As I finish the last chapters of the book That Used to Be Us by Thomas Friedman and Michael Mandelbaum, I can not help but wholeheartedly agree with the general theme underlying the entire book, America has lost its way. There is no sense of collective spirit anymore in the American people, no sense of sacrifice for the greater good. And more often than not we are concerned with our well-being in the here and now and do not employ a forward-looking attitude to examine the ramifications of our decisions down the road for those to come after us. Instead of a sense of a communal pride seeking the betterment of those around us as well as ourselves, we are plagued by feelings of self-entitlement and materialism that break down any sense of community that helped shape the nation we enjoy today. There is no drive in the American people to better ourselves as well as those around us. We run under the assumption that we will always be the model other countries in the world aspire to be, but this is grossly incorrect. If anything, the American system has become the poster child for what a sense of complacency and stubbornness can do to ravage a once great nation. I believe this attitude is a result of our country's "tone at the top." The political figures running this country set an example for the American people that is dangerous for the nation as a whole to follow.

As elected leaders meant to serve the interests of the American people, I would expect these politicians to be the shining example of what it means to be an American. This could be no further from the truth, as our elected leaders represent some of the most despised, cowardly people this nation has to offer. To say the vast majority of politicians serve anything but their own self-interests is an understatement that is a testament to the self-defeating nature of our political system today. The nature of American politics has evolved for the worst since the days of our founding fathers. America's roots were born in a collective struggle to gain our independence from a tyrannical leader for the right to govern ourselves as we see fit. Today, this "political" system that so many before us have died to preserve has become an exercise in "how can I make people have a favorable opinion of me so that I may be reelected next term?" There are very few politicians in contemporary America with the moral courage to take a stand for what is right even if that means taking a knock in the polls. This lack of courage particularly presents itself in the area of taxation.

The government's main source of revenue to serve and protect this nation's people, taxes, has become a taboo subject amongst its politicians. There are few leaders in this country willing to stand up and say one must sacrifice an additional dollar today so that we may have a better tomorrow. Too many Americans are ignorant to the subject of taxation, only realizing that their weekly paycheck may be slightly smaller than the last. They are uninformed as to the impact any tax raises may have, such as reducing the insurmountable amount of debt this country has accumulated, because none of our country's leaders are willing to inform them. Not all of us are financially literate (I myself work in the financial services industry, which is a whole different matter for another day's discussion) and therefore must be informed by those in position to enact these taxes. However, the political leaders of today have proliferated this attitude that taxes are a negative, a subject to be tread upon lightly. We fought British rule under the guise "No taxation without representation," not "No taxation." If taxes are to be looked upon as an evil (which is grossly inaccurate), then it is the most necessary evil in America today. We cannot survive with a balance sheet showing trillions of dollars of debt as we continue to try and eliminate taxes (just look at Greece). Anyone can understand the concept that more money leaving our pockets while less is coming in is a losing situation. We need leaders to inform the American people that a dollar spent today means better infrastructure, better schools, and a cleaner environment tomorrow so that our children don't inherit the poor decisions we made in our time.

And perhaps the biggest folly of today's political leaders is their inability to effectively address climate change. To the Republicans that deny its existence, it's time to find a new job. The sheer ignorance of any such thinking is unfathomable to me, the audacity to deny the credibility of 97% of the science community, the experts on the matter I might add, is an injustice to the American people the likes of which we have not seen. And to the Democrats that acknowledge something must be done about climate change but have not had the determination to stand up to oil and gas special purpose entities, shame on you. I am not sure what is worse, denying the existence of global warming or failing to act upon an increasingly glaring problem at the sake of your own reelection. At this point we are not talking about money or politics, we are talking about the sustainability of the planet we inhabit. We have been presented with a golden opportunity to be the leaders in the next great global industry, clean energy, and have failed to take advantage as we continue our reliance upon fossil fuels. Our political leaders have let the "pull" of gas and oil interest sway their decision making upon Capitol Hill, instead of the future prosperity of the American people. Climate change is the first battle since the Cold War that can evoke the collective sense of American identity among this country's people necessary to propel America back into a position of prominence.

The American political system has lost the moral fortitude necessary to lead this country effectively. We, the American people, sit and watch as our political leaders let our social, financial, geopolitical and environmental condition deteriorate for the sake of their "four more years." There are few out there willing to take a stand on a matter that may not win them a popularity contest, but that will serve to better the American condition. As a child, I did not always agree with or enjoy the "tough love" I received from my parents, but as I have aged I now see the benefits I reaped from them having the strength to take a stand for what was right. We need more leaders in this country to take this same stand and move America in a direction we have not been since the Berlin Wall came down in 1989. As a young American, it is frustrating to sit idly by as we watch the countries around the world we helped shape surpass us in education, research and development, infrastructural development, financial stability, etc. and emerge as the new poster child for what it means to be a great nation. I do not believe our forefathers envisioned a nation where a select few sacrificed progress of the American people for their own agendas. It is time we got back to our roots, and rediscovered the drive that once made America the greatest country in the world.