Is This What America Needs?

William Galston has opined in the editorial pages of the Wall Street Journal on 2 December 2014 that the following questions must be answered if America is to become the prosperous country it once was.

“If the information revolution is transforming the labor market, how can we bring computer-science courses into every American public school?

“If soaring costs are reducing college attendance and imposing large debt burdens on students, can we use technology to deliver high-quality postsecondary education more affordably?

“If new businesses are a key source of innovation and jobs, what should we do to turn around the alarming decline in startups?

“If basic research is both a public good and an essential foundation for long-term growth, where can we find the public resources for the sustainable investments in research that the private market will not make?

“If the public sector can no longer muster the funds required to meet our infrastructure needs, how can we create incentives for private capital to fill the gap?

“If we want a tax code that favors growth, job creation, and opportunity for average Americans, what are the key ingredients of tax reform?

“If a rising tide no longer lifts all boats, how can we ensure that average Americans share the fruits of 21st-century economic growth?”

Mr. Galston sees all improvements as economic goals. I doubt that the real causes of our national malaise are economic, or political, or social, or cultural, or educational. Our problems, at the roots, are moral and spiritual. Until we regain our spiritual equilibrium, we will never again be a world leader. We need to recognize the Creator of our world and His ways; we need our Savior to become the Lord of our lives. Our country is rife with dishonesty, greed, and unfaithfulness to spouses and family. The American family is missing fathers to guide and admonish the children and to give them examples of faithfulness and hard work. What ever happened to the old-fashioned principles of working hard on the job, earning enough money to support the family, buying the things needed and avoiding overspending? What ever happened to the principles of electing moral leaders to guide our country? What ever happened to the old-fashioned altruism and patriotism that made our country strong in the first place?

These latter things are what our nation needs—all the economic items listed above are necessary, of course; but…they will all take care of themselves if we can only gain the moral and spiritual footing necessary for a Christian society to flourish.