| Developing the next generation of public | | | | development of a policy objective so that no |
| servants takes a public commitment. | | | | spin is required? If we want to succeed as a |
| Instilling in young people that public | | | | democracy young people must learn to become |
| service is of prime importance is critical to | | | | statesmen and stateswomen and do what is |
| the continuance of a democracy. Without | | | | right for the people whether the people know |
| their support who will be the future | | | | it at the time or not.How does democracy |
| taxpayers, lawmakers or public servants?Where | | | | survive if young people do not know how it |
| will future government staff facilitators | | | | works? Once young people are taught how a |
| come from so that future elected policy | | | | democracy works and can achieve a financial |
| makers, overwhelmed by the vastness of their | | | | stake in it they will respond in a way that |
| responsibilities and armed with only limited | | | | is in their own self enlightened interest. |
| resources, can rely on honest and wise policy | | | | We are teaching our young people to say no to |
| options suggest by those facilitators? Do | | | | drugs, now we need to teach them to say no to |
| young people join the police force or fire | | | | apathy for their democratic form of |
| department out of a sense of the merits of | | | | government.It is one thing to teach young |
| public service or because of the good pay and | | | | people the facts and rudiments of a |
| benefits? Where is the training ground for | | | | democratic form of government; it is quiet |
| the next generation of State and local | | | | another thing to instruct them as to how to |
| government researches and staff?After | | | | make that government responsive to their |
| democracy was threatened by WW I and WW II | | | | needs. What means and methods should be used |
| the public spirit of serving the country ran | | | | to educate the next generation of public |
| high. Voting and participation in government | | | | servants? What training and background will |
| was a way of life. Now, only periodically do | | | | those public servants have to help address |
| young people take the opportunity to vote and | | | | the demands put on elected |
| almost ignore their government.Every State | | | | officials?Brokerage houses are providing |
| Legislature, State University and State | | | | sites on the Internet for young people to |
| Executive department needs to develop | | | | experiment with investing in the stock market |
| institutions to engage young people in their | | | | and tracking their own make believe |
| democratic form of government. For every | | | | portfolio. The brokerage houses are doing |
| government internship that now exists ten | | | | this to capture their interest and loyalty. |
| more must be established. Young people need | | | | They believe rightly that young people's |
| to have instilled in them that serving their | | | | loyalty to a financial institution will pay |
| fellow man as a public servant is a noble and | | | | big dividends to their stockholders in the |
| challenging career. Public schools need to | | | | future.Where are the equivalent sites on the |
| motivate their students by highlighting the | | | | Internet for young people to experiment with |
| achievements of public servants so that their | | | | investing their time in their local or State |
| students are primed to go forth and serve. | | | | government? Do young people understand how |
| Whatever the walk of life, everyone serves | | | | to act as a vendor to sell goods to a local |
| someone or some group. Why not make serving | | | | or State government? What is their |
| everyone as a public servant a high ideal so | | | | understanding of how the selection of a |
| that society can have the kind of government | | | | vendor will be made? Are all procurement by |
| it wants and demands.Their is no missionary | | | | governments thought by young people to be |
| zeal among any organized group for Democracy | | | | given out based on party affiliation or past |
| as an institution. History is taught today | | | | contributions to a political party?So, if you |
| without a sense of democracy as an | | | | are a State or Local Government leader hire |
| institution. As a society do we want to end | | | | an intern! If you are an educator figure out |
| up with policy "wonks" only interested in | | | | a way to involve young people in the service |
| their own advancement? Will that advancement | | | | of their community and State through an |
| come from putting the "right" spin on a bad | | | | expanded curriculum or class focus. Do it |
| idea or from working hard on the details and | | | | today. |