With November elections just a month off, it’s interesting to watch various candidates distance themselves from President Barack Obama, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and especially “ObamaCare,” which was supposed to be the crowning glory of the Democrats’ reign of the past two years.

Unemployment at 10 percent suggests there’s little to discuss beyond jobs. However, there’s actually plenty else on the minds of Americans these days, especially entitlement reform and our nation’s enormous budget deficit. The idea our nation may fall apart from within because of unrestrained spending and government corruption figures to be among the most frightening threats in American history.

Daily we read of looming disaster if something isn’t prescribed to reduce deficit spending. Fear-mongering has become a national pastime with both political parties blaming each other for flawed, failed policies leading to the present predicament when both parties should share the blame, then unite to solve the problem, even if it means pain for them at the polls and sacrifice from courageous Americans.

Democracy is an ever-evolving process, driven by our amazing Constitution, crafted by the Founding Fathers. It’s only been amended 27 times in 223 long years. The process, however flawed one might view it, is routinely fixed by trial and error with laws enacted under the Constitution.

But where do we all fit into the equation of doing our part to solve our nation’s trillion-dollar deficits and the unrestrained spending that has caused it? Is it enough to send new lawmakers to Washington with less spendthrift attitudes? Will we send them to Washington with clear mandates to change, among other things, the big budget busters — Social Security and Medicare? More important, how much resolve do we have if those changes affect our personal pocketbooks — say, raising the age that one qualifies for Social Security?

And of earmarks? Is our community willing to stand on conservative principle and do without earmarks that benefit the community when yet other communities continue to benefit from them?

Where do we finally draw the line on entitlement spending? According to a recent story in the Wall Street Journal, 50 percent of U.S. households receive government benefits while only 45 percent of U.S. households pay federal income tax. An ever-increasing number of Americans are getting checks while a smaller and smaller number are actually paying the bill. This trend is expanding at an alarming rate.

Something must be done in all these matters. That means political courage in Washington and real sacrifice back home. A recent Treasury report showed an 11-month deficit of $1.26 trillion. It’s only expected to get larger. Recently WSJ columnist Peggy Noonan said: “The problem is that too many people are riding in the wagon and not enough people are pulling the wagon.”

The entitlement society in which we live has expanded for more than 70 years and shows no signs of abating. To curb the cycle of deficit spending, it’s vital that we cut entitlements since everything else in government simply pales in comparison. But this mission is not impossible. We now see European countries facing the music and cutting entitlements to preserve the European Union and its financial viability.

Meaningful change can occur if voters are clear in their charge — and then voters actually back those charges.

Workable solutions on how all this can be done can be readily drawn from think tanks and debated. But all Americans must embrace the credo of “America First and Always.” I recently read a report from a 2007 European economic conference which quoted the president of Luxembourg who said, “We all know what the problems are; however; if we promote seeking a solution, we will not be re-elected.”

Such public attitudes must end.

The future of America depends on thinking beyond ourselves and resolving to preserve our freedoms if only for the benefit of future generations. Now, perhaps more than ever, is the time for all good men to come to the aid of their country.

Clifton Robinson is owner of Robinson Media, which owns the Tribune-Herald .