Labor Day Reset--Take the Risks for Freedom

With skyrocketing profits for American companies, but lack of confidence in investing in new jobs in America, it is time for leaders in all sectors of the economy and the body politic to grow up and step forward together and take steps to affirm their belief in what America is and stands for. While men and women continue to die across the world to defend what America believes in, it is time for other sectors of America to take a risk, and contribute to America stands for; they need to put aside political squabbling and corporate, owner, and stockholder selfishness, and invest in America and what it stands for. It may not be the most profitable and the safest politically, but it is time to put pure profits aside and other priorities and make a decision that America as we know it is worth it. It is what soldiers, and policemen and fireman and many other people and their families do everyday for each one of us.

It is simple plan, and all politicians should step forward to come together and forget about elections and partisian politics and come together for the good of America. For now, we seem at a crossroads. We have heard enough debates about whether stimulus packages, bail outs or tax reforms are the answer--there are merits to each of them, but there may not be just one answer, and it is time to step away from the debating, and do something simple for America.

If there is one thing that seems clear, it is that our leaders need to step away from the fractious political discourse and mature if they want to earn the right to be our leaders and our chief businessmen and women. The business people need to commit to invest in America (and put aside their shaky sense of confidence in America and their decision to invest in cheaper foreign workers, and other choices for a profitable moment), whether it is making new investments in creating new jobs and contribute through donations to our social well-being. And we need to report clearly on the results so that the public can decide whether to buy their products and services or decide to pass them buy for those who care about us and America, or until they care about us. One place that companies can invest in is customer service, which is woefully poor in so many companies with putting people on hold for literally hours (and then when we finally connect with a person (often in a foreign country), the service is woefully poor and uncaring).

We are in this together, and it is time that we did something about it. We need to grow up and invest for the great democratic and free society that we all believe in. We know that the world is flat and we need to be globally competitive and globally connected. But for the moment, if our country is worth saving, it is worth investing in. We cannot just think about how best to deal with the current situation ("momentary situation ethics"), we need to address our situation for more than just the immediate moment. We cannot just ask our soldiers, policemen, and firefighters to take the risks. If it is worth it for all of us to take the risks, we need to grow up, and invest in us for a better America.