"For the common good" or "Every man for himself"

We the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America. -Preamble of the US Constitution

Promote the general welfare. This is a statement that reflects the unity that this country was founded upon. Amidst the Olympics, one of the finest stages to show patriotism, our country is falling apart. In a recent poll 86% of Americans say that they believe the US Government is broken. Do they offer a fix? No, of course not, that is the responsibility of someone else. What the average US citizen wants is benefits for them: businessmen want tax cuts to take away more money but they don't want to offer health insurance to their workers, farmers want their crops subsidized but don't want to pay property tax to local school districts, politicians want special interest groups to pay for campaigns but don't feel like listening to their constituents. Do I feel the system is broken? Yes.

So how about a quick fix? Absolutely not.

What the US has to change is its mentality. There is a point at which is okay to look after only your own interests and shut down others' interests. On the other hand, there is a point where we need to realize that benefiting others can have positive long-term effects on us. Since I am an educator I will provide an example from my own area of expertise.

School choice was put in place to provide students with the flexibility of choosing a school that best fit their learning needs. Unfortunately many families abuse this privilege and leave districts that could use their support to turn a school around. Think for a minute about what might happen if all the students in a district went to their assigned school and their parents became active in that school. Wouldn't those parents want the best for their student and attempt to change that school? It certainly seems logical to me, but its not reality. As a society we are too focused on our individual needs that we leave the collective behind; furthering the divide in our country and preventing growth as a whole nation.