Evolution produces national losers as well as survivors

That nothing remains the same is a given to most people. Change is constant. The American nation-state that existed at its creation no longer exists. A history book written in 1899 about the period 1800-1899 is different from a history book written in 1999 about the same period. The differences are many, but the values and perceptions of the period the history book is written about also have much to do with the result. To be able even to find an 1899 book about the period 1800-1899 says much about change.

And not all change is good, be it physical or mental.

The American nation-state has been an example of an evolutionary survivor. We have thrown off the many problems of fellow humans in the Old World; many would say we have revolted against them. All this did not happen by accident, but on purpose. One can say the life blood of this evolutionary instinct was egalitarian, socialist in nature if you will. We have come a long way. And much of this evolution was “led” by practical minded leaders, not idealists, but never-the-less leaders who could get elected, make things happen (as in manage), and stamp out an American nation-state that we live in today.

We as an American nation-state seem to be having an incredibly decades-long period of poor leaders who have recognized newer values that reward the two national parties as the best agents of change, pandering to the point of trolling for votes to extend even more benefits to the middle class without consideration for funding, and appealing to “tearing down” the American fabric without the slightest consideration, again egalitarian or socialist, to building a better nation-state. While one can blame the politicians one can also blame we Americans who have evolved this way and voted these people in. And these people, these politicians with their hired help, use the most modern and American propaganda tools to advance their political goals that appeal to those Americans who respond so well to all this.

One obvious practical example is when politicians can now be both for and against any issue, with little challenge from the media. Or a politician can attempt to rewrite history, that is his or hers political positions about the most fundamental issues to we citizens, like illegal immigration, or the war in Iraq, or benefits that must be funded by borrowing on a massive scale, and supposedly to be paid by our kids. Both the politicians and media should be embarrassed and shamed, but it seems evolution has taken this old standard away to the dust bin of history.

While change and evolution never stop, the process does continue for this nation-state called the United States of America. Only the vote, not polls or propaganda, will provide new practical (not idealistic) leaders who display egalitarian and socialist traits that are so necessary for this great American nation-state to evolve and survive. These leaders are not in the current federal crop of candidates, in this single voter’s opinion. But there are many oozing-with-leadership-principles Americans out there. They have much more in common with those who attended the original Continental Congress than most candidates today, again in this humble single voter’s opinion. And they too can be like the modern evolved version of yesterday’s attendees to the Continental Congress. Advancing this great nation-state called the USA is always a work in progress. We voters need to nurture this.