As Americans, we all want the same thing, right?

I grew up believing that, as Americans, we all shared similar ideals and principles on common ground, striving to uphold the American way of life, seeking the American dream of continued freedom, prosperity as a result of hard work, and the ability to make free choices within the bounds of the law.

I was raised in an average middle-income family. We pretty much lived paycheck-to-paycheck for the most part - not poor by any stretch of the imagination but, insomuch as luxuries were concerned, we had few.  Actually, if you've ever seen "That 70's Show" on television, it pretty much summed up the type of family I grew up in during the 70's.  Could be one of the reasons I enjoyed watching it as much as I did.

My parents worked hard to provide the basic necessities along with a few "nice-to-haves" such as a colored TV, a stereo for the house, and a touch-tone phone with a really long chord.  We were one of the first among friends with the long chord and it was awesome!  We could take that phone almost anywhere inside our 1100 square feet of the house.

I also worked hard.  I started working when I was fifteen years old.  I worked part-time, played high school football and supported a very expensive habit of having a girlfriend!  I eventually bought my first car - a 1965 Chevy Impala.  I paid $700 over time to my step-father who taught me my first lesson on the importance of credit and the principle of a timely and consistent repayment plan.

I grew up in a military family so my first career choice was all but pre-destined.  I wanted to go to college but my family couldn't afford the tuition and I didn't have the talent required to qualify for a football scholarship, despite the fact that I was a big shot quarterback...good, but not great by college standards.  So I weighed my military options and decided to go in the opposite direction of my Navy brat heritage and joined the Air Force.  It was one of the best choices for me to make for my own life.  I have absolutely nothing against the other branches of service and have the utmost respect for every one of them, but what the Air Force gave me in return for the service I provided, continues to pay dividends, even to this very day.

I grew up...fast!  From the time I left home and returned from basic military training, I can say unequivocally, that I matured beyond my 18-years of age.  It was the beginning of enlightenment and insight into what life is like as an adult, even while I was still but a young man.

I learned early on that most of us desire similar things from life.  The freedom to choose, to find love, raise a family, earn a living, and leave a legacy.  The fact that our desires are so similar doesn't negate the fact that, as Americans, we can be so divisive on "the rules" by which we achieve those desires.

The political landscape has changed the face of this great nation.  No longer are we a collective, cohesive nation of Americans striving for the betterment of mankind, providing an example for the world to emulate.  Instead, we've become a nation whose overextended spending habits and misuse of budgetary powers have resulted in a downgraded credit rating, resulting in an unprecedented national debt, leaders who are mired in political partisan gridlock on both sides of the aisle who are driven more by agenda than principle, an entitlement-ridden and government-dependent society who knows more about the welfare and social status of celebrities than the vital statistics of their leadership.  Why, even those who are in the same political party throw each other under the bus to elevate themselves.  If you doubt that, just watch the Republican race for the GOP presidential nomination.  And I won’t even begin an attempt to explain what the heck the whole 99% movement was about. 

At what point did we stray from the principled course set by our forefathers in the founding documents?  Or, has it been that way ever since and I was just too blind to see it?  When did entitlement become the preference over hard work and the resulting fruit of our labor?  When did common sense and sound judgment depart from the heart of America?  Is it too late to come to our senses and realize we're on the same team and become one nation, under God, once again?

It has been said that, with each passing generation, new ideals and principles are formed that chart the course of its future.  I see so much promise in our youth, yet we have riddled them with debt and handcuffed them with rules and laws they're forced to overcome that handicaps their ability to overcome and correct the course of our great nation.  I have every hope that greatness will return, but at what cost?  If faced with no other choice, are they willing to accept a lower standard of living than their parents in order to free themselves and their children from the inevitable vulnerabilities of choosing otherwise?  Do they have the tools, desire and know-how to even make that choice?  

Yes, generally speaking, we all want the same thing.  Now, if we can only convince the Washington machine to get out of the way, I think we can just do this.


- G -


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