I will admit from the outset that I have not read Tom Brokaw’s book on “The Greatest Generation.” However, I have heard many discussions of those years and indeed did grow up in the home with parents from that generation. Of course our neighborhood and school were filled with parents who were the core of that group. Living in Iowa City we were right in the midst of some of the thousands who came to the University of Iowa on the GI Bill. Some of my best friends’ parents were in Iowa City on the GI Bill.

From what I understand, the “Greatest Generation” had three life experiences in common. The first was coming of age during the Great Depression. The hard times when food was hard to come by for many. Having some faith in leadership and democracy were essential for digging out of the Depression eventually.

The second life experience that this generation shared was the horrors of World War Two. No matter whether you were in the war itself or back in the US, nearly every American was involved in the war effort and most had kin doing the fighting. This was an experience that was fully shared among the population.

The last shared experience was remaking society and rebuilding after the war. Once again, this was a task that each and every American was involved in. The aforementioned GI Bill was one of the cornerstones of gearing up for a peacetime economy and staving off future wars. Americans of that generation once more took up this task almost as though it was another war. They started businesses, joined groups, sat on school boards and city councils and state governments – one way or another they worked together to make America into the the greatest country that ever existed on earth.

There was an equality among the working folks and those who ran the businesses and shops. There were common purposes and there were little to no barriers between classes. (I must make a point here that this was in white America. The barriers between races were fraying and ready to blow). Go into a restaurant or a bar on a Saturday night in the Midwest and there would be a good mix of folks from all walks of society.

The difference in wages and salaries was not so great that one group could exclude itself from society. Besides, those folks in the bar or restaurant were probably their customers or neighbors. There also seemed to be a shared general vision for the country – building highways and great buildings, homes and good schools. One major focus was that the kids would get what they didn’t have – good education and medical care and no fear of starving in the land of plenty. What helped make the Greatest Generation great was their ability to prepare for the future and their willingness to sacrifice today for a better tomorrow. They also created jobs in America for Americans.

So now we dial forward fifty to sixty years. As often happens the generation below that first generation doesn’t share that vision and the second generation removed has almost no clue as to why anyone would have had such a vision in the first place. The things that drove that first group has never even been experienced by them, so they have no way to relate to the hunger, the fear, the threats that drove their grandparents. Any connection that existed between business owners and their workers has long been stripped away so that the only commonality they have is a paycheck.

And that common vision for society is long gone. The “we are all in it together” atmosphere has long since been replaced by the attitude of “I am getting mine and screw everyone else.” The only vision many have, especially in the wealthy classes is that next $ sign. Any vision that includes giving back to society is quickly blown away. For the past 35 years these folks have been in charge of government and have turned a government that once responded to people into one that is beholden to those with dollars. Those with the dollars are well aware of that and extract favors for the dollars they grant.

We continue to be mired in a recession that is exacerbated by Republicans in Congress who want to punish America for electing Obama. As I think back on those of the Greatest Generation who served from town councils on up to the White House and who laid out a vision of a future America, I am sure that they did not want to build a great country only to give it away piece by piece to the rich and damn all others. We should be in outrage about what has happened to our parents’ and grandparents’ dreams.

There is plenty of work that needs to be done in this country to get back in line with the essence of the dreams the Greatest Generation had. We are no longer #1 in anything but war. There is work to be done to bring our health care system up to where it should be with access for all. There is work to be done in replacing aging water lines and sewer pipes and replacing them with environmentally sound systems. The pipes and sewer lines should be made in the United States. There is work to be done to run fiber optic line to make the internet accessible to all as a common carrier. Their is work to be done in upgrading rail as the most efficient means of transport for materials and possibly people.

One of the most important places where there is work to be done is to get off our dependence on fossil fuels and create the next generation of power sources. This alone would create a huge amount of jobs. If we couple that with a policy that buys American made first, we would have a true “win-win” for the USA.

America faced up to the challenges after World War 2 and they were not afraid to be bold. They also were not afraid to tax equitably for the good of society. We have been at a cross roads for awhile. So far we have let the wealthy choke the rest of us so they can keep their wealth while polluting the environment and starving their employees. It is now time to act as the Greatest Generation once did. It is time to elect leaders who will lead the planning and execution of our next resurgence for America.