As the world prepares to enter the new millennium, America seems to have discarded much of the traditional civic mindedness that was omnipresent merely a half-century ago. The symptoms of this disease are becoming more apparent with each passing year, and investigators can only speculate what the probable causes are. However, the sure consequence of them if left alone is the inevitable death of the nation as Americans know it.
             With respect to the preceding thoughts, the available information confirms the conviction that Americans in the present are becoming increasingly less involved in their communities than was true a generation ago. Accumulating General Social Survey and National Opinion Research Center records, it has been found that "social capital" has significantly decreased within the past twenty years. According to Robert Putnam, "social capital" is the features of social life, networks, (webs of friendships) norms, and trusts that enable participants to act together to more effectively pursue shared objectives. Furthermore, the term "civic engagement" is used to refer to people's ties with the life and well being of their communities, not only with politics. Evidence for the regression of social capital and
             civic engagement originates from a plethora of independent sources. Surveys
             taken from membership records of such diverse establishments as labor unions, the Red Cross, the League of Women Voters, PTA, the Elks Club, and even bowling leagues reveal a steep decline of approximately 25% to 50% over the last three decades. Other surveys of "collective political participation", including attending a speech or rally (off 36% between 1973 and 1993), attending a meeting on town or school affairs (off 36%), or working for a political party (off 56%). Interestingly, the GSS includes, at all levels of education with both men and women, a decrease of about 33% in social trust (trus...