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Another Modest Proposal (with Apologies to Jonathan Swift.)

Philosophical musings of Chic Hollis

Please bring home our sons and daughters, Mr. President, from Afghanistan and Iraq, and from any other foreign country where Americans are not welcome. If these young Americans want to play soldier, let them guard our airports, our ports of entry, our public places, and our gang-infested cities!

Most Americans do not sympathize with empire builders. We don't favor preemptive wars. However, we certainly will defend our country and our borders from armed invaders and drug peddlers! Let other countries solve their own problems. Their citizens have the sovereign right to do that! That's not our job!

Most Americans don't care what other folks do in the privacy of their homes nor inside the borders of their countries as long as their actions don't involve us nor pressure us to follow their example. Folks here don't study foreign languages, foreign cultures, and foreign religions. Shame on us for our lack of knowledge and interest about those things. Although we are predisposed to help other nations with their many troubles, we are not a country of individuals eager to sacrifice our lives to rescue the helpless from dictators and effect a "regime change" - unless those imperialistic rulers are invading neighboring countries that subsequently beg us for aid.

We have our own domestic problems to solve. Concentrating our energy and our resources to do that doesn't make us xenophobes. Democracy is not working in America, and until it does, we needn't think we have a "quality political product" to export to other foreign governments. Polarization is growing rapidly here and creating domestic terrorists out of disenchanted citizens. Expanded law enforcement is not the result of citizen uprisings but the efforts of arrogant politicians who want to intervene in all aspects of human life "for our personal safety."

We can't balance our state and federal budgets, much less finance expensive "wars of liberation" overseas and the rehabilitation of the infrastructure that our advanced military weapons destroy. Unfortunately many Americans are influenced by the dogmatic promotion of our "national interests" right or wrong. Most Americans are easily satisfied with the modern laissez faire way of life which says "open a can of beer, and let the party begin." They expect the government to fix everything ASAP and send the bill to the rich and middle class taxpayers!

Yes, Americans - spend now, buy what you want with credit, and pay later - with a new tax deductible home loan - or much later, with a reverse mortgage. You have a constitutional right to pursue happiness now. Don't waste a moment. The prices of what you want may go up, the circus may leave town, and suicidal terrorists may be buying up all the tickets on the commercial airlines. It's still safe to go on a short cruise, visit our National Parks, and watch the trash at the movies in a comfortable air conditioned theater munching overpriced "goodies."

Whatever you do, don't bother to vote. That's a waste of time. Political candidates cannot be trusted. Don't read their lips, listen to their phony promises, donate money, nor shake their hands. They haven't the foggiest idea how to fix the things and systems that are broken and inefficient. The popular philosophy of our leaders is either "tax and spend" or "spend and tax" with your money. Our democratic system is terminally ill and on the life support of deficit spending. Our children and young grandchildren will be forced to pick up the tab, thanks to our wise "statesmen and women."

Be compassionate, Mr. President, and repatriate our soldiers, please! Cut the imperialistic rhetoric and the promotion of democracy. Reduce the cost of our foolish intervention into areas of the globe that have different cultures which we won't take the trouble to understand. This stressed nation doesn't have a ghost of a chance to improve those countries.

There's no mandate from our humble citizens for the President of the United States to become Emperor of the world. So, bring home our loved ones, and let them have a chance to muddle through the economic mess we have left them here in America!

Chic Hollis lived on four continents, speaks seven languages and had five children, all of which helped him gain a unique perspective on life.