2003/2004 state of our country...
Dec 22 '03
The Bottom Line The State of politics, economy, and other various comments on our society.
It is amazing how things in America can change so quickly. After the capture of Saddam, for a brief instance everything seemed euphoric. Bush’s ratings jumped 10 points just on this news and many Americans polled felt safer because of his capture. No one is going to argue that the capture of Saddam isn’t a good thing, I believe most people believe that Iraq will be a better place because of this. However, I feel that America is not a safer place. I think the capture of Saddam points to one of the greatest ironies that many American people have; they fear the wrong things!
9-11 has changed our landscape because it was the first major attack on the continental US. However, there are many more pressing issues that will have a broader impact on American lives than the capture of Saddam. First, our economy has been improving recently – yet where are the massive jobs to come along with this? What about the grocery strikes in Southern California regarding the increase in health insurance? Oh yeah, and the dollar is at an all time low next to the Euro. The US state is once again under a false sense of protection and a false sense of prosperity. People receive a $1,000 tax break while the upper echelons are able to deduct $100,000 due to new tax laws. The lower and middle classes become deceived because not many people bother to look at the new laws that affect them. They get a crumb while they let the wealthy feast.
This is not a Democrat or Republican issue, this is an American issue. Yet many people let the media split them into believing that life is only about two choices, right and wrong. There are many more choices to have. Yet we are bombarded by propaganda and emotionally driven issues that may have little to do with our true desires.
It is odd that we have experienced the greatest quarter of growth in the economy in two decades yet feel apathetic of the state of our society. One would think that this would accompany massive job growth but it hasn’t – job growth is a lagging indicator but it has been a couple of years now, it does not lag this much. Many companies are milking every employee to the max. For example, my friend has worked as an accountant for a company for 5 years; the company has downsized and now he has the added role of office manager, accountant, and assistant to the CFO. Given that he is making more money, it may seem positive, but 3 people have lost their jobs. Some will say this is a way of becoming more efficient and the economy is only trashing excess waste. But those 3 people are not excess waste; they have families and needs as well. I like to believe that life is a balance and we need to look at the equation from a deeper perspective rather than just the bottom line.
If you feel corporate America and the wealthy are suffering too, fear not, they are doing just fine. Just do a bit of research on econstats.com, fortune.com, lexus-nexus, and you will find that they have been prospering. The rich get richer and the poor get poorer; clichés exist for a reason.
The dollar has been falling recently and the Fed has done absolutely nothing to prevent it’s free fall. This has been a blip on many mainstream news stories and to be honest, the majority of Americans can careless about this. As a matter of fact, the Fed is happy that the public is jumping into this credit trough and pigging out as much as they can. Savings rates are at an all time low. People are amassing enormous debt through the primary two vessels; mortgages and automobile financing. Yet incomes have not risen to any level supporting the jump in credit spending. But the Fed cares not and I see little that’ll be done in the next year considering they do not want to disturb the election. They are satisfied that internally, the people are fueling this false sense of prosperity while the true economic growth is occurring overseas. Foreign investment is going down the drain locally but oh well, if you can purchase a 30 year lease on your life and extend yourself on an automobile while your job is hinging on the brink, then maybe you are a risk taker.
I have heard and read that it’s okay for people to amass such debt because the economy will improve and catch up…eventually. Haha, I heard the same thing from my broker telling me to purchase stocks on margin just before the tech bubble – “by the time your margin calls are in, you can sell and pay the fee while keeping your gains!” Well, thank goodness that I maintained a diversified and conservative portfolio and didn’t heed his advice.
The economy is getting better but Americans are programmed to believe that corporations are suffering and they need to take what they can get. And it has worked! Unions are made to look like evil entities and people believe this. Jobs are being outsourced at a ridiculous pace and people just don’t seem to care. Companies cut your pay, and you have to accept. It is becoming a society where the lower and middle class have to pad the bottom line of the upper class. And the sad part is that the media is helping make this a justified proposition. I hear talk radio, read commentary, and look at other articles and I get the same theme – “we have to pay more because it’s the way it is. Accept it and stop whining.” Health insurance is rising at unsustainable rates yet we hear little about this. Politicians carry a big stick when they talk about health care on their platforms but when it comes time to doing something they become w h o r e s to the big pharmaceutical and medical giants.
I know this must seem like an unorganized rant but this is the state of affairs. I bet many people feel that this is all pessimistic chatter about doomsday et cetera but I’m actually quite positive in nature =). I just feel that we are in the eye of the storm and everything has the appearance of peace. I had that same feeling prior to the recent tech and stock market crash, 9-11, and other important changes in recent history. And everyone knows that hindsight is 20/20 but we need to be active and voice our concerns over these issues. Yes, the capture of Saddam is important but what is important to you? If capturing tyrannical leaders is your goal then why not get Castro, Chavez, Kadafi, Kim Jung-Il, and so many others that still plague our world and have committed similar atrocities in the face of the world community? Millions have been dying of countless diseases and famine in Africa but people can careless because there are little resources for them to pay any helper back. The lower and middle classes need to become more educated about their political system and economic situation or they will be violated for every penny that they have. I voted for Bush and I am a registered independent. I thought that Bush would be fiscally responsible which he isn’t. I thought that he would try to be more diplomatic in world affairs. And I thought many things that obviously did not come true. When I voted for him I was 18 and was so idealistic about our society and it’s leaders. It is not all his fault but like the CEO of a company, someone is the figurehead and usually takes the blame. I really hope that our political, economic, and personal world is much better in 2004. If we move in that direction I can honestly careless whether it is a Republican or a Democrat, but we need to move in the right direction. I can only be hopeful…God Bless us All.
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thechuunt
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Location: Long Beach, CA. US
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Enjoy this minute because you will never have it again.
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