We, the people of the United States of America, with the hope of reforming our struggling union, have a message for our government: you are a complete embarrassment to us. We elected you to manage the business of the country. You have failed. Some of us had a progressive vision of hope and change for a brighter future. Others wanted a return to more traditional conservative values and smaller government. Both are worthy goals and not entirely exclusive of one another, but neither have been realized. We, the people, are holding you accountable.
When the United States had its credit rating reduced for the first time in its history, the issues that would be most important in the coming elections were made very clear. We are a nation of abundant natural resources, a creative, educated and freely-thinking people, and a hub for global commerce, yet our government can't get out of its own way long enough to realize the benefits that these unique gifts offer. We, the people, are frustrated.
Now is not the time for partisan bickering and assigning blame. The blame for the poor state of the union is to be shared by all parties at all levels of government. Now is not the time to focus on issues of secondary importance with the hopes that the media and the public will be distracted long enough to not see the ruin that is building before our eyes. We will not be fooled. Now is not the time to abuse the trust we have placed in you. You are on notice. We, the people, are watching.
This nation was founded upon freedom, innovation, and pragmatism. Common sense must prevail. We can not prosper as a nation if we continue our descent into greater debt. We can not prosper as a nation if we increase taxes on consumers and businesses to a level that they can not sustain. Many struggle with current tax levels. We can not prosper as a nation if we are unable or unwilling to care for the truly needy, but we also can not prosper as a nation if those services are abused by those who are otherwise able to care for themselves. Government assistance should not be the "ends", it should be a "means". We, the people, must carefully nurture business and people alike in order to prosper as a nation.
We need solutions, America, not talking points. We, the people, expect better.