You’re an ordinary Joe. Or an ordinary Jane. Or, to be fair, an ordinary alternative gender. Pick a biology or no biology. No matter, you share something in common. You’re generic — an unspecified member of the rank and file. Beyond family members and a few hundred acquaintances and friends, you’re a nobody on the world stage. The Swamp dwellers in Washington don’t know you and don’t want to know you. The Media/Entertainment moguls never heard of you but always trust that you’re a sap waiting to be manipulated. And too many of you don’t disappoint them. The only people who have you in their data base are individuals and organizations who want your money. In effect, you’re an anonymous target. But, as cheeky Americans, most of you willfully ignore the people who ignore you. You go about the business of feathering your own nests. As you should. Taking care of No. 1.  As Americans, that’s your signal responsibility. Taking care of No. 1 — the linchpin of individual liberty — the essential ideal behind The American Idea. During America’s first 150 years, millions upon millions of your ancestors loved The Idea. They crowded onto ocean vessels, lugging everything they owned, for the chance of work, for the chance at self reliance, for the chance to be free to take care of No. 1. Once here, they toiled to feather their own nests, learned to speak English and proudly became Americans. These immigrants and their children were charter members of the Greatest Generation. Then something happened : The Astronomically Stupid Idea. Some marketing consultant told Lyndon Johnson to call it The Great Society. The “leftist” name itself screamed “abort, abort!” But, no, only a callous, heartless swine would dare denounce such a lofty goal. Can making war on poverty and racial bigotry be considered a mistake? No, it was no mistake. It was an epic, abysmal blunder. So the tainted die was cast. And it was recast — by every POTUS and every Congress since LBJ swindled his way to power. The Federal Government, under every President, created entitlement programs that grew exponentially, and spawned over half a century of human inadequacy, weakness and generational dependency. The outcome speaks for itself. Poverty? It has dwindled not a smidgen. Racism? Antagonism, bitterness and resentment are at all time highs. But hang on. Overlooked during these decades of abject failure was something even more insidious — a crime that all but nullified The Constitution itself. Year by year, decade by decade, the Federal Government  systematically hijacked your States’ constitutional sovereignty. This very day, once sovereign States are nothing more than Federal lackeys. State lawmakers are political minions. Governors are figurehead flunkies. The U.S. Congress, in cahoots with the SCOTUS, knowingly and willingly  butchered The Constitution; and in doing so, eviscerated The American Idea. But America nobodies can’t worry about pandemic events. You’re still free to come and go as you please, busily putting food on the table and taking care of No. 1. Sooner or later, you say, America is bound to fix itself. Eventually, the debt has to go away. The anti-American movement will dry up. The people will reject socialism. And, BTW, you’ll win the lottery. Anyway, you put your trust in elected politicians to take care of business. In fact, you learned that your State legislature has the Constitutional power to take back power from Washington. Your State can join other States to empty the Swamp and restore The American Idea. Unfortunately, in 2019,  a majority of your State lawmakers will not take action to rescue their country, but instead will shrink in fear from their sworn obligation. Perhaps they should consider following the example of some ordinary citizens who faced their fears. They were at the frozen ground of Valley Forge, at the beaches of Normandy and at Ground Zero. Taking action. So you and yours are free to look out for No. 1.