! Yes, we will. On the Republican side, Ron Paul and Duncan Hunter were often ignored and belittled. And, even so...they were able to win votes and supporters, although the media made certain their stories and messages weren't heard. Even Huckabee, largely responsible for the McCain's eventual nomination, was considered inconsequential and yet his message was still able to reach the masses and he was able to pull a couple of stunning defeats against candidates with much more money.

Let's reclaim our communities.