Frustrating. How do we teach our children responsibility? How do we instill honesty, pride, dignity and integrity into their young developing characters when our entire country, from the President on down, continues to display such ridiculous and senseless levels of corruption, political correctness and irresponsibility? All of which results in no one, including our members of Congress, willing step up, man up and be responsible for the direction and well being of our country.

The recent sequestration volley is an example of irresponsible political behavior and fi nger pointing in what seems to be our country’s fifth rendition of the Republican and Democratic blame game. Who’s at fault? Who is responsible? Who even cares anymore?

Believe me, there is enough blame to go around for everyone. As a nation, we are reaching the pinnacle of obscurity when it comes to leadership. And, from where I sit, the reason nothing is getting done is pretty obvious. No one has to do anything. It seems that political entitlements now dictates that no longer does anyone have to be responsible for his or her actions, or inactions, in an American leadership position. How convenient.

Why is this? Our leaders have eliminated all responsibility and consequence. More simply put, our politicians at all levels have become so adept at shirking their duties and responsibilities that every Washington victory comes complete with a wardrobe of Tefl on suits. Nothing sticks. No accountability. No consequences. It just doesn’t matter! Where do we go from here?

I am concerned. Last Friday I attended a wonderful Dr. Seuss birthday party put on by the Cumberland County Association of Educators. It was a great community-supported event. There were hundreds of young children playing, reading, laughing and singing — all oblivious of the dismal future we adults are carving out for them. It made me sad to think of the kind of world we will be leaving them if we don’t come to our senses and start being responsible for our actions. We cannot continue to exist as a nation of no consequences. This is the core of what builds character in our young people.

How can we teach our children one thing and continue to demonstrate and practice another? No wonder our children are distracted, detached and confused. In their eyes, moral lines that separate good and evil must not only be blurred but quickly disappearing. Consequences do matter!

Today, it seems that it doesn’t matter what you do, what you saw or how bad, brutal, heinous, bazaar, corrupt or irresponsible the act or action was. It just doesn’t matter because there will be no consequences.

Recent examples:

Solyndra: We lost $500 million of taxpayers’ money. How? Why? It doesn’t matter — no consequences.

Our American Embassy gets attacked and destroyed in Benghazi. Four people die including our American Ambassador. How? Why? Who is the culprit? Who is responsible? It doesn’t matter — no consequences.

An American border guard loses his life because of a stupid gun-hustling plan — Fast and Furious. Who is at fault? Where is the justice? Who is in charge here? It doesn’t matter — no consequences. Thousands of imprisoned illegal immigrants were released from jail and no one knows who gave the order. Again, it doesn’t matter — no consequences.

Billions of taxpayers’ dollars are wasted on documented cases of waste, fraud and abuse of food stamps, welfare and other numerous entitlement programs yet these practices are allowed to continue unabated. Why? Because political correctness has reached unheard of levels and a corrupt political system encourages, rewards and fosters such behavior allowing it to become an accepted way of life. How did that happen? Because, there are no consequences for such behavior.

In closing, let me make it clear that this is not a Democrat or a Republican thing or a black, white or Hispanic thing or a rich, poor or middle-class thing. This is an American thing. A very sad American thing. So, breaking down this problem into it’s simplest form I will ask: In this kind of political environment how do you teach young children love, respect, honesty, a work ethic and integrity? At some point, there must be a consequence. Without it, there will never be truth.

Thank you for reading Up & Coming Weekly.

picture caption: How do you teach young children love, respect,
honesty, a work ethic and integrity?