A plan to fix the United States

Donald Steele, Humble, Texas

Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2013 | 2:02 a.m.

A recommended four-step program for national rehabilitation:

Step 1. Admit we’re a plutocracy; we haven’t been a democracy for a long time. Vow to undertake personal democratic actions aimed at bringing its return.

Step 2. Admit we no longer have a free press. It costs large fortunes and is all owned by a few. Recall scenes from the movie “Network” and vow not to accept this anymore.

Step 3. Pay more attention to the actions of politicians. Aren’t many the ugly Americans of which the world speaks? Do they ever review their public appearances? Who vets these folks? Who’s vetting the vetters?

Step 4. Don’t blame our bad government and deteriorating society on the elite. While many of their actions led to creation of such, history reveals nations always suffer with small citizen participation in government.

Our use of the Internet and social media can remind the world of the power of large public opinion and its history of forcing significant change.

I no longer believe we can’t overcome the power of large political influence along with large media ownership.

Can Americans, committing just 15 minutes daily using social media, raise enough awareness and gather enough public opinion to remove long-ignored flagrant conflicts of interest responsible for our bad government and deteriorating society?