A New Year's hope for America and America's business

I’ve been pondering the speeches at President Bush’s funeral. I’m drawn to recall that the writers of the Constitution created the structure that they did based on several assumptions, not the least of which is that they believed that honorable and responsible people would seek to fill, and be supported in, the many functional roles of government that the Constitution enumerates. Without honor, there are no good intentions. Without responsiveness, good intentions reach no tangible implementation. That doesn’t mean that people have to be perfect. And it doesn’t mean they can’t have sincere differences of opinion as to what makes an intention “good.”

For a great example of honor and responsibility, we can listen to the characterizations of President Bush at his funeral in the National Cathedral. The words do not describe a perfect person. But they certainly give a clear image of honor and responsibility. Perhaps a good resolution would be to listen to those speeches each Fourth of July.

It was interesting to also see that day at the National Cathedral, set aside from the normal dynamic tension between church and state, and state and citizenry, that a triple point of harmony was achieved by church, state, and citizenry. What a pleasant respite.

Here’s a prayer that Honor, Responsibility, and 2019 can find that same triple point.