We the People

Article #2 – June 3, 2025
Wrought by Christopher J. Perger, Volunteer Steward and Founder of Liberty Shore

The State of Our Union

We inhabit a nation of paradox: surrounded by technological marvels yet starved for genuine connection and civic purpose. Our supercomputers fit in our pockets, yet our democracy runs on fumes. We’ve traded the birthright of citizenship for the narcotic ease of convenience, outsourcing not just our groceries but our very responsibilities as stewards of this republic.

Worse still, we’ve never paused—decade after decade—to take stock of where we stand and consciously chart our own course. The absence of any clear mandate from and for the people may well be our gravest oversight; it’s the fundamental mistake that has let America drift into its current malaise…

A Mandate from and for the People

Imagine a United States where, every ten years, citizens convene to reflect on the nation’s trajectory—openly discussing what’s working, what’s faltering, and the leadership needed for the decade ahead. Such a practice, a “Decennial Mandate of the People,” could transform our democratic process. It would move us beyond choosing the “lesser of two evils” toward deliberately selecting visionary leaders who represent our collective aspirations.

Without structured civic reflection, we’ve allowed personal interpretations of “freedom” to flourish unchecked. Each individual, left to their own devices, crafts a version of liberty aligned with personal desires, often ignoring broader societal implications. This has fragmented our national identity, allowing underlying fears and resentments to fester.

Over time, these unspoken tensions have morphed into deep-seated divisions, eroding the common ground necessary for a cohesive society. The lack of regular, inclusive forums for national discourse stifles our ability to confront these issues and hinders the development of emotional intelligence—our capacity to understand, manage, and empathize—within our political culture.

This fragmentation manifests clearly in our approach to military recruitment. Without a shared sense of purpose, the U.S. military increasingly relies on financial incentives to attract recruits. From 2022 to 2024, over $6 billion was spent on recruitment and retention bonuses, with the Navy alone offering substantial sums to counter enlistment shortfalls.

A recent Pentagon survey revealed that financial incentives are the primary motivator for 16- to 21-year-olds considering military service, with over half citing pay as their main reason. This shift from patriotic duty to economic necessity has recast military service from a noble calling into transactional employment.

Furthermore, only 23% of American youth qualify to enlist without waivers due to obesity, mental health challenges, and declining academic achievement. This shrinking pool underscores broader societal issues stemming from our collective neglect of emotional intelligence and introspection.

Institutionalizing a Decennial Mandate could provide recurring opportunities for collective reflection and course correction, addressing the root causes of societal discord and fostering a political environment where emotional intelligence is cultivated. Such practice would pave the way for a more empathetic, informed, and united citizenry capable of steering the nation toward a more inclusive and equitable future.

Remembering Our Roots

“We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.”

Those words weren’t merely a polite invitation—they were an act of defiance. For centuries, the world insisted governance was too sacred for common hands. America’s founding shattered that illusion, entrusting the greatest experiment in self-rule to everyday people.

Every advance in American rights—abolition, suffrage, civil rights—was demanded from below, not gifted from above. The Constitution provided tools: the ballot, the petition, the jury. But tools are useless unless we wield them.

The Cost of Convenience

Between AOL and our latest streaming binge, we made a devil’s bargain: comfort over citizenship. Suburban sprawl has significantly eroded social capital in the United States. Shared public spaces fostering natural civic engagement have been replaced by isolated enclaves connected only by highways and strip malls. The front porches and town squares where neighbors debated local issues have disappeared, replaced by private yards and shopping centers designed for individual consumption.

This separation has democratic consequences. When citizens retreat into homogeneous suburban communities, they lose exposure to diverse perspectives and economic realities. Informal networks once bridging divides—corner-store conversations, neighborhood gatherings—have withered. Without these organic opportunities for civic engagement, democracy becomes abstract rather than practiced.

Moreover, big-box stores have displaced mom-and-pop businesses, community anchors where neighbors became friends. Now corporate efficiency dominates. Meanwhile, social media algorithms create personalized news feeds, confirming existing beliefs while filtering out challenging perspectives. These systems inadvertently weaponize confirmation bias, fragmenting our public discourse. Americans inhabit separate informational universes, making shared civic dialogue nearly impossible. The common ground necessary for democratic deliberation disappears, reinforcing political polarization and making compromise seem treasonous to one’s perceived tribe.

Meanwhile, tech giants and political operatives auction our attention, isolating us and leaving us more familiar with celebrity scandals than local governance. Every time we disengage, we leave a vacuum for billionaires and demagogues.

Tools for Reconnection

We don’t need nostalgia—we need action:

Show up locally: Attend school boards, councils, and neighborhood meetings. Civic muscle grows through use.
Practice deliberation: Democracy demands patient listening and honest debate, not social media warfare.
Build bridges: Volunteer with those unlike yourself; democracy thrives on connection.
Learn the machinery: Know local budgets, ordinances, and laws; knowledge is power.
Support local press: Democracy dies in darkness. Keep local media alive and accountable.

Look to Portsmouth, NH’s “Portsmouth Listens” or New York’s participatory budgeting—proof that collective action isn’t fantasy but a blueprint.

The Call to Arms

We aren’t called to restore a mythical golden age, but to construct the inclusive democracy we’ve always claimed to be. Citizenship isn’t a spectator’s privilege but a builder’s duty. Show up. Speak up. Organize—especially when inconvenient.

Every meeting attended, ballot cast, neighbor heard, is the work of democracy—not for applause but because the alternative is unthinkable.

We the People: not consumers, not spectators, but architects of a future worthy of our children’s dreams.

The hour is late, and no one will save us—this responsibility is ours.

You could argue you have the freedom to ignore all of this, absolutely.

But in reality, if ignoring means losing that freedom—then what?

#libertyshore

We the People
Article #2 – June 3rd, 2025

Wrought by
Christopher J. Perger
Volunteer Steward, Founder
of
Liberty Shore