Cory's Note

One of our readers (Cory) asked if he could post an article. Being an inclusive group we of course were happy to include other comments! Here is Cory's note.

I'll preface this post with an quick explanation. This is my informal call to arms. I am curious what other feel about this idea in principle and execution and would love to talk further on the subject at both levels.

We are on a precipice of government. As the two sides of traditional government become more factionalized and polarized a growing gap begins to form. So we have entered a stage where both sides continue to pluck elections from this gap without a strong grasp on it. In a chicken or the egg type scenario, politics have also become simplified nowadays for the majority of America.. You have a position, they have an opposing position. The political landscape has been carved up with buzzwords and controversial issues. With this as our base, we have two options. Continue to struggle within this framework to make the best of what we have or decide that the status quo will just not do anymore. Option one, we can try to refocus the current parties with invigorated youth and some change can and has happened. You cannot doubt that the Obama election was on the backs of motivated youth and the idea of hope. However, his election seems more like a blip on the screen than a trend especially if this year’s election results carry over to the mid-terms as many predict. Furthermore, the ideals that Obama ran on have not become the platform of the Democrats and don’t look like they will. So we are left with the other option, move outside the status quo. Estimates have the 2008 population of around 63 million people between the ages of 15 and 30. Obama won with 66 million votes. Now obviously everyone of those 63 million won’t vote and if they did, the white house isn’t won on direct votes, but the sentiment of this is still there. The over 60 voting block, highly sought after and highly influencial is at 54 million estimate in 2008. Now obviously these are not registered voting numbers, but that is because I am talking about more than elections. I am also talking about public opinion, public sway, and control of the public dialogue. We are quickly inheriting the country. The good, the bad and everything in between. We can use the same tactics to solve new problems or we can come up with something new. Justin brings up a great point about a return to civic duty and virtue. We need not so much a return, but a 21st century interpretation of civic virtue and duty. How this happens and what it looks like we can soon to decide or let slip away. We exist in a world where everything is instant, everyone is connected, and everything can be known with one click, yet we are still fumbling to implement this to a full scale on the political front. How is it that the world seems more connected and informed about the happenings on TMZ than that off CNN? I see more about Tiger Wood’s 9 affairs, than the Nobel Prize winners and their speeches(Obama aside). So let’s take this ability of connectivity and flip it on its head. Connectivity is our solution to the 21st centuries problems. Sharing information, knowledge, ideas, and so much more, our generation can tackle what lies ahead. We just need to focus our connectivity towards the right things. Let’s for a moment, escape the labels of right wing, left wing, democrat, republican, independent and apply the label Invested in America’s Future. Let’s take politics away from the issues and bring it back to doing what is right and best for the country. My idea is just that, a group of ideas. A place that promotes dialogue, connectivity, sharing, debate, and consensus. We were given a system of checks and balances not so one side could dominate for a while and then another, but so that only the truly good ideas would rise to the top, while all others fell to the way side. We are smart, well-educated, well-informed, and connected. This should be our charge and that is where we can succeed.