The Haves and Have Nots in Our Politics

America used to be a bright example for the world, leading with strong ideas. But now, it's fading because of "go-it-alone" policies pushed by people like Donald Trump. At heart, the common good means the simple needs of regular folks—like love for country, taking care of each other, and living without too much fuss. But today, big words like "religious freedom," "school choice," "free business," and "government checks" are treated like magic fixes. These can't replace real faith, truth, fair sharing of wealth, and good rules for all. Too much freedom without limits isn't joy—it's a bossy kind of control from "do-what-you-want" ideas. To fix this, we need new leaders from the people and changes to how we vote.

Are "forward-thinking" liberals just sneaky fans of "do-your-own-thing" politics? Old-school freedom lovers cared about personal rights. But today's progressives push too hard on fancy activist plans from the top. Weirdly, in the name of moving ahead, these free-style politics often help the same fairness fights as liberals. We build on what our ancestors did—not to ignore their hard work, but to learn from it and do better. Regular people have to join in to get the basic good things in life. We promise them a chance to be happy, but we steal real happiness from them. We have tons of freedom, but we're short on kids, marriages, and faith. We leave our kids with big bills, not good memories. We're trapped by giant companies in tech, money, dirty movies, drugs, pills, and fake online worlds. Time for quiet prayer and thinking has been swapped for rich folks' private fun.

Leaders like JD Vance, Charlie Kirk, and Pete Hegseth carry the flag for old-school family values. They ask a tough question: What has liberal change really given us? Programs for "diversity, fairness, and including everyone" (DEI) have grown, but what's the price? One writer sadly says we should grieve the loss of good marriages, joyful kids, big families with aunts, uncles, and cousins, passing down stories and ways of life, the steady comfort of church helped by kind leaders, graveyards that remind us of the dead and what we owe, and a world where everyday joys were easy to find.

For seven years, from 1979 to 1986, I worked in rural western Pennsylvania, talking to shop owners about politics. I saw a real American heart—free from fancy city ideas of "progress." These people loved simple lives, their country, and doing things on their own. They remembered when smart choices put everyone first. They didn't borrow money to keep up with friends; they made do with less. They fixed things themselves, even if not perfect, as long as it worked. Now, as we sink in debt, forget our shared ways, and skip promises to partners or churches, we need those old values back badly.

The Big Money Mess: Debt and Less Bang for Our Buck

Our country's huge money hole shows how both old and new liberals fail. Top leaders from both parties won't say "no" to spending. In middle America, normal folks budget tight. But city elites push problems to tomorrow, hoping for more money later. But we've hit a wall—spending more gets us less. Paying back loans now eats 17% of all government money, our second-biggest bill. Smart living says spend what you have, but the debt just grows.

Who owns this debt? Social Security is the biggest lender, with taxes from workers over years used to cover holes. Cutting checks now would hurt bad, breaking the system that helps balance books. We need bosses who say "simple is best": no to wild tech growth, yes to tight money rules.

Small Changes and Switched Sides

On a small scale, odd team-ups happen between city progressives and country conservatives. Old ways: Republicans cut rules for wild business freedom; Democrats add watchdogs to slow things. But in big groups, it flips: Liberal tops chase new stuff; conservative keepers guard old ways. Locking in these small shifts with a "mixed government" could light the way to fix money and people problems. We need a making-things economy, not one of just buying stuff. Only by fixing how we see time—respecting the past while building slow and strong—can we heal America.

Think about special help for minorities in college: In 2003, Judge Sandra Day O’Connor said yes to it because of old unfairness, but guessed it should end in 25 years. We're three years past that now. She didn't see smart kids from Africa coming here and getting great jobs, which goes against stories of endless hate from race theories. Seeing the world this way shows chances for American groups of color when we mix in global folks.

Charles C. Mann's book The Wizard and the Prophet starts a big talk on tech vs. nature care in our time. It says we need both saving and new ideas to fix green problems. This "both sides" idea could be our guide for fixing people and government now. Key is the deal we make as a country: Saying personal wants must step back for group wins is wrong. Today, two deals fight in America—one for money and people growth, one for everyday folks' good. Freedom words like religious rights, school choice, free business, and government checks still can't beat faith, truth, fair wealth, and right rules. Most of all, being humble—the top good trait—is missing when we make these deals.

Our deal now must say no to wild "do-your-own" politics that sells tech fixes in progress clothes. Instead, say yes to keeping old ways in a people-first deal for regular folks.

The Social Security Cliff and Fairness Across Ages

Social Security, our biggest spend, is about to fall off a cliff. Baby boomers paid in all their lives, but fewer babies, stealing from the pot, and more old folks pull it tight. New shows blame boomers, making young Gen Z mad about few jobs, crazy house prices, and old people getting "special" treatment. Yesterday, a 95-year-old lady asked if the government close-down would stop her check; I said no, but she looked scared. Does Gen Z really blame her for living long? How is that fair or smart for everyone?

A new study on sad deaths in working-class folks without college ties more suicides, drug overdoses, and booze illnesses to less church and faith. There are better ways to help Gen Z and fix money holes: Ways that keep family ties strong without pointing fingers.

Ways Ahead: People-Leaders Mix and Project 2025

How do we do this? Patrick Deneen's book Regime Change suggests "people-leaders rule"—a smart plan like old thinkers, mixing everyday smarts with top wisdom to grow shared ways and family strength. Deneen's steps, with a few tweaks, beat Project 2025 for people-good plans:

• Rank-choice voting: Pick winners who most agree on, cut mean attacks, and fix "stealing votes" in one-winner races.

• Smaller voting areas and bigger Congress: Keep areas to 50,000 people, grow the House to about 6,000 using an old un-used change (okayed by 11 states). Use apps like Neighbors; swap group meetings for open votes from the ground up.

• Spread out and mix government: Break up big Washington power by moving offices near folks and speaking for "groups" (like farmers, workers, small shop owners) by place. This fights high prices from fed fat in spots like Fairfax, Virginia.

• Must-do service for being a citizen: Army or help work to teach duty.

• Fix college money: Link help to job success after; forgive loans for low-pay jobs like teaching, soldier, local help, or church work—not big money law or advice.

• Push do-it-yourself and hand skills: Make everyone learn basics with a "YouTube school" must-do, to build alone power.

• Grow making stuff for safety: Like old Hamilton, guard strong building with roads, new ideas, school, and Trump's taxes—but focus long on army gear, meds, build stuff, food, and power.

• Blame bosses, not new folks: Stop mean talk on immigrants (often unfair) and punish bad bosses who use them cheap, like how baby-life fights blame money-makers over scared moms.

• Steer news power: Make media build good character by calling out bad and cheering right. Shows like Downton Abbey are hits because we miss old customs, ways, and easy life.

• Copy Hungary's family help: Use their "Family Plan"—paid time off for moms, dads, and grandparents; money gifts for three-plus kid families—to grow homes and babies.

• Bring back church help: Take back Jesus ways of rich giving to poor as real top-class. Push Sunday school and local ties to fix neighborhoods.

Project 2025 adds to people power by kicking out top elites and promising straight fixes:

• Break the boss-state: Put power with the president, swap secret workers with true helpers for real answer-time.

• Guard edges and self-rule: Boost safety and send back folks to keep country strong.

• America-first trade: Tax Europe and China high for our money win.

• Fight culture fights: Kill "woke" plans, stop kid body changes, end DEI, say boy-girl by birth.

End: A Bigger Congress for a Fresh America

Deneen's wildest idea—grow Congress to 6,000—might be the key lock for people-leader fixes. Change the 1929 law to keep areas at 50,000 (or 100,000 for 3,000 members) to spread power, lift people voices, and make rules for everyone's good. With reps near us, we mix top smarts with daily rightness, leading back to old values and strong living. In this mixed setup, rank-choice at votes would help mixed reps too. They'd talk and vote online, maybe meet in Washington twice a year. America can grab its dream back—not alone or too much, but with kind help for all.