To The Reader’s Forum:

Elected leadership needs to recognize there are groups of our fellow citizens who feel the need to impose their own opinions, attitudes and views on everyone. Whatever the issue, these groups believe they have special knowledge and abilities that allow them to dominate their local, state or national community by requiring the solution to any problem reflect only their specific beliefs.

Our country needs leadership that is well educated and understands that governing requires taking care of the entire community and that opposing views need to be prudently considered with compromise solutions as the best resolution rather than a “I win you lose” confrontation. These are the politicians we need now. How to find them? Perhaps we need to require those running for any office to take an oath to seek and back only solutions and legislation that supports the Common Good.

Let us then define the Common Good as that which

• is shared by and beneficial to all or most members of a given community.

• is based on Truth and the Law.

• affirms the family as the foundation of the community.

• assumes science is reality and must be supported.

• supports a strong military free from political interference.

• provides a fair tax system that is applied equally to all.

• requires immigration laws that allow legal immigration and a process toward citizenship.

• encourages moral behavior based on the “Golden Rule.”

I believe a majority of citizens would support positions close to the following statements:

• The national debt is a disgrace and needs to be reduced.

• Health care needs to follow science and operate by individual choice.

• Public education is vital to developing productive citizens.

• Equal access to health care and education is a priority.

• Individuals have responsibilities as part of communities.

There are issues around abortions, gender dysphoria, vaccinations, charter schools, national service, social media, journalism, minimum wage and too many other topics to list. We will not all agree on the solutions for these issues. We can agree that whatever the solution, it must be for the Common Good and provide equality in access. We can agree that individuals cannot be selfish and must take responsibility as part of the community. We can agree that being kind and using our skills to make the community better is more important than imposing our will on others.

William Disbro

Jamestown