Who is primarily responsible for keeping the promise of our nation, as defined by the Preamble?
Obviously, one could argue that we are all responsible. In fact, per Robert Reich,in his recent book, “The Common Good,” it is our duty, over and above paying taxes and voting.
However, just as we look to those in government to oversee our needs for taxation and spending, then perhaps it is these same people in the government (elected by we the people) who have the prime responsibility to keep those promises, and– if they don’t– we have the option and the power to elect new officials.
The Key National Indicator {KNI) Office should in fact reside within government, operating as an independent, non-partisan body, just as the Federal Reserve does, and with a mandate to report on the performance of our nation. In short, it should be used as the independent measure by which we the people can gauge the performance of our elected officials to–again Keep These Promises.
Going one step further, it would seem logical to house the KNI inside the GAO, or General Accounting Office, and over time, perhaps even become the basis for the President’s annual “State of the Union” address. Now wouldn’t that be novel?
Richard Cheshire
Promise America Alliance 