So, how did we get into this mess?

Before we answer that, let’s clarify exactly what we’re talking about here. The “mess” we’re referring to is the present state of government in America today. Government at all levels. Put another way, “How did government in this country end up in such bad shape?” That is the question we’ll focus on here.

Figuring out something is wrong with government was easy; it’s obvious. Figuring out how it got this way was another matter entirely. We believe the mess government is in is actually just a symptom of a far greater problem. For that reason, we think the answer to the question “So, how did we get into this mess?” can be found in the answer to a much broader question.

What’s wrong with America?

A more impartial wording of the question above might be “Is there something wrong with America?” However, we are anything but impartial about America, so the question stands. Look around. How do you think the country is doing these days? What did the President have to say about our country’s situation in his last “State of the Union” address? How about the candidates (it’s an election year) vying for his job? They’ve certainly got a lot to say. What are the issues of the day? The wars? The economy? Social security? Education? Jobs? Crime? Health care? The credit crisis? The housing crisis? The illegal immigration crisis?

There’s a lot going on in America, isn’t there?

We’ve certainly got a lot of issues in America today; issues that all involve government in some way. National issues. State-level issues. Local issues. Maybe too many issues. Perhaps you don’t pay much attention to issues. Or politics. Or the news. Perhaps you have too much else to think about right now. Perhaps you don’t really know what anybody else-in or out of government-has to say about our country. Perhaps you’ve lost all faith, trust, and interest in government in particular or politics in general.

Perhaps you’re not interested in any of this.

If that’s the case, then you’re not alone. Many Americans feel that way these days. They don’t follow politics or get involved with “causes.” Many no longer even vote. They don’t follow current events. But they can tell you which celebrity was just charged with DUI. They can tell you who isn’t as smart as a fifth grader. But they can’t name of a single member of the local school board that affects their own child’s fifth grade education. They can do a pretty fair impression of California’s governor. But they couldn’t recognize-let alone name-the mayor of their own hometown. And that’s why the apparently complicated question “What’s wrong with America?” has an amazingly simple answer.

We are.

By failing to even participate in our own political process; failing to keep close watch on government agencies; failing to pay close attention to the words and actions of our elected officials, we’ve made it clear to those in government that we’re not interested. We’re not listening. We no longer hold them accountable. Government can do whatever it wants.

We don’t care anymore.

When we fail to faithfully carry out the duties of our own office - that of “informed citizen” - can we really expect better from those we elect to govern? So, the question “how did we get into this mess?” also has an amazingly simple answer. We walked into it.

All by ourselves.