A Great American Resurgence is rooted in civic engagement

United Liberty ^ | 12/30/14 | Matthew Hurtt

[Baynative]

The American experiment in self-governance relies heavily on an engaged and informed citizenry, who understand the philosophical foundations of individual liberty. This is why it is important to read philosophers like Frederic Bastiat, John Stuart Mill, John Locke, Adam Smith, and others, as well as the writings of our Founders. Without historical context, we cannot understand the foundation of liberty.

And without an understanding of the foundation of liberty, we cannot partake in civic engagement. As citizens, we are given rights from our Creator — but with those rights come certain responsibilities. These are civic duties.

[Baynative]

An interesting look at how teachers unions, government schools and social pressures have changed America:

"An Associated Press-GfK poll repeated questions asked in 1984 about six civic-minded activities: voting, volunteering, serving on a jury, reporting crime, knowing English and keeping informed about news and public issues.

Of the six, only voting and volunteering were embraced about as strongly as three decades ago, when NORC at the University of Chicago posed those questions to Americans on the General Social Survey, but volunteering doesn’t rank very high on the list for many.

While just 28 percent say volunteering is “a very important obligation” that a citizen owes the country, three-fourths of Americans consider voting central to citizenship.

Nonetheless, only about 36 percent of eligible voters turned out for November’s midterms, according to University of Florida Associate Professor Michael P. McDonald’s analysis. That’s the lowest since World War II.

[Baynative]

The poll found:

Young people are feeling less dutiful, or maybe just showing their libertarian streak.

In every category except volunteering, adults under 30 were less likely than their elders to see any obligation, and also felt less obliged than young people of the past.

In 2014 about a fourth of them said there’s no duty to keep informed, volunteer or speak English.

…

Today’s young people are more likely than their parents’ generation to consider giving their time for community service “very important.”

Nineteen percent said that three decades ago; 29 percent think so now.

“That’s partly the fact that we have built up our institutions for volunteering,” said Peter Levine, associate dean for research at Tufts’ Tisch College of Citizenship and Public Service. “Something like 30 percent of high schools have service learning programs. They didn’t have that in the 1980s.”

The age of Twitter and viral media has made it easier to read headlines without absorbing the substance of a given story.

[cyn]

bfl - happy new year!

[Fester Chugabrew]

The privilege of voting and of holding public office ought to be withheld from those who are not qualified in understanding and articulating, both in speech and in writing, the principles upon which this nation is founded.

[Baynative]

Some would also say voting should exclude people who work for the government and are supported by the government. But, the idea of free elections is the dynamic that gives us the republic we admire.

We can't exclude some people who only vote their own interest, because in some way we all do exactly that. But, we can educate people on the universal value of voting America's interest first.

If that were the case there would be little debate in congress about the need to remove John Boehner, in my opinion.

[Fester Chugabrew]

The idea of free elections is only a part of the need to keep a country strong. An Informed and virtuous citizenry must also be a part of that chemistry. In order to instill this into elections it is necessary to test the citizens before they vote, just like we test them before they drive.