In education, we have almost "1.3 million students who will not
graduate from high school with their peers," according to the Alliance for
Excellent Education. The alliance estimates those dropouts will collectively
lose "nearly $335 billion" over the course of their lifetimes. This must be
addressed along with the quality of education. Americans are not able to
reach their full potential -- this is a tragedy. Our children are our
nation's future.
The economy is flagging, unemployment is rising and billions
have been injected into our economic system. The government has propped up
banks and companies. The underlying beliefs in capitalism are being
undermined through government intervention. Our nation currently has "$56
trillion in unfunded obligations," according to David Walker, president and
CEO of the Peter G. Peterson Foundation; this amounts "to $483,000 per
household." We have an economic state that is not sustainable.
Since the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and
Washington, our political climate has become increasingly partisan. Instead
of meeting in the middle and working toward solutions, people are standing
on the fringes and yelling at each other. We have forgotten that we share
many common goals and should work on achieving these goals together.
"We call on the American people to remember how we all felt on
9-11, to remember not only the unspeakable horror but how we came together
as a nation -- one nation," concludes The 9/11 Commission Report. "Unity of
purpose and unity of effort are the way we will defeat this enemy and make
America safer for our children and grandchildren."
Imagine if our enemies could infiltrate our nation's health,
education and economic systems, and sow the seeds of our destruction. Would
this not lead to our defeat and their victory? The way to success is by
working together to make America better.
Let's not permit the tragedy of forgetting a tragedy. Let's work
together to solve our nation's challenges.
Unity of purpose and unity of effort, may we never forget Sept.
11.