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"We Need Leaders Who Encourage Progress, Not Defeat, and Confidence, Not Despair"

by: William Tucker

Wed Aug 24, 2011 at 06:00:00 AM EDT
Writing in the Bedford Journal, Carol Shea-Porter says rhetoric of defeat and despair is "absolutely irresponsible." "One of New Hampshire's members of Congress told the tea party that the federal government was taking away all their individual freedoms," she writes. "Are these current politicians aware of their great trust and their great responsibilities?"

While political discourse has taken a dive in terms of civility and substance, actually something far more sinister and frightening is occurring. There are people who are attacking the basic structure of our government and our faith in it.

The attacks are damaging an already fragile trust, and many Americans and the world have responded by becoming increasingly convinced that America's best days are behind us. Confidence and faith in our ability to solve problems are absolutely essential if we are to move forward, but we have irresponsible politicians ... tearing at that faith and trust.

How can this great country recover and grow with this kind of attitude? ... We the people have to keep striving, but we need leaders who encourage progress, not defeat, and confidence, not despair.
William Tucker :: "We Need Leaders Who Encourage Progress, Not Defeat, and Confidence, Not Despair"
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"We Need Leaders Who Encourage Progress, Not Defeat, and Confidence, Not Despair" | 3 comments
It is a shame (0.00 / 0)
that this op ed even needed to be written.  That these so-called "leaders" have become so irresponsible is a blight on our country.  What does this say about our political process, that sheer selfishness has become our mantra?  
I thank Carol for taking on this poison in our politics.  As always, she has more courage than most of our public servants.  We need her back in Congress representing us.
While the full potential of government by the people has not (0.00 / 0)
been realized, there has been progress towards achieving it and that has set the old guard dithering.  They don't like the prospect and have correctly identifies their three nemesis:

universal suffrage
freedom of information
(worthless) paper currency

Remember William Jennings Bryan inveighing against the cross of gold?  Well, nowadays we still wear gold crosses and other ornaments and the lily-livered buy it up as a hedge from time to time, but our money now grows as trees and registers as electronic blips -- not unlike the letters on my computer screen.
Had I no letters, I could not communicate over long distances and much time.  Similarly, people without ready access to currency can't trade and exchange efficiently. Yet, some would deprive them to keep them in poverty.

It is hard to have confidence when people are not trust-worthy.  That's why to abuse trust with deception is evil itself.

Carol's Voice (4.00 / 1)

This is why we need Carol's voice where it counts. In Congress.

This piece is one of her best and gets to the heart of our national decline.

Reagan made hatred of our government mainstream. He dignified the over simplified idea that government "is the problem."  

"We Need Leaders Who Encourage Progress, Not Defeat, and Confidence, Not Despair" | 3 comments

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