Dear Legislator:

Elections are on the horizon. As you know, many Americans have developed strong opinions, influenced by their peer group, reinforced by a narrow selection of news media. Combine that with opinion polls and your own access to demographic studies, and you know what concerns the voting public. But rather than directing your campaign in a way that might maximize your support while widening the divisions in our country, it may be time to become bigger than the fray and offer some leadership.

It seems to be off the radar, but we need a revision in our foreign policy. We have been at war for 227 years out of our 243 as a nation. I know it would cost you a lot to deny the donations of the various “Daddy Warbucks” who have a vested interest in armament sales, but a platform dedicated to rolling back the Orwellian reality of continuous war might be enough to encourage grass roots donations. I’m broke on my ass but I’d find a way to donate a hundred bucks to the party that would set a priority of ending destructive foreign alliances and incursions. Our strained relations with North Korea, Iran and now Venezuela are symptomatic of our failed diplomacy.

World trade? The plight of US workers, the household economics of millions here and abroad, all are suffering from a 19th century colonial outlook that must be revamped before the US is simply bypassed as a former power by nations with a more practical and contemporary view of present day economics. The trade war with China is utter folly. Achievement based competition would be much healthier.

Gun violence may be more a problem of suicide prevention than gun control. Improving our outmoded medical system and providing care options for troubled individuals would be a better use of our energies and would likely receive a better reception than gun confiscation. How about mandatory gun education, licensing gated by weapon sales, and in this digital age it would be easy to make safety course completion records available to sellers as a prerequisite to sales.

Then there’s the decreasing prosperity of individuals and the American family. Some people may view this as an inevitable consequence of globalization, responding by either fighting the inevitable interdependence of all nations or shrugging and rationalizing our national policy failures in economics and international cooperation. Eliminating measures to reverse industry effects on the ecosphere and blaming immigration for job losses is retrograde policy bordering on madness. Fully embracing green power, training and motivating people to excel in new technologies, providing a living wage for traditional endeavors - these types of changes incur cost at implementation - an unpopular but necessary proposal.

If eternal war posturing and concomitant spending were removed from the picture we could quite possibly afford universal education, and replace welfare and student loans with investment in our citizens, rather than penalizing those seeking a better future. An increased tax burden on corporations or government control of business would be dangerously close to fascism, but we must halt the tax loopholes and subterfuge that allow excess profiteering with no regard for the welfare of the nation. Mandatory profit-sharing, required employee ownership of stock shares, a guaranteed minimum income - maybe all these remedies applied together would restore a love for country, pride of citizenship and cohesiveness in our communities.

Admittedly, uncontrolled immigration would be a problem until we work religiously to improve the quality of life in all the Americas. The inticement for illegals is our employers who depend on cheap labor and allow false social security information to pass by without scrutiny. There’s no immediate answer to the problem of filling menial jobs that hold little or no appeal within our culture. Societal mores will need to change, giving respect to careers previously scorned due to our historic vision of upward mobility. Increasing compensation, underwriting companies who cannot profit if employees are paid beyond the poverty level, saluting those who choose to serve - these are big changes, but an inspired leadership can change established attitudes.

And colonialism, imperialism and intervention in other countries politics must be replaced with enlightened and constructive foreign aid programs. Something akin to the peace corps could replace the threat of military might and our economic domination can no longer be allowed to drain their economies. We need to lift our neighbors up, abandon “zero sum” economic philosophies. World education, world development, starting in our own hemisphere and expanding to other geographies - hopefully by invitation once regional successes are known - this would be far better than continuing our bellicose policies and shading the knowledge of both our corporate and clandestine operations.

These are large changes that require true leadership, increasing the understanding of the citizenry and inspiring us to accomplish. We are inclined to adopt one of the two major parties and root for our chosen allegiance as though we were sports fans - obviating the need for thinking. Convincing people to accept previously obfuscated facts and replace their mindless party affiliation with an interest and demand for reality based solutions is the way out of the present morass and recent decline of American greatness.

How ironic that we have fallen prey to a con man, the most unqualified and destructive persona we have ever had occupying the White House. In an America already great for its penchant for liberty, already great for our compassion, great for our sense of equality and human dignity - we have been taken down a path of internal division and betrayal of our long standing allies with the slogan “Make America Great Again!”

Fighting the popular prevalence of illogic and untruth is a big assignment. The restoration of America as a beacon of truth and a champion of human rights in the eyes of the world is the true task for the future. Truth and human respect right here at home would be a great starting place, and the opportunity presents itself in our next great election cycle. Please don’t exacerbate our problems by descending to the lowest common denominator. Please rise above the fray, regain an Olympian perspective and inspire us to new solutions. Please unite and guide us to solve our problems without pausing to cast blame. Help us all work together as Americans, disregard party affiliations, stop spinning our wheels and end homelessness, heal the sick and injured, prevent madness, promote education, encourage faith and probity, improve our infrastructure, share wealth at home and abroad, and above all, let’s save the planet!