Slavery, Our Government, and Other Moral Problems

When Paul brought up the idea about watchdog organizations not being enough to fix the problem and our government’s need to intervene as the only logical solution, it made me think of a few things. First, about the U.N. being involved in these countries, I just wonder how much help/support they will get from both within and from the country they are intervening in, since it is likely that the country in question is a member of the U.N., and they, as well as the locals in the country, will want to be able to voice their agenda.
I just think that, for any country, it is almost impossible to make a perfect decision; one with absolutely 0% chance of backlash. It just depends on how far and at what cost us and our leaders are willing to go to do the right thing.
For example, I think we could very easily fix the problem of slavery in any country we choose by simply refusing trade unless they agree to get on top of their problem of slave labor. Sure, we might make some enemies and other countries might think we are handling it unreasonably, but we will have the support of other nations and maybe even set a GOOD example for those who may be on the fence about what to do about this or other controversial issues.
I also think that it is impossible to have a perfect leader, or maybe even a perfect government, but we can be a nation of conscience.
Along the same lines, being that we live in a culture and nation where the first pictures of Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie’s baby sold for over $4 million, I think that our country would greatly benefit from making some decisions within the realm of morality.
Another example, I think, could be the issue of our gas. Touchy subject, I know. They are low. Good, right? But how good is it for us? Not you…us? I was talking to my dad about this over thanksgiving break, and we sort of came to the agreement that we should have a higher tax on gas. Again, a lot of people would complain, now it costs more to drive their SUV’s – with ONE PERSON in them (that’s another issue) – around all the time, but I just think it would be good for our country. I know this is a really general and simple way of looking at it and there are a lot of complications, but this is the way I figure it: our government needs the money (what are we like $2.4 trillion in debt to the rest of the world?), the people who can still afford to drive around all the time don’t need the money, the rest of us who can’t afford to drive as much as them (the other 98%) will need to drive a little less, it will help break our addiction to foreign oil, and it will be good for our environment because it will improve the demand, profit, and use of alternative energy sources.