Advice from a small town girl

I have a dream.

No, this isn’t another recitation of what occurs during my REM sleep cycles.

This is a dream of what I think America could (and should) be.

I know it’s a dream, and that there is absolutely no chance of it ever coming true, but I dream it nonetheless.

I dream of a country where every employee is treated with respect by the company he or she works for. And vice versa.

I dream of a country where every employee is not only happy to have a job, but realizes that every job has merit, whether it is washing windows or managing millions, hauling trash, repairing small appliances, selling cars or picking tomatoes.

And I dream of a country where every employee is paid well enough to afford a life not of luxury, but without the fear of poverty.

I dream of a country where small businesses are not only encouraged but supported by those in their communities.

I dream of a country where larger businesses, including the banks on Wall Street, base their business decisions not on the impact it might have on the stock price, but on the impact it might have on the community, state or country.

I dream of a country where any company that does business fairly and ethically is rewarded with success, and where any business that is not ethical is brought to ruin.

I dream of a country where more young people base the decision of what to do with their life on something more than just money.

I dream of a country where corporations are not legally “persons.”

I dream of a country where any kind of political campaign, including media coverage, television advertising and robo-calls, is limited to a period of 4 months. Really, I’d prefer 1, but one must at least try to be reasonable.

I dream of a country where, when politicians tell an untruth, their noses grow so we can tell. (The vision of Washington, D.C. that is in my head right now is hysterical.)

I dream of a country where talking heads on the television don’t repeat (and repeat and repeat and repeat) the same vile accusations over and over, whether they’re true or not.

And I dream of a country where those talking heads lose their jobs because no one watches them anymore.

I dream of a country where my neighbor doesn’t call me an idiot when I disagree with them. Instead, I’d like them to realize that I put just as much consideration into coming to my position as they did to theirs.

I dream of a country where I can be sure that the legislation that is being considered, let alone passed, is not on the table because some lobbyist used a big campaign contribution to get it there.

I dream of a country where citizens’ votes, not redistricting, determines the outcome of elections.

I dream of a country where everyone knows the actual meaning of the terms they keep tossing around, like “free market economy” and “voter suppression.”

I dream of a country where citizens realize that they must pay taxes to have a civilized environment, not to mention roads, bridges and police.

I also dream of a country where the government realizes that the citizens who pay those taxes should be treated with respect, by spending those taxes in a responsible and verifiable way.

I dream of a country where the need for something important, like a healthcare plan that is affordable for both citizens and the government, receives respectful attention from the people who represent us in government.

I dream of a country where the able unemployed don’t want to stay that way (not that I believe they all do), and where welfare recipients have an incentive to progress out of the welfare system.

I dream of a country where everyone understands that not everyone can contribute equally, and that that very understanding contributes to the strength of our nation.

I dream of a country where the strong don’t take advantage of the weak, the rich and poor have equal authority, and we are willing to acknowledge that being an American is a gift and a privilege and needs to be acknowledged every day.