Moral Crisis In America Part II

Yesterday I wrote about the moral crisis in America and today I want to continue on that theme. All you had to do was watch the three ring circus, called the Republican debate last night to understand just how far we are from understanding the moral value in domestic and foreign policy.

Mitt Romney's statement, "If Obama is reelected the Iranians will have nuclear weapons and if I am elected they will not," shows his absolute lack of credibility in the foreign affairs arena. His answer is to start another war. Several of the other republican candidates are following the same logic.  What ever happened to American being the moral compass for the rest of the world? Where is leadership, that can do more then promote military activity to solve all problems? I am currently reading, Chris Mathews new book, about President John Kennedy, Elusive Hero and it made me think about how Kennedy stood up to the generals, when they wanted to invade Cuba. It may have started an all out nuclear war and we all would be either dead or living with severe consequences because of a rush to war. Why do we now continue to listen to Generals or hawks that want to drive us all toward destruction, instead of toward solutions? War has to become the last resort, after all other solutions have been evaluated. Romney gives a simple sound bite answer, instead of a thoughtful approach. He wants to appear tough and in reality he appears weak. Having strength and using it judiciously is not only intelligent, but the moral approach. To former Governor Romney, stop with the political rhetoric and start with real answers.

Then we had my favorite crazy lady, Michelle Bachman. She wants us to become China. Yes, we should now embrace Communist China in solving our, "Welfare State" issue. She points out that the Chinese save for their own retirement and support themselves. She fails to mention that they have a lower standard of living, overall. She fails to mention that as a Communist society they have supported their population over several decades. She fails to mention they provide free education to the people that, they decide, deserves it. She fails to mention that they manipulate their currency and practice unfair trading around the world. Where are the people that have called President Obama, everything from a Socialist to a Terrorist to a Communist? If a Democrat had mentioned the idea that America should follow China with anything, they would have been crucified. We have a moral obligation to help the less fortunate in America and around the world. We should be protecting human rights here at home and in every corner of the globe. We should be standing with the little people and finding solutions, not looking at ways to start new military campaigns and duplicate the human rights violations or selective services, of a Communist country.

We have to look not just at the economic price of changes, but the moral price as well. I heard the comment, that when the civil rights movement was starting, one of the arguments against it was the cost in dollars. Fortunately the moral and financial price was paid and we moved forward. As a modern and upwardly moving society we need to start paying the economic and moral price. That is what makes us human.