America - WTF?

It's a quandary. America's economy is faltering in a way not seen in generations. We've got simultaneous wars in the middle east draining our public coffers. We're torturing people now, with the blessing of our so-called leaders. Many people weren't saving at all, and those who are saving have seen those savings dwindle significantly as the bears take over on Wall Street. The middle class has seen stagnating wages for nearly 30 years, while the total amount they pay in taxes, fees, and other charges, while the rich have seen greater returns and lower taxes. Health insurance premiums have risen many times faster than wages under our privatized health care system. And I'm out of coffee.

How is it that we came to this point? How did the empire come so close to falling? How has the most productive, innovative, and charitable nation in the world get to this point? How could we have elected a series of "leaders" who brought us to this juncture? Our political system is broken. That, in turn, has broken our economic system. We've voted for greed, corruption, xenophobia, and against the public good for over 30 years. We've treated America not as a society, but as a market. We all want to be Paris Hilton, even though that's not likely. We're living in a state of denial.

How do we get all of this? Electing Barack Obama is a fair first step, but it won't solve anything by itself. Giving Obama a strong mandate for change will help too. But we won't start doing better until we get down to the real work: reform elections, encourage savings, provide health care to all Americans, quell the pain of losing a job, stop spending money on unnecessary wars, stop locking people up for minor crimes, and focus government help on all of society...not just the rich.