Comments on: “…and our posterity”

By: Cassie Wallace

Cassie Wallace — Sun, 21 Feb 2010 17:38:59 +0000

Any tips or advice that can help is always appreciated.-Healthcare Help

By: Gary Hart

Gary Hart — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 20:43:21 +0000

Stay tuned, Mr. Flaherty. Also see: The Shield and the Cloak: The Security of the Commons (Oxford Press, 2006)

By: Tom J. Flaherty

Tom J. Flaherty — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 03:11:24 +0000

The Commons would be a great topic

By: Gary Hart

Gary Hart — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 20:10:35 +0000

For Lubna Dovel: I am an American patriot; a citizen of the global commons; and a democratic republican. Thank you for your kind words about the site.

By: Lubna Dovel

Lubna Dovel — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 19:25:48 +0000

This is the first time I have read one of your articles/blog entries, and I must say that I am impressed. For one, I think I have to look you up in order to tell which side of the aisle you sit on, for your comments (I read your other entries before saying anything) are very common sense and non-partisan. Having never been very interested in politics, this past national election and the process behind it has both inspired and frightened me, and I look forward to learning more, and to reading more of your thoughts. I appreciate that you are more about the actual Constitution and what it was intended to be by the founding Fathers, and not its interpretation by the greedy or naive elite who are mostly concerned about what it does for them and not its effects on future generations.

By: Gary Hart

Gary Hart — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 20:10:53 +0000

I find it difficult to quarrel with Michael’s assessment, especially when the classic republican definition of corruption is applied, that is placing special interests above the national interest (which includes the interests of our progeny). And I applaud Mr. Kolodin’s project. Perhaps if law makers and government officials had to confront an obligation to be accountable to the next generation, they might begin to consider more seriously the implications of their decisions, decisions too often made with an eye on the next election not the next generation.

By: Zachary Kolodin

Zachary Kolodin — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 20:41:52 +0000

Thank you very much for highlighting this. The nonprofit organization that I run, Young People First, is building an accountability system around this very principle: it is called the Future Preparedness Index, and it will measure progress toward long-term goals critical to younger generations. We train students and other young people to analyze legislation to hold our political leaders accountable to these goals. We’re trying to build a permanent constituency to hold legislation accountable to sustainable national prosperity and security. I would love to have the opportunity to discuss our work with you further.

Warm regards,
Zach Kolodin

By: Michael

Michael — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 20:08:09 +0000

I’m afraid the founders could never envision the kind institutional and systemic corruption that defines our political culture today. Most Americans are living with an unprecedented amount of stress in their daily lives which would be greatly alleviated if those with the power in Washington took the words “promote the general welfare” (which is repeated in Article 1 Section 8 as “provide for the common defense and general welfare of the United States”) seriously. If that were the case, basic issues like health care would have been solved a long time ago, just as they have been in every other advanced economy on earth, and posterity would take care of itself.

But our corrupt system prohibits solving those kinds of problems in a rational way that benefits the general welfare and thus future generations. I have a two-year old daughter who has dual nationality and, as her American father, I’m very sad to say that it is her French citizenship which will probably insure a good quality of life for her when she is my age.

By: Gary Hart

Gary Hart — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 17:31:42 +0000

Tom hits the nail on the head. Whatever we do, or do not do, on health care will affect our children and future generations (like Social Security, Medicare, and much else) much more than it will those of us now raising all fuss.

By: Tom Gee

Tom Gee — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 15:31:55 +0000

So appropriate. As only one example, every time I hear someone join in the health care debate as if they were the only person to be served by reform, forget the 40 million without insurance coverage, I get so frustrated. Thank you, Senator Hart, for continuing your much-needed civics lessons.