Most of us are thinking about personal New Year’s Resolutions, changes we want to make as a person or within our family. What about the changes that our country needs to see in 2011? If I were to come up with a list of five New Year’s Resolutions for this country they would be the following.

First, I would make a resolution to bring back jobs. Pure and simple, people need jobs. Without fulfilling this first New Year’s resolution we can’t really go forward too much as a nation.

Second, I would make a resolution to reduce our national debt. We are in over our heads and if the spending isn’t halted, we are going to sink.

Third, I would make a resolution to stop government from taking over and sticking its nose where it doesn’t belong.

Fourth, I would do something about our borders. While we argue about the “rights” of illegal immigrants and complain about the number of illegals in this country, we have open borders that are without adequate protection.

Fifth, I would encourage voters in America, as we begin to look toward the next election, to consider the perspective of an independent. It is about supporting and backing a candidate and their issues, not voting on the basis of some political ideology or just because they belong to a certain party.

Perhaps I should add a sixth political New Year’s resolution. We are a country that is founded on different beliefs. We have standards that greatly vary. We value certain things that others may not. We are different colors and follow different religious paths. We live in different neighborhoods, some barely making it and others living it up. We are truly a melting pot of differences.

Yet we have one thing in common. We live in this great country with the foundation of it being built on unity. We are the UNITED States of America. Perhaps we can look at 2011 as a year to unite together. Well, that would be my New Year’s Resolution.

Take time to reflect not only on the changes that you need to personally make but what changes this country really needs to make.