This is an opinion column.

“We’ve always believed in something called progress. We’ve always had a faith that the days of our children would be better than our own,” said President Jimmy Carter. “Our people are losing that faith, not only in government itself but in the ability as citizens to serve as the ultimate rulers and shapers of our democracy.” Jimmy Carter would have been as correct today as he was in the summer of 1979.

In less than a half century, we’ve come full circle. Inflation is again running wild, we have an energy crisis, and America is again in a standoff with Russia.

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In that same brief historical window, control of government has become paramount in American society. Regrettably, neither of our dominant political parties has proven particularly adept at wielding winner-take-all governing institutions to address so many of our cultural maladies.

Whether it’s a virus, gun violence, gas prices, or inflation, almost all of us now expect the government to provide answers. At the same time, we neither respect nor approve of the same governing institutions we charge with crafting a flourishing future. No wonder we’re tragically disappointed time and again.

And, no, the issue isn’t that a particular political party isn’t fully in control.

If the progress of society is like building a house, our governments are heavy machinery. While cranes, bulldozers, and cement trucks, are extremely helpful in some contexts, they’re completely unfit for others. A cement truck lacks the precision to drive nails according to a framing blueprint. A crane can lift lumber to the correct height, but it’s terrible at cutting boards to the required length. A bulldozer might level the build site, but it isn’t designed to dig the channels necessary to lay the foundation.

Right now, we’re putting all our faith in government machines and wondering why the house isn’t coming along as planned. When a cement truck attempts to be a hammer, it fails to mix concrete efficiently and destroys every surface it impacts. We need the correct tools for the multiple tasks at hand.

Families, churches, neighborhoods, schools, and fraternal organizations are a few examples of our social hammers, screw drivers, paint brushes, and circular saws. They have different roles than our state and federal governments, but they’re no less critical to building society.

I keep thinking about the Uvalde shooter. I can’t get over the hollowed-out look in his eyes. We can enact policies for more aggressive background checks. We can restrict gun makes and models. In fact, rigid laws are one of the tasks government is equipped to address. Tragically, there isn’t a government policy to address a teen so angry and frustrated that he’ll commit such unspeakable acts.

Would those children and teachers still be enjoying summer break if that teenage shooter had a place to belong and a purpose? We’ll never know that answer. I do know each of us needs community and direction to thrive.

Nearly 200 years ago, French statesman Alexis de Tocqueville observed that Americans “carried to the highest perfection the art of pursuing in common the object of their common desires. He noted Americans were unique in creating voluntary associations situated between the government and individuals alone.

Such mediating institutions are worthy of resurrection as we no longer seem to possess the tools necessary to craft the progress of our own society.

A decent first step is to engage our existing institutions with more than our mere attendance. Take Rotary International’s efforts to eradicate polio as a positive example. Members across the globe contributed their time, talent, and treasure towards a specific purpose of ending a debilitating disease. They have succeeded in their efforts across most of the world. Wild poliovirus remains endemic in only two countries: Pakistan and Afghanistan.

Contrast such engagement with merely showing up at church on Sunday and quickly running out the door to beat the lunch crowd. If that’s the level of investment we put into our civic and religious associations, we can’t expect them to be effective tools for building a strong society.

From the heavy machines of government to the myriad tools of our common causes and institutions, we simply cannot wait for politicians in distant cities to cure what’s wrong in our culture. Hammers do not wield themselves. Cranes need operators. We need to determine the kind of Americans we aspire to be, establish tasks we shall accomplish together, and then sacrifice the blood, sweat, and tears to make it a reality.

As de Tocqueville gazed upon America’s infancy, he already saw our greatest challenge. “Among democratic nations…all the citizens are independent and feeble,” he wrote. “They all, therefore, become powerless if they do not learn voluntarily to help one another.”

Smith is a recovering political attorney with three boys, two dogs, and an extremely patient wife. He engages media, business, and policy through the Triptych Foundation and Triptych Media. Please direct outrage or agreement to csmith@al.com or @DCameronSmith on Twitter.

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