The latest Gallup polling data indicates that Americans have lost faith in their leaders and are pessimistic about the future.
Congressional approval is at just 14 percent — the lowest since Gallup began measuring in the 1970s. President Bush doesn’t do much better.
It’s not hard to see why. Despite a booming economy, many concerns have not been addressed. Democrats are furious with their leaders for failing to cut off funding for the Iraq war. Republicans are angry at Republican leaders for failing to secure the border and failing to control spending. And both parties have seen members indicted and convicted for corruption.
But the problem with the American psyche transcends our elected leaders. We are pessimistic about Iraq, about jobs, about gas prices … about the future.
Without question we face many threats. But we remain the freest, most prosperous nation on earth. We are still the land of opportunity. And we have the capacity through the democratic process to change those things in our leadership with which we disagree.
Martin Luther King Jr. said “American is essentially an idea.” We must regain faith in the power of our American ideas — of liberty, of justice, of freedom. We remain the last, best hope for mankind on earth. Now is not the time to lose heart.
Len, you wrote, “But we remain the freest, most prosperous nation on earth. We are still the land of opportunity. And we have the capacity through the democratic process to change those things in our leadership with which we disagree.”
Freedom, opportunity and the democratic process do not guarantee happiness. I think we as a nation have lost our soul.
Some people want to trust their leadership to lead them to happiness. But they have concluded that their leaders cannot lead them to happiness anymore than a new car, a bigger house in the burbs, a new spouse, a 12,500 point Dow or a fine wine can lead them to happiness.
What you wrote is a diagnosis of our spiritual emptines..
The question is, will the church seize the opportunity or keep sending their youth to Disneyland, building mulitimillion dollar hotel-looking edifices, and preaching ‘how you can be happy in 3 easy steps’ sermons.