"We definitely need more responsibility in the world. And it seems that people will not be responsible for our human race without a stronger push toward international responsibility. It is understandable that our self-centered desires come first.
“For the starving Indians or Africans naturally filling their bellies is the primary concern. Usually that means that they have to have a job. If you have a job and your belly is full, you either move upwards towards Maslow's meta level and attempt to accomplish worthwhile things (26) or you spend your free hours trying to amuse yourself with whatever toys you can find.
"Probably the toys that are most fun are in the genital area and contraception may not fit into your 'pleasure now' mentality. I think there are three things that must be done. Commander I think you have hit on two of them, fewer babies and a higher percentage of babies that are wanted and loved. But I think there has to be a financial responsibility for any little 'munchkins' you bring into our land of Oz.
"And what kind of government can do that? It has to be a government that's sees individual responsibility as a key to societal survival and to its flourishing. The governments that have done this best are China and Singapore. In both cases you had a strong central power. In the case of China it was a communist oligarchy. In the case of Singapore it was a respected dictatorial Prime Minister. I am hoping that we are offering a third alternative. In The United Colonies we hope that a combination of a high-level of education, an earned citizenship, an equality of opportunity that starts anew with each generation, and then the emphasis on the democratic aspects of a democratic republic. All other democratic republics emphasize the Parliament's duty to make laws.
"Whatever government is to be 'best' must have the combination of equality of educational opportunity, with a very strong liberal arts education, and a national commitment to responsibility.
“I guess that a key factor is having the people in charge being well-educated in the liberal arts. So whether you have a single monarch, an oligarchy, a republic, or a true democracy--education is the key. You can't have people just studying the Koran or the Bible, or how to be a carpenter, or how to be a doctor-- the people who are to run the government must have a broad background in education and be current on what is happening in the world. Without education a society can only wither. As our favorite historian, Arnold Toynbee, said 'Civilizations die from suicide, not from murder.' And as your great patriot Thomas Paine said, ‘We have the power to begin the world all over again.’ I hope we are leading the way.
NOTES
1. Book 4 of this series
2. Book 6 of this series
3. From 'Created Equal,' the last of the Free to Choose. PBS television series-- 1990 volume 2
3a. Time May 16, 2011 p 16
4. Pew Hispanic Center, 2009
5. Book 5 of this series
5a. Newsweek Jan. 11, 2011. p. 10
6. Pozharny, et al. 'Genomic loss of imprinting in first trimester human placenta. American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology. 2010, 202 (4)
7. European Society for medical oncology. October 11, 2010
8. Ng, S-F. et al. Nature 467, 963-966 (2010). (Morris, M. J. Expert Rev. Endocrinol. Metab. 4, 625-637 (2009).
9. USA Today, February 22, 2011, p 8A
9a. Ibid.
9b. Time Magazine, April 25, 2011. P. 15
9c. McCulloch v. Maryland, 17 U.S. 316 (1819)
10. Hudson, Orrin. One Move at a Time--How to Succeed at Chess and at Life. Morgan James Publishing, 2004
10a. International Herald Tribune, April 18, 2011. P. 6
10b. Newsweek September 20, 2010, page 50
10c. Giddens, Anthony. Sociology. Second Edition. Cambridge, England: Polity Press. 1993. p. 212
10d. Office of Management and Budget, Older Americans 2010, Key Indicators of Well-Being. 2011
11. Fromm, Erich. To Have or To Be. Cass Canfield (1976), in Continuum; Revised edition (2005)
11a. Dagsavisen, March 10, 2011, p. 13
12. Book 4 of this series
12a. See Book 4 of this series.
13. See Book 4
14. 1 Samuel, 15:23
15. 15.1 Peter 2:13
16. Romans 13:1
17. Newsweek, March 7, 2011, pp 22–27
18. See Book 4 o the series
19. See Book 7 of this series.
20. Psychiatric News June 1, 2007, Volume 42 Number 11 Page 16
21. Released by bipartisan coalition of Mayors Against Illegal Guns. Reuters, January 20, 2011
22. Time Magazine, April 29, 2011, p 9
23. Thomson Reuters, May 13, 2011.
24. Newsweek Jan. 11, 2011. p. 10
25. Time Magazine August 9, 2010. Page 31
26. See Book 6 of this series.
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