In the Portland airport, I came across a book by Michael Savage. I have listened to one or two of his radio programs and was disappointed by his vindictive and mean attitude. He seems to be one of the recent crop of entertainers who’s schick is right wing vindictive. I hate that the level of national discourse has been lowered to the level of these shows – I guess it’s a little like people disliking violence on TV because of it’s general effect on society.

Anyway, his book continues his attack on the “liberals” who are “destroying our country” by “tearing down the traditions and culture that have made America great”. One passage quoted Benjamin Franklin admonishing the early American Congress that they acted under God’s laws and they should begin each session with a prayer – a tradition that continues today.. This was to support the argument of the basic Judeo-Christian foundation of our nation that should not be tampered with.

This made me realize another reason I am unhappy with the current “Right Renaissance” – it is backward looking and not forward looking. If it’s good for our grandfathers, it’s good enough for us.

The policies are inward looking -- fulfilling inner passions and not striving. They will use the term “making America great” but we are not the leader – the space program is a joke which makes us not the nation leading to the next frontier. The business policies are designed to support established businesses rather than opening markets and ideas to change. Our unilateralism is dividing the world rather that uniting it behind our leadership. Lapses in the execution of our military actions show real problems with the depth of our moral past.

We need to be causing people to look up. To change. To grow. To become better. We need to be humble, be the best and lead by example. To use our past as a foundation to grow from. Not an anchor.