"My fellow Americans: ask not what your country can do for you - ask what you can do for your country." These unforgettable words from John F. Kennedy make up some of the greatest advice that a President of the United States has ever given. Indeed, millions of Americans today continue to follow this advice by serving their country and its people first, rather than themselves. These genuine citizens include countless leaders and politicians who work to protect our freedoms and keep the American Dream as a reality for the present and the future.Unfortunately, the history of the United States is filled with instances in which certain leaders have not followed this counsel. Though expected to serve our country and its people faithfully and honestly, a considerable number of politicians have acted and continue to act corruptly, exercising power for their own gain. Rather than working for the country, they want the country to work for them. Political corruption, one of the greatest fears of the Founding Fathers, began on a large scale with the Spoils System of Andrew Jackson (1829 to 1837). This lasted all the way through the Gilded Age, and was characterized by small groups of powerful men meeting in back rooms in sealed-off buildings, making decisions such as the Compromise of 1877 that affected the entire country.
Political corruption in our time, however, started with the era of the New Deal. It was around this time that traditional values in American society - such as expectations of honesty, hard work, and diligence (those advocated for by people such as Herbert Hoover) began to fall out of favor. They were ultimately replaced by a new philosophy, one that emphasized the belief that one could not solve their own problems without direct outside intervention. As a result, many Americans began to see the government as an essential centerpiece of their existence, a source of aid and relief during hard times.
That change in philosophy enabled the rise of the new Spoils System, which continues to this day. This form of political corruption, unlike the old one, has substantial protection because of the near-universal acceptance of the belief that the government needs to have a significant role in our lives (though the size of this role is under constant debate). Advocates of the new system bring their ideas and their promises of assistance directly to the American people, creating the illusion that these politicians and leaders are here to help us.
As a result, full-blown political corruption is a hardly-visible problem in modern America. Whether local or national, a growing number of leaders are in power to serve themselves, rather than our country. Their method of gaining and retaining power is simple: they exploit dark feelings and motives within people, such as greed, resentment, and sorrow. By doing so, they are able to accomplish two key goals. First, the bitterness and hostility which come out of these emotions pit us against each other, keeping us divided and unwilling to recognize the greater problem. Second, spoiled leaders capitalize on all of this to get themselves into office, and end up with a sizable voting bloc to preserve their power.
As a result, many spoiled politicians in the United States have had considerable success in taking advantage of racial, ethnic, gender and socioeconomic differences and the accompanying emotions (explained above) to accomplish those two goals. This is why we see most members of one minority group voting for one party, different social classes voting for another, and a considerable number of other Americans selecting their leaders based on their personal status, rather than their values or those of the candidates. Nowadays, many of us tend to fill in the box next to a candidate based on that individual's skin color, gender, or amount of wealth rather than their values and vision for our nation.
Many of us also succumb to our own material and fiscal wishes when making choices on election day. Rather than inquiring "what will this person do for our country?", we sometimes ask "what will this individual do for me?" By opting for the latter, we are ignoring President Kennedy's advice, for voting is not merely a privilege; it is a duty that we must exercise responsibly to serve our country.
Why is this so? By dropping a piece of paper into a ballot box, we are deciding on an individual or a policy which could preserve or destroy the future. Wise and well-guided voting is an essential element of a successful democracy, and if we fail to do it correctly, we will be jeopardizing our descendants' opportunities, safety, and freedoms.
However, if we vote for genuine people who share our values and want to serve our country, rather than themselves, we will be preserving our own chances for success as well as those for our children and descendants. Americans who vote based on what their country can do for them will often stay in the same spot. Yet, people who are committed to the values of hard work, self-government and perseverance are much more likely to prosper, both in the short-term and in the long-term.
In the interests of preserving our democracy and our country, as well as our own opportunities and those of our children, it is imperative that we follow John F. Kennedy's advice and ask not what our country can do for us, but what we can do for our country.
Bibliography:
