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It is evident that an irrational but palpable sense of insecurity, fueled by reductionist rants spewing forth from media outlets and the Internet, is infecting large segments of the population. The consequence of this negative information bombardment is that, whether the issue be financial, cultural, religious or political, people react viscerally and reject thoughtful analysis. Like the title of CBS’s new comedic, political thriller, we are apparently “Brain Dead”.

One symptom of this phenomenon is the growth of what I like to call the Leadership Deficit. Our now-sainted Founders were fearful on one hand of centralized authority, and on the other of the passions of the masses. Their solution was to achieve a balance between the two by cobbling together an awkward republican form of democracy, a system dependent upon elected political leaders functioning as interlocutors, balancing popular emotional compulsions with effective public policy that aims for “the greatest good for the greatest number.” Achieving this balance between what is popular and what is good for society often requires convincing a majority of the people that a particular policy, no matter how unpopular, contributes to the common good. In our history, this was a skill manifested by our most effective leaders.  Where are these people- the Washingtons, Lincolns, TRs, LBJs- today? Have our politics become so polluted that capable people of good will avoid public service? Have we, in buying into the premise that the institutions of government are the problem, lost faith in the very idea of government? Or is the popular belief that politicians are are either too venal and self-aggrandizing, or too ideological to engage in governance, that animates the public’s cynicism?

What is needed is the popular will to consider issues in their complexity. It is time for the public to become politically erudite for the dual purpose of making informed decisions and holding our political leaders accountable. It is time  for We, the People, to take responsibility. 

It is time to Make America SMART Again.

Please celebrate Independence Day with the appreciation of what America could and should be.