Anyone who seeks the highest elected office in this land, or any other, ought to be aware fully of the solemn responsibility upon which they embark. And, the onus it places on the candidate to seize the opportunity to share ideas; to discuss and to reason with the people of America, from shore to shore, border to border as well as beyond our singular frontiers and our uniquely national interests.
On, Tuesday the 3rd of November, 2020, the 59th quadrennial United States presidential election took place. The 58th presidential election, the election of 2016, occurred on the 8th of November, 2016.
Both, we are in the midst of one of the most contentious presidential campaigns in US history. A result, for the most part, which stems from the insistence of the electorate to discuss issues and raise concerns which have not been at the forefront of the agenda of either of the two major political parties or their respective administrations for far too long.
And, as a result, the outcome of this election, will largely depend, and perhaps uniquely, on how well the contenders engage, understand, and address the concerns of a highly invigorated electorate.
Although political campaigns have become long and at times rancorous affairs, it should be remembered that republican government (small r) cannot thrive without lively and vigorous debate; nor can it long endure without the forbearance of political violence. And, over the past several decades we have witnessed too much of the latter and all to little of the former.
As one ponders just how great this nation is, and its people are, I am also aware that it is as though America has wakened suddenly from a long and troubled sleep.
The ages-old wisdom that eternal vigilance is the price of liberty went unheeded.
We woke to find our civil liberties eroded, our savings dwindled, our jobs less secure, our homes under threat, the future of our children less assured, the cost of health care exorbitant, and even our food supply less safe.
We slept because we believed that our nation was in steady hands.
We shared a sense of certainty that those in whose trust we placed our life-savings had our best interests at heart.
We slept because we believed that the government was placing too many obstacles in the way of the affairs of honest businesses.
And yet, we woke to find our most trusted financial institutions trading unregulated monetary instruments that to this day, more than a decade on, the unraveling of which remains a daunting task.
We, both those on whose shoulders the mantle of authority now rests, and those on whose shoulders authority will
reside in the future, must remain cognizant of the fact that in a free society, the people have no one to blame for the circumstances in which they find themselves - other than themselves.
The constitutional role of government has among its guiding principles to promote the general good.
The argument as to the proper role of government cannot be guided simply as a matter of political rhetoric;
but, must be based upon a desire to maintain an equitable relationship between governmental responsibilities,
the need to safeguard the public, and the onus to do what is best for this nation, when faced with outwardly irreconcilable demands on often limited resources.
Therefore it is just as likely that government can be too invasive, as it is that government can be too timid.
The decision is always, in our Republic, for the people to decide the proper role of government. The people exercise their decision making powers not only through the process of elections, when they choose to be represented by their neighbors, to carry out their wishes. But through the everyday
The voters of this country, are again enthused and with like minded citizens, are sending a clear message.
And that message is we want America back.
We want back that American government that understands that it is the interests of working man with which we must first be concerned. We want back that American government that understands that when the American people work, the American people save, and when the American people save, the American people invest,
and when the American people work, save and invest - America prospers.
Our domestic situation looms large, and at the same time, our foreign commitments, both military and diplomatic, engage us in every region of the world.
This nation borne uniquely on the principle of law has chosen to embrace an ideal of a world in which the inalienable rights of all peoples to life, liberty, and property are unassailable.
If we are to live up to the true meaning of our creed, at times, the American people must 'stand tall' and come to the aid of the defenseless. And, to oppose those who would attempt to achieve by tyranny that which they cannot attain by consensus.
These noble sentiments carry with them the promise of ' a more perfect union' and a brighter future for this nation,
and for those with whom we share the Western Hemisphere, as well as, our relations with those peoples far from our borders and shores.
The future of this nation, and all societies rests ultimately, upon the care and attention afforded its youngest members, the generation whose destiny it is to shoulder the mantle of authority. Healthy bodies are the best repositories for healthy minds; and it is time for us to commit ourselves to the health of our young.
We are a diverse people, and along with those native to the Americas, we find among ourselves representatives of every people, and from every nation in the world community.
We ask all those who cross our borders and shores to leave the ancient evils of the Old World at our doorstep.
And, upon entry into the New World, join in the great American experiment; where equal opportunity for all to use their full powers along lines of excellence, in the words of JFK, is the standard that the people of this nation strive to achieve.
Poverty is contrary to social advancement. Extreme poverty in the Americas is injurious to the economic and social well-being of the entire Western Hemisphere,
therefore:
We the people of the United States ought to undertake a consultation, with the advice and consent of the Senate, with our neighbors in the Western Hemisphere to the end of establishing a Common Market of the Americas.
A single market to encompass the great land mass that extends from the Boothia Peninsula in Northern Canada
to its southern-most point, Cape Forward in Chile, including the islands to the north, south, east and west of this hemisphere.
The reform of our system of taxation is long overdue.
Taxation, the means by which the American people fund public expenditure to achieve often-noble economic
and social objectives must be effective, but it should also be fair and efficient.
If elected, I will work with like-minded members of the Congress to establish and enact a family-friendly fair tax for individuals and families.
Our reform and simplification of the tax system cannot stop with a fair system of taxation for individuals and families, while the system of business and corporate taxation is also in urgent need of repair.
We all love and admire the things that we help to build.
There is much to be done to build a better and brighter future. And, the young must be given an opportunity to participate fully in the constant renewal of our urban and rural resources, our public parks and sites of natural beauty, as well as to engage their minds in the arts and sciences that must garner solutions in the fields of energy,
transportation, health, and environmental protection.
We must re-dedicate ourselves to giving every generation of Americans an opportunity to leave a legacy to this country from their own efforts. Therefore, we must institute a system of two years' community service for all high school graduates without firm plans for their future. Those graduates who do not enter college, join the military services or enter into a work-study or apprenticeship program, will be given an opportunity to learn and gain skills in service to this nation.
Upon completion of two years of community service, each participant shall be entitled to educational benefits equal to that granted to those who choose to serve this country in uniform.
For decades, successive administrations have linked welfare benefits to work, this means tested entitlement system has often proved divisive, resulting in untoward consequences for families and communities.
If, the American people desire that all citizens who can work; do work, then it must be the goal of this nation to assure that there is work for all Americans.
I am committed to full-employment, and believe that in America, a people dedicated to the principles of personal responsibility, families and enterprise must have the policies and strength of purpose to achieve economic security for all Americans.
Social Security, our system designed to ensure decent standards of living for all upon retirement, sickness, or disability, must remain strong and fully funded. We owe a great debt to our senior citizens. All that we enjoy exists because they answered the call to build and secure the America we admire today.
They planted the crops that adorn our bountiful tables; they worked in the factories that made the goods we so often take for granted; they educated generations of Americans to prepare them to become productive citizens; they healed the sick and developed the miracles of modern medicine.
We owe a great debt to our senior citizens, and America honors its debts.
We must never allow illness to bankrupt our senior citizens; nor permit circumstances in which our senior citizens
have to choose between sufficient nourishment and needed medicine.
They must be able to remain in their homes and we should assist them when necessary in doing so.
Therefore, without diminishing existing Social Security benefits, I will work tirelessly toward the establishment of a system of universal – free at the point of delivery – health care for all Americans over the age of sixty-two.
My fellow Americans, and fellow citizens,
This is a great country, and at the same time it is not final in the sense of completed accomplishment.
There is much that remains to be done; challenges to be met; opportunities to be seized upon, and adversities to overcome.
Aveces la jente se olvida lo valioso lo que tiene, como la libertad, un trabajo, una casa, la familia, y la comunidad.
At times we forget the things that are most valuable to us, like liberty, work, a home, family, and community.
Deverian ser recordados, los derechos inalienables de la humanidad, los derechos no provienen de la generosidad del estado, sino de la mente de Dios.
It should be remembered that the inalienable rights of man, are rights, that stem not from the generosity of the state, but from the mind of God.
The time has come to be dedicated to the unfinished work, to trample out the vintage where the grapes of wrath are stored.
And so, that this nation - conceived in liberty - shall not perish from the earth.
It is time for us to reflect upon our past, and to set firm plans for our future, and let us do it together,
e pluribus unum.
And finally, to paraphrase Sir Arthur Conan Doyle -
‘…There is a new spirit abroad in this land;
the old days of grab and greed are on their way out.
We are beginning to think of what we owe the other fellow;
not just what we are compelled to give him.
A time is coming, my fellow Americans,
when we shan’t be able to fill our bellies in comfort;
while other folk go hungry,
or sleep in warm beds;
while others shiver in the cold.
And, we shan’t be able to kneel before our shinning alters and thank God for blessings;
while others are kneeling in either physical or spiritual subjection.
And, God willing ~ we will live to see that day'.
America
Eric in the heart of America
Eric LaMont Gregory ~ 2020