In 1776 the world knew of one superpower, and it was not the good old’ USA. England ruled the seas and it’s Army was the best trained and equipped. Ruled by a monarchy, at the time a King. To be a subject of this monarchy, the King meant to be in servitude to the whims of this individual and his family. To break with such governance was to commit treason. The first American patriots seeking freedom of governance, to be governed by the people, for the people had to commit treason. This small group risked everything, their status, lands, wealth, lives and to the futures of their families lives.
These 1st Patriots chose instead to accept suffering, sacrifice and service, for an ideal of creating new way to govern and be governed. What we today consider the foundation of an American Patriot.
Suffering, sacrifice and service. We celebrate these traits in our history, we celebrate the individuals who have led by examples of these traits. Marines raising the flag on top of Mount Suribachi, soldiers exiting landing crafts on D-Day. We sing the National Anthem before every sporting event that Francis Scott Key wrote about our flag still flying above Fort McHenry, after bombardment by the British during the War of 1812. We make a big show of constantly thanking our troops for their service. Wanting to honor them as patriots. Why? Don’t get me wrong they are, but why does the general public pay such attention, want to celebrate?
Guilt. Today less then 1% of Americans has provided service to our country. They take pride that their fathers, great-grandfather or uncle, mother, grandmother, aunt served. But as time moves further from the days of our last drafted military from 50 years ago during the Vietnam War, to the volunteer Army since. America has grown to a country of not my kid, let some less fortunate kid who needs the college fund or needs the job. My kid is to smart, or to special, and I don’t want to have my child put in a situation that they could be killed, because our politicians make decision to deploy troops to a foreign hot spot. So, guilt is the reason they say thank you. Somebody else willing to do our countries dirty work, that they don’t have to sacrifice themselves to do.
So, what suffering, sacrifice and service does the average American citizen share with these patriots? How do they display, show patriotism outside of standing up, singing the National Anthem or pushing away from a bar stool at the local Moose Club to collectively state the Pledge of Allegiance? How do they participate in this American experiment of governing by the people for the people? How do we ensure our democracy, to maintain our rights of self-determination and not be governed by the few.
Obviously, these Americans will defend that they vote and pay taxes. Well, that is a first step, voting is critical, but to some paying taxes or avoiding paying their full required amount is a game. But, I don’t see that they are really suffering, sacrificing and if their service is to occasionally vote, not really a difficult task. Not really sure if this is patriotism? The OG Patriots risked it all for a concept, an ideal. All men are created equal. Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Freedom of religion and the separation of church and state to name just a few. The wealthiest OG Americans risked everything to attain this ideal, by the people for the people.
Today, 250 years into this experiment the wealthiest Americans, wealth beyond the wildest dreams of our Founding Fathers, has created a structure to back candidates that will vote on issues to maintain, and grow their individual wealth and power. An example, Elon Musk tech billionaire buying largest social media feed twitter to control information. Bezos buying the Washington Post, Zuckerburg and dissolution of fact checking, we could go on and on. From a business perspective, great moves for them to control the narrative, become the Merchants of Doubt. Invest in candidates that will help you grow your power and wealth. All this fits into the American way.
Think about it. Invest in candidates that believe that Capitalism at all costs is good, trickle-down economy is the way to grow. If you’re a CEO of a fortune 500 company, share price is all that matters. So, if a candidate you helped get’s elected, and that candidate can provide government subsidies and tax breaks, this in turn helps create record profits, allows stock buy backs and inflates the share price for wealthy investors. “Greed is good” as the character Gordon Gecko in the movie “Wall Street” stated. How do we, the average American have a say, get a say if the candidates can be purchased? We can’t rely on the courts to defend our OG patriots’ values, because they can be purchased as well.
What do we do? How can we be Patriotic to the original ideals, values? How can we wrestle control away from a select few, with unlimited power and money?
Patriots Day. A day, but not a holiday. A day of service to this country. Everybody who wants to maintain our democracy doesn’t go to work. An intentional day of lost productivity to the American economy. Instead go provide a day of service to our society, give time freely to society in areas of the greatest need. Unpaid and ensuring that it is intentionally placed at society’s neediest causes. If you want to see our elected representatives start working for us, the American people, let them see the effect of a day of lost production across America and how that affects our economy and GDP. You will get their attention.
When our elected representatives refuse to work together for our collective greater good. Have a win at all costs, for their individual ideology, regardless that these elections have been swinging 51% to 49% for years. They are not working for our collective greater good, but believing that regardless of the constituents wishes, it is Party over all the People. The only thing they understand, and respect is money and power. So, if we take away the money, they will lose the power. If the 49% takes a productive day away from our economy, by not showing up, meanwhile giving freely of their time to society, our elected representatives will witness a hiccup to what makes America the most powerful country on the planet. Remember what they always say, “it’s the economy stupid”. Land of the free and home of the brave, doesn’t mean shit if we didn’t have this economy to pay for everything, or take on the debt knowing our economy can find a way to pay it back.
A Patriots Day. India felt this as Gandhi marched to the sea, in a peaceful demonstration. When it disrupts the money, it disrupts the power dynamic. A wake-up call. Sacrifice our time in service to others, suffer the loss of a days pay. Patriotism. Being a Patriot means participating fully in our democracy.
What if they don’t listen? This is easy, establish a Patriots Week, if that doesn’t then one week a month. We the people elected them to represent all of us, as Americans. Listen to all of our concerns, govern in good faith for all. Look at it this way, the 49% can’t hear the words, “Your Fired”. Watch our economy immediately show signs of trouble and they have no choice. The reason America is the worlds greatest superpower, is our economy. That is how we get our elected representative back to work, back to the table for all of us. Show them that if half of America skips work, economy function, grow, project power. In America, the power is in its people, not its government.
Power is money. It is the one thing they fear the most is losing money because that means losing power. Musk, Bezos, fear it. Elected representative fear it. Put them back to work for us, the American people, not us grinding out an existence and sacrificing to create wealth and power for a few. We elected them to represent us and our needs, not to go and protect their own power and create individual wealth. To serve the American ideals above all, that all men & women are created equal. To ensure that we are looking after the common welfare of our citizens, not giving subsidies and tax breaks to our wealthiest companies, to enrich their CEO’s and the wealthiest few. Take away the power and control of these self-serving individuals, who have no concerns for how it effects America other then their own individual grift of our society.
We the people need our elected officials, Democrat and Republican to get back to work on behalf of all of us. A 51% to 49% is not a mandate by all the people, to do whatever they want, regardless. Otherwise, it will lead to a result of every two to four years, the 49% will have a 51% margin, and dictate a massive swing of decisions in their direction. Meaning, we end up going nowhere, making no improvements, apart from feeding the pockets of the top 1%. A continuous Grift for the few.
A day of Patriotism, organized by known Patriots. Leading by example, as President Jimmy Carter always did after he left office with Habitat for Humanity and other worthy causes. Selfless sacrifice, for the American way. Show the few who wish to rule as a King, or Dictator, that the power of the people is in the purse. Grab back their Grift.
TheWatermanBlog 