Where Has the Love Gone? The Future of the American Political Duopoly

 America’s love affair with partisan politics (if there really was one) appears to be over for good. The Democrats, once the harbinger of inclusivity, has found itself mired in mediocrity and lacking in leadership, is able to maintain relevance through Identity politics.  I guess that’s what happens when you run out of ideas and don’t have a very deep bench.

The Republican Party, as a result has benefited, especially in America’s heartland and  in particular, at state and local levels. Yet, its support seems to rest on the last vestiges of a fading demographic white, mostly male, middle class voters, and there is a subtle cold and callous undertone to their call for austerity and “making America great again” by cutting back on social security and the public social safety net but continuing to spend more money on the military than the next ten nations (including China, UK, India, France, and Russia) combined!   

However, neither those who agitate on the Left or Right are satisfied with what their side is offering. The result is an America more deeply and widely divided than at any time since the years proceeding the Civil War.  Some ominously predict a pending revolution while others anticipate a second civil war at any moment, and still others foresee for a “civil divorce”.

Even during our formative years as a nation there were those among our Founding Fathers who questioned whether we were or could ever become a truly “United States” of America. We were fundamentally too different; a multitude of nations.  Over the subsequent decades and centuries, as millions came to our shores, those divisions have only intensified. Regardless, one thing is for sure. This is not the America our Founders intended. So, lets take a look at our political landscape. Perhaps we can even predict an America just a few years or a decade or two down the road.

First, despite the popular belief that America is a “two party” nation, the truth is that it was never established that way. In fact, the majority of the Founders opposed the creation of political parties, fearing that they could become powerful special interest cliques which would in time weaken the political power of the average citizen through deception and corruption and eventually dominate government (nah. That could never happen…could it?).

Secondly, that we’re only limited to just two parties. In fact, we’ve have numerous political parties. Most have either merged with other parties or simply faded away with whatever particular issues they supported. Today, we have two primary parties---Democrat and Republican, although the Libertarian, Green, and Constitutional parties are formable.

 However, despite their public perception of two differing parties, the fact is they’re more similar than not.  For example, they’re both owned by special interests from Wall Street. Wall Street controls the finances of both parties. It funds their campaigns, their leadership PACs, and sets their agenda. It dictates their domestic and foreign policies (which are not overly dissimilar). The corporate media defines their public persona and influences their political message. Both are legal fictions given the rights of the average citizen…and then some.  They are, in fact, a duopoly of Wall Street. Another thing they have in common is that both are actually minority parties.

According to the most recent polling, Independents are the largest political demographic in the United States with just over 43% of all registered voters not aligning with either the Democrats or Republicans. As an aside, did you know that Independents have been the dominate political demographic since 2011? Meanwhile, the two corporate owned parties are roughly equal with 28% each of the electorate making Independents (erroneously called “swing voters” by some) the literal “kingmakers” of today’s politics.

Something else the Democrats and Republicans have in common is that not many people like them. According to a Pew poll, 65% of registered voters, irrespective of registration, disliked Republican polices. 56% felt the same way about Democrat policies.

A 2025 NBC News Stay Tuned Poll, showed that 71% of Independents disapproved of the direction the Republican Party was going. 91% of Democrats agreed as did 13% of Republicans (could they be the nefarious “RINOs” so hated by GOP hardliners?).

When it came to Democrats, 64% of Independents disapproved of where the Democratic Party was wanting to take the country. 93% of Republicans concurred. Interestingly, so did 22% of Democrats (those nefarious “DINOs” this time).  In short, an overwhelming majority of Americans disapproved of both Democrat and Republican policies.

Amusingly, in 1960, 4% of Democrats and 4% of Republicans said they’d be unhappy if their son or daughter married someone outside of their party affiliation. In 2019, nearly half---45%---of Democrats said they’d be unhappy if their child married someone from a different party. Republicans were apparently a little more open minded. Just 35% said they would object. Today, I suspect they’d be disowned.

Another factor affecting both parties is that they’re losing their base. Demographics in America are constantly changing. Historically, America has been a predominate white European nation since its founding while blacks were considered the largest minority, As a result, legislation and funding was directed accordingly. But that’s all changing.

Today, whites are still the largest racial demographic at 58.4% (white males, often viewed as America's political, social, and economic “powerbrokers” are projected by the Census Bureau to become a de facto minority by the early 2040's).  The second largest population are Hispanics, who comprise 19.5% of the population (that number would likely be higher if all illegal immigrates were included. However, it's  only as an estimate). Black Americans make up just 13.7% of the population. Asians are 6.4%. Those claiming two or more races make up about 3.1% of the population (and growing). Native Americans, Pacific Islanders, and others make up under 2%.

Based on projections, sometime in the next 25 years, America will no longer have a majority racial population. Whites and Hispanics are expected to have a near parity. Black percentages are expected to drop while Asians are anticipated to increase along with the number of those of mixed racial ancestry. So, what does that mean?

Well, for starters, it means that limited federal tax dollars are going to be redirected to the group with the most mouths to feed, and that’s going to be Hispanics. So, expect future federal (and likely state) programs will cater more to Hispanics which could increase competition between blacks and Hispanics for federal dollars.

Secondly, there will be an increase in the number of people of Hispanic ancestry being elected to office at all levels as a result of both a growing population and an increased concentration in key districts or dominate state with high electoral votes. So, don’t be surprised to see a Hispanic president in the next 25 years. Also, although historically, there’s been a decrease in ancestral allegiance over generations, that doesn’t seem to be the case when it comes to Hispanics.

 The reason is that historically, immigration came in waves, thus giving time to integrate into American society, aka the proverbial “melting pot”. Note too, this “absorption” was also encouraged by previous immigrants and society in general as well as newly arriving immigrants had a strong desire to become “Americans” as quickly as possible.

That’s no longer the case. First, the arrival of Hispanic immigrants (legal and illegal) are occurring as such regular rate and volume that there’s little time or opportunity to integrate. Secondly, many have no intention or desire in becoming “Americans”. They are here solely for a payday.  These are economic migrations. As a result, few bother to learn English, the laws, or adopt to customs, values, or traditions. They tend to congregate in their own ethnic enclaves. Many regularly support family back home. Therefore, nearly everything about them remain tied to their native country.

Black Americans have faced a series of serious issues since emancipation which the federal government has attempted to correct through legislation and various taxpayer based programs with varying degrees of success. As federal funding for programs and services are reduced or redirected, along with competition for jobs now being taken by Hispanics, black Americans are going to be forced to struggle harder.

Lastly, the percentage of Asians are growing more rapidly than previously. This is due to the influx of Asians from places like China, Philippines, South Korea, Taiwan,  Vietnam, and elsewhere. Another factor is that Asians tend to have large families (as do Hispanics). Thus, in certain areas, especially along the West Coast, Asians could come to represent minority majorities.

This brings us to an interesting question. With Democrats and Republicans shrinking in number, generational dissatisfaction with existing partisan politics (especially among Millennials, Gen Z and facing a declining number of Babyboomers and aging Gen X), what does our political, economic, and social future look like?  Cities, starving for economic  resources, are gobbling up smaller surrounding communities. Corporations are also continuing to gobble up everything they can, thus eliminating or consolidating competition. It already controls the government, and with it, controls funding as well as domestic and foreign policy.

 Technology, especially AI, is already proving to be a double edge sword. It’s provided opportunities for a few while reducing or eliminating jobs thus contributing to the already enormous gulf between the rich and the rest of us. It is also the tool behind our evaporating personal privacy and becoming the ever watchful eye of our emerging surveillance state. It bears mentioning that Millennials and Gen Z, both raised on technology, don’t appear to have the same regard toward privacy as older generations.

As I briefly touched on, the wage/income gap between the elites and the rest of society (which also benefits Congress and others in power) is widening. For instance, did you know that the top 1% control 31% of the nation’s wealth compared to the bottom 50% which controls just 2.6%? From 1979 to 2023, the top 1% saw their wealth grow 182% while the bottom 90% had a growth of 44%. The average CEO makes roughly 334 times that of the average employee.  

Are either of the two corporate owned parties equipped to deal with issues like these over the long term? The Democrats try to maintain power by never saying “no” and kicking the debt can down a short dead end road without a worry about who’s going to pick up the tab. The Republicans hope they can prolong the inevitable by cutting programs affecting the politically weakest and forcing open foreign markets by rook, crook, or rocket. They believe cutting taxes on mega corporations and the wealthy will improve the lot for everyone else.

Neither party are willing or able to make the changes which we need. Besides, it’s not in their vested interests to do so. It’s taken decades crafting the perfect scam. The tune they dance to isn’t the voice of the American voter. It’s sound of vast sums of money played by Wall Street. Corporatism, as under Fascism or Communism, requires a compliant citizenry convinced into surrendering their integrity and wellbeing to a state absent any real accountability, which to me is a lot like an alley cat telling a mouse to “trust me”.  Bon Appetit anybody?

 

Thank you for reading "Another Opinion", the Op/Ed blog page for the "militant middle".  Here at "A/O" we truly value our readers. At A/O we seek the facts as they exist, not partisan talking points.  We hope you find our articles informative and engaging. Comments are welcome, provided they are not vulgar, insulting or demeaning.  Another Opinion is offered without charge and is directed toward all independent and free-thinking individuals. We ask, however, that you "like" us on whatever platform you found us on in order to keep our articles available for free to others. Lastly, in order to keep costs down, we depend on passive marketing, and therefore, depend on our readers to please forward our posts along. Below you will find links to the sources we used in writing this article. Thank you. 

 

Political Polarization in the United States

Digging into America’s sour views on both political parties:From the Politics Desk

GOP Holds the Edge in Party Affiliation for Third StraightYear

Wage inequality fell in 2023 amid a strong labor market,bucking long term trends

Corporatism

U.S. Census Bureau: Quick Facts

Partisan Politics drags U.S. towards failed-state status

 

The Insecurity of Security: The Assault on Privacy and the Surveillance State

The United States was originally founded as a confederation of states. It didn’t take long before this confederation was replaced with a constitutionally driven democratic Republic, which is where it remained, with some slight adjustments via amendments, for 248 years.

Starting sometime after the end of World War II in 1945, when, at its political and economic apex, the country began a slow but determined transition from a republic into what it is now, a neo-fascist corporatocracy under the direction of an extremely wealthy and powerful oligarchy as President Eisenhower warned us in his farewell address (President John Kennedy would later echo the same warning).

Some have likened this to the feudalism of Middle Ages Europe. If you think of global corporations as modern versions of feudalistic fiefdoms it makes sense. Like their feudalistic predecessors,  who quietly influenced rulers, modern corporations exercise a similar control over today’s governments. To be successful requires a strong surveillance apparatus and ability to manipulate the public.

Most surveillance states use a myriad of excuses to acquire their power. But most often it centers on “public safety”. During the early years of the French Revolution in the 1780’s, Robespierre headed the Committee of Public Safety which he used as a steppingstone to the governing National Convention (eventually becoming its President).  

It official purpose was to undercover those hostile to the revolution and its stated goals of  “Liberty, Equality, and Fraternity”, the creation a constitutional republic, ending absolutism and the class system, or establishing equality under the law along with individual rights.  

However, as Lord Acton famously said, “power corrupts, and absolute powers corrupts absolutely”. Thus, it was this Committee of Public Safety under Robespierre which served as the driving force behind the infamous Reign of Terror which introduced as many as 17,000 to bite of “Monsieur Guillotine”.  

Just weeks after Adolf Hitler assumed power in January 1933, the German Reichstag (or “Parliament”) mysteriously caught fired and burned to the ground. Many suspected the Nazis of being behind the blaze, but there’s never been any hard proof. A mentally impaired Dutch communist, Marius van der Lubbe, wondering around the smoldering ruins. He was arrested, tried and convicted.  He was executed by guillotine on January 24, 1934. Both sides alleged a "false flag" attack. 

Nevertheless, not ones to let a manufactured crisis go to waste, the Nazis used the occasion of the fire to request and obtain approval to implement the “Enabling Act” or as it was officially known, the “Law to Remedy the Distress of the People and the Reich”, on March 23, 1933.

The Enabling Act served as the beginning of quick end to the Weimar Republic and with it, democracy in Germany. Of course, it was passed in the name of national security (after all, the symbol of German democracy, the Reichstag, had just been attacked). Like another similar act passed 68 years later, few knew exactly what was in it. But, among other things, it allowed for emergency laws to be implemented without the review or consent of the Reichstag (Article 48). 

Ultimately, all opposition political parties and newspapers were banned. A nationalized security apparatus and secret courts were established, and it granted the Chancellor dictatorial powers which could be renewed every four years (with the death of President Paul von Hindenburg, the offices of Chancellor and President were merged into one.  The new office was that of “Fuhrer und Reichskanzler” or  simply “ Office of the Fuhrer”).

In 2001, Congress enacted the “Patriot Act”, following the cowardly attacks of 9/11. Interestingly, the Patriot Act bore many similarities to the Enabling Act. For instance, the creation of a national security office (“The Office of Homeland Security”), it authorized warrantless widespread “spying” on U.S. citizens via existing intelligence agencies (including keeping secret files), the creation of the secret courts (aka “FISA” courts).

Importantly, it also permitted (some would say “encourage”) certain corporations to monitor customers/users, and employees (this was especially true for internet based companies) and so forth while granting these corporations legal immunity. So, apparently you could break the law as long as you were doing it for the government.

Of course, none of this is new historically. At its peak, during  the reign of Roman Emperor Hadrian, it was said that a young naked virgin could walk the length of the Appian Way at midnight without fear of being accosted.  Why? Because every ten or so feet stood an armed Roman soldier. As an aside, in 49 BC Julius Caesar used the claims of "public safety" and "order" to have himself declared dictator as did the Roman General, Sulla, earlier in 82 BC. 

It was also because there were curfews imposed and restrictions on possessing weapons and punishment of crimes were severe in the extreme. The ancient Romans understood that people will often sacrifice their freedoms for security just as they understood that businesses required order and stability to function, which benefited the state. To me, this begs the question of whether such actions as the Patriot Act, stripped of their nationalism, was more for the benefit of state and big business than the security of ordinary citizen.

Today, we find the internet remains stifled with de facto censorship hidden behind cute euphemisms like “community standards” (which has often left me asking “who monitors the monitors?” and “why are certain comments censored and not others?”).

Governments and corporations are pushing for increased measures not just to track us, but also to monitor our financial transactions. Ideally, they would like to do away with currency and reduced all transactions to a series an electronic blips. Not only would a company be instantly paid (great for the bottom line), but big business and the government (which are increasingly becoming one in the same) can constantly monitor how much money you have, where it came from, what you spent it on, where you’ve been or what sites you’ve visited.

Personally, I don’t think it’s any of their damn business. However, my opinion seems to be increasingly a minority one simply based on age attrition. Millennials and to greater extent, GenZ, don’t have the same sense of privacy as do Boomers or Gen X. Repeated studies have shown that they are more than willing to share personal data, seeing more as a commodity than something to be protected.  

Is that because they are so comfortable with technology, having literally grown up with it? Possibly. Gen X, Babyboomers, and older generations seem to place a greater value on privacy. We’re more likely to protect certain information and who we share it with. We seem to place more importance on our “space”, be it physical or cyber. But then, we’re on the decline while Millennials and Gen Z are ascending politically and economically.

For corporations and the government, ever in search of more data, this is portrayed as a boon. Given this level of access, companies can now “cater” to individualistic buying habits, thus improving their bottom line while the government can more easily calculate exactly what you owe in taxes and then automatically deduct it from your bank account. 

Even your health will be monetized. Imagine coming into the world and the first two things you received are a social security number and a genetic health test in order to determine what markers you’ve inherited and to predict your health cost to employers or society. This health information will be traded between your bank, employer, insurance companies, and even the government to determine an overall health risk score. The lower the score, the lower premiums and taxes you'll pay and the more desirable you are to employers. I'm sure you will be able to buy temporary "high risk riders" for occasional wild and wooly weekend or for vacation. 

Examples would be like,  do you enjoy high risk activities like bungee jumping or motorcycle racing? They’ll rate it on your high risk rider, and you’ll pay higher premiums for it. For those who do it often or professionally, the rider will be permanent. Let's say you require a special diet for a health issue. But try to buy something not on the recommended list and see it declined on your debit card (as well as notated in your health record for not following their guidelines). 

Have inheritable health issues like diabetes, heart disease or high blood pressure? Then could face possible higher tax rates, rejection of insurance, or being prohibited from certain jobs.  In addition to your employment and financial history, your overall “health score” rating will now play a part in your credit worthiness and employability.

In our fast approaching cashless society,  I can even envision the day where credit card companies, retailers, and public utilities will automatically deduct as pre-determined amount from your bank account before you even see it. You’ll get a brief text message alerting you of how much “net money” you have available to live on.

Your friendly taxman or woman will notify you and your bank by text the first of the year advising  of how much was deducted from your account based your income (as reported by your employer) and your personal information on file.  Thinking about deductions? Anything that can’t be electronically verified will be disallowed. There’ll be no more “estimated values”.

Crime rates are often cited as the reason for more cameras on street corners while infrared camera drones are becoming more commonplace. As of 2021, there were 71 million public surveillance cameras in use, an increase of 21% from 2018.  Businesses increasingly use bio-matrix programs to analyze nearly everyone walking in or by the business. It’s not uncommon for private residents to have surveillance cameras to deter would-be criminals.

In the sleepy backwater city of Louisville Kentucky for instance, there are 141 “Flock” cameras being used to read license plate numbers of suspected stolen cars (carjackings are a serious problem and growing) as well other vehicle infractions such as speeding, parking issues, or paying tolls.  Another 139 Flock cameras are expected to be added over the next few months. Louisville Metro Police access the camera’s database an estimated 18,000 per month!

Do you think it will be long before all this information will be tied into some database in the “Cloud” and accessed by government agencies, potential employers, insurance companies, and law enforcement? The Patriot Act has already laid the groundwork. Federal agencies such as the NSA have more than ample resources to carry it out and store it while the Office of Homeland Security would have no trouble managing it.

Wall Street and Washington have a symbiotic relationship already based on the control and consumption of resources, including data. In fact, as we’ve often discussed, there’s abundant research to confirm our former Republic is now a corporatocracy, functioning under the auspices of a tightknit superrich oligarchy (some prefer to call it a kleptocracy or plutocracy, which is just as accurate).

These are issues which may sound as if they belong in the realm of science fiction or won’t arise until sometime in the distant future. The reality of the matter is that these are issues which exists in the here and now thanks to the technology’s exponential advancements and our failure as a society to come to grasp the legal ramifications, let alone the moral implications.

At what point does personal privacy end? How far will we accept so-called “national security "interests into our lives? When does technology stop being a convenience and becomes our master?  Specifically, at what point are corporations or the government entitled to access of our personal information without our consent or is allowed to use it in making decisions about (or for) us?

As I said earlier, they will always have an excuse. Soon they may not need one. From my perspective, this is simply a new form of serfdom. It reminds me of a quote from Russian author, Fydor Dostoevsky, "The best way to keep a prisoner from escaping is to make sure he never knows he is in prison". To preserve our humanity, we should always be in control of our personal information regardless of whether we wish to protect it, sell it, or trade it without fear of retribution or coercion.   

 

Thank you for reading "Another Opinion", the Op/Ed blog page for the "militant middle".  Here at "A/O" we truly value our readers. At A/O we seek the facts as they exist, not partisan talking points.  We hope you find our articles informative and engaging. Comments are welcome, provided they are not vulgar, insulting or demeaning.  Another Opinion is offered without charge and is directed toward all independent and free-thinking individuals. We ask, however, that you "like" us on whatever platform you found us on in order to keep our articles available for free to others. Lastly, in order to keep costs down, we depend on passive marketing, and therefore, depend on our readers to please forward our posts along. Below you will find links to the sources we used in writing this article. Thank you. 

 

The Rise of Neo-Feudalism

The Road to Neo-Feudalism

How the Covid-19 Pandemic Reveals American Corporate Feudalism

 Committee of Public Safety

Enabling Act of 1933

How the Patriot Act Compare’s to Hitler’s Enabling Act

Dwight D. Eisenhower’s Farewell Address

Louisville to install more than 100 additional Flock camerasto enhance public safety

The Private Life of Generation Z

 

 

Where has Patriotism Gone and Other Trends

The indomitable Mark Twain was once quoted as saying "There are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies, and statistics" and he was absolutely right. Extracting the desired data from statistics is generally referred to a "manipulating" the data, which couldn't be a more accurate description of the process. The ideal use of statistics is to uncover what the information tells us, hidden in all those numbers and responses.

However, manipulating the data can and is often used in more deceiving ways too. It can be used to manufacture a desired outcome or create a certain impression. This is often the case in politics or the media when they try to persuade voters, legislators , or the general population to think, support, or vote a certain way.

I've long had an interest in applied (or predictive) social demographics and trends. Ever since I began working on my undergraduate degree in economics back in 1984,  my fascination with demographics, trends, percentages and interpreting them has only grown as regular readers of A/O know ad nausem!  

Recently I came across a recent study regarding patriotism and how would individuals respond to a invasion of America by some foreign power. What made the study particularly interesting is that the survey focused on registered voters belonging to one of the two corporate owned political parties, the Democrats and the Republicans along with the largest voting bloc, Independents.  

A survey conducted in March 2022 by Connecticut's Quinnipiac University asked registered Republican and Democrat voters whether they would be willing to help defend in the United States in the event of a Ukrainian style invasion. Perhaps naively, I expected the answer would be an overwhelming "yes" regardless of party affiliation. I was surprised by the results.

According to the survey, 52% of Democrats said they'd bail on the U.S. and attempt to find somewhere safe outside of the country. Just 40% said they'd stick around and fight while the rest---8%---were undecided. The survey explained that pacifists and conscientious objectors and those under 18 were excluded, so the respondents were adult males and females.

When the question was posed to registered Republicans, 68% of the respondents said they'd help defend this country. While that's a pretty decent response, it also means that around 32% would bug out. I guess conservatism or protecting our way of life only goes so far.

It's worth noting that of the nation's largest political demographic, Independents, 57% said they'd stand and fight.  As an aside, the same question was asked of active duty and reserve military personnel  and veteran households. The majority---68%---would defend America, yet surprisingly 27% would bail with the rest undecided.

The survey also broke down the respondents by gender (sorry, but only two were available to pick from), race and age brackets. 75% of men would fight (there goes that "macho" thing again) while 40% of women would remain. The age bracket indicated that those 35 years and older were the ones most likely to take up arms and defend the country. 48% of those 34  and under (which covers mainly Millennials and Gen Z) said they'd hit the road.  

Then we look at race, the poll lists only Black, White and Hispanic. Asians, Native Americans, and Pacific Islanders were evidently excluded because their percentages were too low. So, when examining  the category of race, 57% of whites and 61% of Hispanics said they were willing fight while only 38% of black Americans would remain. 35% of whites, 33% of Hispanics and a whopping 59% of blacks said they'd leave.

Here's where data results can be a little deceiving (presumably unintentional in this case). When I cross checked a Pew survey from December 2019, which was just three years before the Quinnipiac University poll, I found some conflicting results. According to Pew, as of 2017, 57% of  the combined U.S. military were white while 43% belonged a minority population.

Delving into that 43% percentage we find that Asians make up 10% of the military and another 15% belonged to a mixed or different races such as Native American. Hispanics made up 36% and are the fasting growing minority in the military. However, the largest minority---39%---serving in the Armed Forces were Black Americans.  Meanwhile, 2/3 or 68.8% percent of active duty military are classified as white.

It's worth mentioning that out of the 3,535 Medal of Honor Awards given,  94  went to black military personnel.  61 individuals of Hispanic origin have won the Medial Honor while 22 Native Americans have shared that honor. 35 Asian or Pacific Islanders have also been so honored. As an aside, out of the 3,535 Medal of Honor recipients, only 103 are still alive. Most were award for their valor during the Civil War. The second highest was in World War II followed by the "Indian Wars" and the Vietnam War.

Given the original survey question and the resulting data raises an interesting question. I wonder what would happen if China for instance would attempt an invasion. Would we react to the Chinese-Americans the way we did to Japanese-Americans during WWII?  For those unfamiliar with the history of that era, following the attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941 by Japan, the U.S. ordered the incarceration of all Japanese living in America, citizen or not. They were held in what could be at best called "concentration camps".  

Another factor that is often overlooked is that while a small percentage of the U.S. population---just 2.9%---some 19% of Native Americans and Native Alaskans ("Eskimos") serve in the U.S. military. That's a pretty significant percentage when you consider that Black-Americans make up 14% of the U.S. population and comprise 21% of active duty military personnel (they serve in the Army at a higher ratio of any racial minority based on population size).

Hispanics are the second largest population (and rapidly growing) behind whites account for just under 19% of the total U.S. population or approximately 62.1 million Hispanics or individuals of Hispanic origin in the U.S.. However, based on their population size, they are heavily underrepresented in our military, but according to survey, most Hispanics---61%---are willing to defend this country.

So, what can we glean from the above information? Well, according to the survey the majority of males who are of white or Hispanic origin, middle age or older and are either Republican  and/or conservative as well as the predominantly centrist Independents are most likely to come to America's defense should the nation need them.

The least likely are women of any race, Black Americans, and those 34 and under (which intriguingly  comprises Millennials and Gen Z. Those are the two generations replacing us aging Babyboomers and Gen Xers) and Democrats, which presumably encompasses progressives or liberals well.  

On a related note, a 2022 survey from Statista reported that 48% of Republicans/Conservatives personally own a firearm while another 66% said there is a gun in their household. 32% of Independents own a gun and 42% live in a home where there is one or more.

By contrast, only 20% of Democrats have a gun. Just 32% acknowledged one being in their home. So, taken all together,  I guess if the proverbial "SHTF" should ever occur, you know who's most likely to make a stand to protect this country, and who knows, maybe your butt too. Just saying.

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Quinnipiac University Poll March 7, 2022

Pew Research: The changing profile of the U.S. military:Smaller size, more diverse, more women in leadership

USNI News: Department of Defense Demographic Profile

Latinos Claim Larger Share of U.S. Military Personnel

Black Americans In The U.S. Army

OMH: Hispanic/Latino health

United States Army: Medal of Honor Award

Statista: Percentage of population in the United Statesowning at least one gun, by political party affiliation

 

Finding Happiness in a "Brave New World"

Are you happy?  Most people would shrug their shoulders and say something like "I guess so" which isn't really much of an answer.  But for most people, the question needs to be qualified in order to give you a more honest answer. For instance, are you talking about my finances, my work situation, my home life, and so forth?

It would also be relative as to your situation at the particular moment.  As an example, you could say you're not real happy with your work situation, but then you suddenly get a promotion with more pay, and suddenly you're one contended clam. You could have cancer and feeling pretty depressed. Then, out of the blue, you get some news that reports a potential cure and your depression almost instantly goes to euphoria.

Nevertheless, to answer properly someone question about happiness, we need to take into consideration the topic and timing. Well, the World Happiness Report is published in partnership with Gallup, The UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network, Oxford Wellbeing Research Centre, and the WHR Editorial Board, decided they were going to poll the globe to find out.

The report, which is published annually, looks at number of wide ranging factors including age demographics, opportunities, health, population, GDP, political satisfaction, degree of freedom, and environment. So, without further adieu, let's see who's the happiest in the world and who isn't!

Starting with the overall score, Norway came in the fifth spot. In fourth place was Sweden. Third place went to Iceland while second went to Denmark. As for the top spot, that went to Finland...again! In case you didn't notice, but all five overall are Nordic, which isn't unusual. Scandinavia is typically ranked in the top ten when it comes to the best educated, best healthcare system, and best government (strictly based on personal opinion obviously).

When the list is expanded, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, Switzerland, New Zealand  and Australia round out the top ten. Notice who's missing? Yelp. The United States didn't fare to well. In fact, for the first time ever, the U.S. fell from the top tier and landed in the 23rd spot, just ahead of Germany in 24th.  The countries just ahead of included Czechia (18th), Lithuania (19th), the UK (20th) and Slovenia holding down the 21st spot.

It's worth noting the bottom third worst countries to live in are mostly in Africa, although Afghanistan is dead last in the 143rd position (Lebanon is just above it at 142),  With the bottom third being the worst places to live in terms of happiness (not to mention economics and opportunities), it's no wonder that Europe is overrun with "migrants"  mostly from Africa. Unfortunately, most appear to be looking for four star rated accommodations and other freebies rather than a job.

In examining our drop, the report says that among those 30 and under, the U.S. ranked a pitiful 62 place. But for those over 60, the survey said the tenth place was all ours (as an aside, the 30 and under crowd are the Millennials and Gen Z while those 60 and up are mostly Babyboomers and some Gen X.  It also includes those of the Silent Generation and the Greatest Generation).  

Before going any further, I need to break up these groups by date. The Greatest Generation (WWII) comprises anyone born before 1927. The Silent Generation is 1928 - 1945. Babyboomers are 1946 - 1964. Gen X is 1965 - 1980. Gen Y/Millennials 1981 - 1996 . Gen Z is 1997 - 2012 and Gen Alpha is 2013 - ?.

It should be mentioned that among Millennials and Gen Z, political party registration is its lowest and dropping.  Among Millennials, Republicans make up barely 21% of registered voters. Democrats are 27% while Independents are a whopping 52% and growing. Among Gen Z, it's not much different. Republicans are only 17%. Democrats are 31%, and Independents are again 52% and continuing to grow.

When we look at Gen X, Republicans make up 30% compared to Democrats at 27%. However, Independents are 44%. Among Boomers (that's me), Republicans are 35%, Independents are 33%, and Democrats are a close 32%. The Silent Generation is the Republicans core voter group. The GOP makes up 39% while Democrats take up 35% and Independents are 26%. As an aside.

The "World Happiness Report" would seem to back this up as it says those under 30 are increasingly unhappy about pretty much everything, but especially the economy, the environment, and corporate control of politics.

Another way to look at how the percentages by generation will affect voting and the economy is based on generational preference for capitalism (our current system) and some form of socialism (likely similar to the top ranking happy Scandinavians).  The Silent Generation overwhelmingly back capitalism with 77% in favor. The balance is equally split between socialism and no preference.

Baby Boomers like their capitalism too (despite their Che posters). 60% back capitalism. 16% like socialism, while 10% are too high to care. When it comes to Gen X, we start to see a shift. While capitalism still wins out 39%, 14% want socialism. Significantly 22% don't care. When we get into Millennials, the shift becomes a little more noticeable.

Among Millennials, 34% like our current capitalist model, although 20% prefer socialism of some type yet 21% are open. Lastly, let's look at Gen Z. Although mostly in their 20's, only 29% support capitalism while a close 28% back socialism and 19% are willing to go either way. So what does that means?

From my take on the numbers, as the Silent and Boomer generations age out, the new power players will be the Millennials and Gen Z. Given the present situation of the United States (such as need to stay on an artificial war economy to get economy going, growth of illegal immigration, slide as a world power, failing infrastructure, etc), I would expect a change away from our current predatory form of capitalism.

In its place, a more managed economy which may include more regulation, especially of critical resources or industries. The biggest change may be the political system. In place to a corporate controlled duopoly, we may find open primaries, easier entry for third party and Independent candidates into election, real campaign finance reform, and term limits. 

While I question whether our southern border will ever again be secure, I expect Spanish to become our second defacto "national" language. (its essentially that already)  The U.S. will start showing concrete signs of balkanizing into racial and ethnic zones. Maybe the "Reconquista" will happen yet.

Gen Z and Gen Alpha may be the last wholly American generation. The U.S. economy may show short lived signs of the dominance it once had, but we will be in stiff competition with countries like India, China, Mexico, and Brazil (all, incidentally, members of the BRICs union). Other similar economic and military unions will form out of necessity in order to compete and defend trade lanes.

For those of us of the Silent, Baby Boomer, and older Gen X generations, the America we grew up in with all its idyllic collective memories  are gone, never to return expect on late night reruns. The Oligarchs are working hard to build a bulwark against what's coming, not for our sake, but for theirs. Their aim is to minimize choices while making it appear choices are abundant; to create a managed political and economic system.

That also entails more surveillance. For instance, while we'll have more electronic goodies than we can imagine, but ultimately you have to wonder who do they serve---us or someone else. Siri and Alexa have already proven they passively listen and store damn near everything. At what point does the illusion of convenience trump  our right to privacy? 

Will our electronic cars take us only to where we're authorized to go based on our credit rating?  We'll also interact less and less with our fellow human beings. We will start replacing flesh and blood relationships with cyber ones. Even our sex partners may come with off/on switches!  

 Our definition of "happiness" will surely have to change to meet changing technology and global demographics. Even "happy" Scandinavia is rapidly changing.  The so-called "migrants" pouring into the country and demanding to be given their free share of prosperity without contributing. I guess when you import the third world, you get the world.  I bet even Aldous Huxley couldn't have predicted this  "Brave New World".

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World's Happiness Report 2024

These are the world's happiest countries in 2024

Finland named the world's happiest country (again) but young people are struggling

Party identification in the United States in 2022, by generation

Millennials,Gen Z Clinging to Independent Party ID

Which U.S.Generation Holds The Most Political Power?

Gen Z willchange capitalism as we know it

 

Making Sense Of My Own "Great Reset"

We're all familiar with the term "Great Reset"  of "Great Reset Initiative" and its implied meaning being distilled down to "owning nothing and being happy". The concept, first introduced in June 2020 by World Economic Forum chairperson, Klaus Schwab, is intended to be a "reboot" of society through euphemistic slogans as "responsible" or "measured" capitalism which sounds an awful lot to me as another version of a kinder and gentler form of fascism.

Taking the term at its generally accepted meaning, we can define "Great Reboot" as a momentary shutdown and startup of any system. Accordingly, I guess now if as good as time to discuss my  personal reboot", but first I'd like make mention of a caveat. I typically don't discuss personal matters outside a very small clique of family and very close friends. 

I know Millennials and Gen Z don't have any qualms with sharing damn near anything about themselves for the price of a10% discount on some fountain drink at the nearest gas station (and sometimes, not even that). I guess in this age of rapidly vanishing privacy, I don't want to contribute to the uploading of my data to some sort of "permanent file in the cloud".  So, with that said, let us begin.

On any given day I'm nose deep in researching one topic or another in order to ensure my articles are as timely, accurate, and balanced as possible. But, I do come for air from time to time. January 28, 2024 was one such night. After a day of watching political and historical videos, reading countless economic articles and so forth, I decided it was time for a break. So, roughly around 8:00 PM I decided to call it quits for the day.

So I meandered into the living room  to watch some mostly mind numbing chatter on the aptly named "idiot box" with my wife.  I don't really recall what we watched, but I suspect whatever it was, it was on history, science, or documentary channels. Since retiring in 2013, we don't have any set bedtime. It mostly depends on what's on TV and how tired we were. Nevertheless, I was about 1:00 when we decided to call it a night.

After going through all the usual nighttime rituals, I was back in the bedroom and preparing to put my pajama bottoms on when I heard what sounded for the world like a faint or distant ringing of church bells. I paused to listen, but assuming it was my imagination, decided to continued getting my jammies on. But as did, I heard another set of church bells ringing off in the distance.  I listened a little more intently, but again, was unable to find a source.

Finally, as I finished getting ready for bed, I heard a third set church bells! Just as distant and faint as the others. This time I went throughout the house looking for the origin of this mysterious ringing.  Nothing. Everything was off and ints place. As we are pretty rural, there's no churches closest enough to be responsible. Chalking up to just being tired , I hopped into bed for what I hoped would be some restful sleep. I couldn't have been more wrong.

I don't know what it was that so abruptly woke me up but there I was... unquestionably wide awake. As I lay there trying to come to terms with the situation, it dawned on me that I was on my back spread eagle. Since I normally sleep on my side or stomach, I found this rather disconcerting. What's more was the sensation that I was sinking through the bed as if my mattress had become quicksand.

Needless to say, I sat up in a instant wondering what was going. As I sat there in the dark, looking around.  I listened for any kind of sound that would clue me in on what had happened and what seems to still be happening. After about a minute or two, I headed off to the restroom (why waste the opportunity right?) and then into the kitchen for a sip of water.

As I walked down the hall and into the kitchen , I sensed something that felt like  a finger lightly pressing on an area about 3 inches in from my left shoulder. It wasn't painful. There was no discomfort. It was, as I said, "as if "someone was gently but firmly touching me with the finger.  I felt no pain in my arms, legs, or neck. No headache. No shortness of breath. Nothing which seemed to be an obvious clue. If what I thought was happening was actually happening, then it hadn't given me any clue. No warning shot over the bow.

While in the kitchen, I got my sip of water. I looked outside to make sure everything was okay. I wondered into the living room. Nothing seemed out of order. At that point, I decided I'd go back to bed. As I walked back down the hallway, that curious pressure point seemed to get slowly more intense, but at this point it was little more than a minor irritant. 

Once I made it back to the bed, I sat there on the edge trying to make some sense of what was going on. My brain was running over every possible scenario at lightning speed. So, I slowly got back into bed....for all of about two seconds! The situation suddenly took a turn for the worse. As soon as laid down there was an overwhelming need to set back up instantly. I can't quiet explain it, but it was more like being pulled or pushed up. At that point things started happening quickly in my mind.

In a fast walk I headed into the kitchen again, turning on the light and reaching up to where I keep my 81 mg aspirin.  I've been taking an 81 mg aspirin for decades on the advice of my primary care physician as form of preventative medicine. I've always preferred a preemptive approach now rather than chasing symptoms later.

As soon as I swallowed the aspirin, I headed back down the hall and urgently told my wife that she needed to get up and get dress. I added that I thought we were going to be taking a "road trip" real quick. I added that I'll call 911, but before I did that, I grabbed a bottle of Nitroglycerin tablets which one of my doctors had prescribed for me as a afterthought following a regular visit. I'm glad he did! 

As soon as the grayish-blue pill dissolved under my tongue, I called 911. As I started to speak I quickly noticed something utterly terrifying. I couldn't speak, at least properly. It was as if I had an intense stutter. I was having to focus on every word and then every syllable. I forced myself to speak slow and deliberate so the 911 operator could understand me. However, apparently the lack of understanding wasn't on my end.

Once the emergency operator answered, I slowly gave her my name, my address, my phone number and describe to her as best as I could, the essential details. Apparently that caused a problem. Eventually this operation used a script and absolutely wouldn't deviate from it, meaning I was having to repeat each increasingly difficult word over and over. 

I could feel my frustration mount. I kept thinking 
if she'd just shut up and listen to me"! After what felt like an eternity, I got her to confirm that EMS had been dispatched. Whatever else she had to say was of no importance to me at that point.

At about fifteen minutes after my 911 phone call, an ambulance and fire truck arrived. The crew was very responsive, however, from my perspective they didn't seem to be in as much as hurry as I was! It was during this medical version of "20 Questions" that I noticed that my speech wasn't getting better and to add to the chaos, my left arm was violently shaking, and nothing I did could stop it. I also had sweat pouring down from my forehead. Folks, although I remained quiet calm, I was feeling pretty rough. After taking a EKG, it was decided that a hospital trip was in order.

I asked my wife to make sure she had all the insurance information, which we tend to keep centrally located. I asked to her call my mum and let her know what was happening. She would have to come and get my wife before they could head on over to the hospital. 

Meanwhile, since EMS couldn't get their gurney past our entrance way, I had to walk down the steps and get on the gurney while wearing a pair of pajama bottoms and a sleeveless T-shirt. Oh did I mention it was 35 degrees? I ended up requesting a warm blanket several times. As it turned out they didn't have any warm blankets available so I had to make due with a couple of sheets! I remember feeling to desperately cold. 

Once loaded, I was hooked up to another EKG machine and a few other devises to monitor my pulse, blood pressure, and oxygen. After what felt like an eternity (which in truth was about 10 minutes), we were off for a very bumpy ride to Audubon Hospital. Meanwhile, my stuttering speech pattern and badly quivering left arm continued. Despite being in the back of an ambulance,  I wasn't feeling any easier about this.

Once arriving at the Emergency room, I found myself waiting another 15 minutes or so before I could be checked in and given a room. The reason for the delay, apparently, was due to nursing shortages. Not surprising since the American healthcare system is ranked last among industrialize nations.

From that point forward, it seems that I had been transformed a pin cushion with dozens of viales of blood having been taken every few hours along with repeated chest x-rays, EKGs, MRI, CT, and coronary calcium  scan.  By the time I was released about two weeks later, I had over 190 test performed. 

Everyone who attended me in ER was wonderful. They all exhibited a tremendous amour of compassion and professionalism (except the ER doctor. He never bothered to come in a see me. For updates I had to depended on one of the ER nurses).

Little by little a cardio team of specialists began to form around me. Each bringing their own unique expertise and carefully explaining what their role was going to be. Finally, I met the chief cardiovascular surgeon. He looked more like "Doogie Howser" rather than someone who had been doing this for decades already.  Quite intelligent, and unlike most doctors anymore, he had a great bedside manner and took his time making sure everyone understood what was going on.   

Five days after arriving in the emergency room, I underwent a triple heart bypass surgery (what they call a "three cabbage". The surgery last just over five hours, which must have nearly unbearable for my wife, sister, mum and her boyfriend. The doctors, nurses, and staff were absolutely wonderful in keeping everyone informed, and their follow up care.

The kicker, if there was one, was being informed that my prognosis going in wasn't good. I had what was known a "widow-maker" with three totally blocked arteries, which has only a 12% survivability rate if treated immediately. The good news was that the survivability of a triple bypass is 97% 20 years out from the procedure. Most people, as my cardio team said, would never have call 911 because the symptoms were so mild as to be easily ignored. Most too wouldn't have thought of taking a 81% aspirin and/or taking a Nitroglycerin  tablet. Those individuals sadly would have become statistics.

So, my "Great Reset" now begins. I will embark on a 36 cardio rehab session. There will be modifications of pretty much everything, from diet to stress to regular exercise and weight control. Fortunately, most of these aren't an issue for me. I've always tended to eat, exercise, maintain a good weight, and so on, but there's always something new you can learn.

I hope none of you will need to face your "Great Reset",  but statistically you will.  Each year, over 850,000 Americans have a heart attack, the highest of any industrialized nation. That's one every 40 seconds.  I strongly urge you not to ignore any signs your body gives you no matter how subtle. Get annual physicals, including a stress test.  Regularly check your blood pressure. Try to eat as healthy as possible. It's not always easy or convenient, but try to work something healthy into you daily diet. Keep your weight under control.  

Be sure to exercise, even if it's only going for a daily walk around the block. You can easily buy used gym equipment online cheap so you can work out whenever you're really. Lastly, consider getting healthcare DNA test done. I've done a couple and found them both very useful and entertaining. Family Tree DNA looks at 30 factors affecting your overall health. Armed with this data, it gives you a chance to anticipate  some future health issue and do something about it now.

Another terrific testing company is Ancestry which looks a various traits you've inherited. Both of these sites, FTDNA and Ancestry, give you a starting place to build your health line of defense. As an aside, there is another company, 23&Me, which offers a health and trait tests. While I did one of their tests, I was thoroughly disappointed. The information was inaccurate to the point of being unusable so I can't recommend them. 

To be forewarned is to be forearmed Take charge of your personal "Great Reset". Don't leave it to chance. 

 

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Widowmaker Heart Attack

 

The Widow Maker: Each Passing Moment Is Taking Away

Dangers of a Silent Heart Attack

Coronary bypass surgery

U.S. Ranks Last Among Seven Countries Healthcare SystemPerformance Measures

A Nation Adrift

We've long known that America is adrift. I'm not sure about when it dawned on you or for that matter, most Americans, but for me the first indication that the proverbial "train was leaving the rails" was back in the mid 1970's and Jimmy Carter. Ole Jimmy was a likeable sort. He was elected as the "anti-candidate" or the "anti-insider" from Plains Georgia following a disastrous war in Vietnam, the Civil Rights Movement, the great betrayal that was Watergate, and the farce of Jerry Ford.

Of course, Carter was no better. In many ways he was worse. With Jimmy, we had a high inflation and unemployment, the OPEC oil embargo, gas shortages, high taxes, the Iranian hostage crisis and the grossly botched rescue attempt. America, it seemed, was trapped in kind of a malaise; a state of shock and exhaustion. Heck, we turned to disco and polyester suits for Pete's sakes. That's how bad it was!

We have witnessed our nation go from the heights of the "Greatest Generation" to the quagmire we see around us now, You can blame Trump, Biden, Obama, Hillary or fill in the blank. They aren't the cause. They are merely the misshapen symptoms of society.

We have transformed from a democratic or constitutional Republic into a Corporate Republic (better known as a neo-fascist Corporatocracy managed by an ultra rich oligarchy) which thrives on taxpayer money and tax exemptions.  Alternative solutions are routinely denounced, villainized, and ridiculed while "corporate socialism" is held up as the apex of capitalism.  

Laws are written by corporate lobbyists for the benefit of their corporate masters. The two political parties are literally bought and paid for by the same corporate paymasters. Thanks to Citizens United, they don't even pretend to hide it, except, perhaps, during election time, but even that's doubtful. It's all about lining pockets and giving voters the illusion of choice.

Partisan gerrymandering of districts all but assures indefinite partisan party control. Unlimited political terms play their part by ensuring special interests are not just protected,  but that the scam perpetuated on the public continues while both are rewarded at the public's expense. 

The media, which we could once count on for objectivity and honesty, is the defacto propaganda arm of the ruling political class. It manipulates our opinions, manufactures divisions and distractions to keep us from focusing on the real source of our troubles---the ruling elite.  It has been that way for decades now.

The internet was originally hailed as a way to bypass the myopic vision of a media controlled by the ruling elite by allowing a free flow exchange of information about what was really happening around the world, not just what the media wanted us to think was happening or why. It also held out the possibility that these ideas offered the prospect of new possibilities that would enable mankind to live better.

Such a promise as this frighten the ruling elites who saw this version of the internet as a threat to their vision of a benevolent authoritarianism they wanted us to accept as the only hope for Mankind.  The internet presented the possibility of making the global political class and emerging Corporatocracy obsolete.

At the very least, it made possible the exposure of their corruption, lies, greed, and opposition to democracy for all to see, and that must naturally not be allowed. Enter "community standards" and the "fact finder" who acts as gatekeeper and arbiter of what's acceptable and what's not.

Today, we joke about these arbiters of truth or being sent to a cyber "jail". We envision them as geeks out of "Revenge of the Nerds". Yet, is so far fetched as not to imagine something more sinister in the not too distant future should the neo-fascist Corporatocracy which has usurped our Republic continue to grow and tighten its grip unchecked? 

The internet is the greatest medium for the exchange of information the world has ever seen. It is said to contain the sum total of all human knowledge, and it's constantly ungraded every moment of every day. If there ever was the "Giant Brain" of science fiction lore, surely the internet is it. 

Thus, is any way the ruling elite would allow this to go unchecked given that they already control and manipulate nearly every aspect of our means of communication? Would they permit the unregulated exchange of ideas to freely take place without their direct control over the content?

Today, they shadow block, censor, ridicule, demonetize, twist, and delete what they perceive as threats to their control. Perhaps in the not too distant future, these "fact checkers" will serve as something akin to the "Thought Police" in Orwell's prophetic book "1984" where we are literally sent to "reeducation classes" or "disappeared" into the void of some cyber gulag where all our electronic connections---personal, financial and professional---are suspended or even deleted.

Imagine no form of electronic communication based on your "wrong think". No internet. No telephone. No way for you to connect with or by anyone.  No bank access, including the debt card you use to buy gas, food, or pay bills. No medical treatment or prescriptions refilled. Electronic deposits would be suspended (understand now what they're pushing for a cashless society?). No access to work done online since your ID wouldn't be accepted, etc.  In a increasingly electronically connected world, that's as good as a brick and steel prison.

Poll after poll reconfirm that our confidence in not just the political system is gone, but so too is our trust of the very institutions which serve as the foundation of this nation, especially the media.

According to a June 2022 Gallup Poll, 53% of those who responded said they had little or no trust in television reporting at all. 35% had only "some" faith in television reporting. That's a combined 88% of individuals who have little or no confidence in the truthfulness on television based reporting!

When it came to newspapers and the print media (which are both a rapidly dying medium), 46% had little or no faith in what was being reported. Another 37% had only "some" truth in what they were reading. But, again, that's a whopping 83% who just don't trust the print media. 

When it comes to partisanship, the distrust was across the board. For TV news, only 8% of Republicans trusted what they saw and heard. It's 8% for Independents and only 20% for Democrats. When we look at the newspapers and the print media, it's not much better. 5% of Republicans believed what they read compared to 12% of Independents and 35% of Democrats. In short, regardless of political ideology, the overwhelming majority of us know we're being lied to, which is actually a good thing.

America is a country adrift. Repeated polls upon polls have shown that we have no confidence in the political system or our institutions. Many of us try hard not to scoff loudly at political commercials or so-called "non-partisan" media endorsements just as we try to suppress our outrage for patriotic sounding wars overseas when we know they're simply for the benefit of the elites. We're tired of bleeding and dying for greater market shares.

Multiculturalism was originally based on the belief that individuals of differing cultures and religions were welcome to come to America where their culture and traditions would be added to the "melting pot" that was America in order to recreate a stronger and more vibrant nation.

But now multiculturalism has been corrupted into creating defacto enclaves within the U.S. which include traditions not compatible with the freedoms we value or even the democracy this country was based on. In many cases, they are encouraged to retain their own customs and languages with native born Americans expected to adapt to them!

Some come here with the expectation that they would be welcomed with open arms and given free housing, free medical care, and other taxpayer based assistance. They are told they didn't have to abide by our immigration laws; that if they could cross the border they would enter a world virtually paved with gold (sadly, it's been certain religious groups do the encouraging and even helping to circumvent laws and evade law enforcement).

At the same time, our education system has failed miserably. Children and young adults are no longer taught to be critical thinkers or encouraged to be self-sufficient and responsible adults. They are taught to believe in a grossly distorted version of America.

President John Kennedy asked us, at the beginning of the 1960's, "not to ask what America can do for you, but what can you do for America". He asked us to become a nation of servant leaders; to bear responsibility for making this a better America and better world for everyone. Somewhere along the way, that vision became corrupted.

Nowadays the youth and young adults shirk responsibility and demand entitlement. They are "offended" if someone disagrees with them. They refuse to hear ideas which might cause them to rethink ideas or shout down anyone who challenges their "Weltanschauung" or worldview, even if that means censoring free speech or expression. Again, shades of the "Thought Police" and conformity.

America, as a nation, cannot continue down this road. Many, and especially our foes, see us as empire in decline, and perhaps we are. All empires fade in time. We are no different. We no longer can or are willing to talk with each other. Instead, we talk at each other if we "talk" at all. We've lost faith in our institutions, yet we have nothing to replace them.

Some think they're "entitled" to something as a result of what may or may not have happened to their ancestors without considering that it was not the result of a single "guilty" people at a singular point in time or that it was their own people who placed them in that situation to begin with.

They also ignore the fact that it was the "guilty" people who not just removed them from the bondage forced on them by their own people, but removed all from bondage just as they ignored the historical fact that this construct has existed since the beginning of civilization and has affected all people, not just theirs.

The "entitlement" they've been told they were entitled to by certain groups has already been given to them. It was paid for with the lives who fought and often died for it. It's right there in front of them. It's name is "freedom", but they refuse to take it, expecting handouts instead. Their anger has been manufactured and manipulated.

We are divided not just along political lines, but along ideological lines. We are just as divided across economic class, as well as racial, urban vs. rural, cultural, and increasingly religious lines too. We don't even speak the same language, in some cases, literally. We've become unmoored as a nation with nothing to cling to.

The last time we were this deeply divided as a nation was in the 1850's, the decade preceding the Civil War. However, we don't have the vision and leadership of a Henry Clay, John C. Calhoun or Daniel Webster (collectively known as "The Great Triumvirate") to come and save us this time.

We are witnessing the balkanization of America. We need to pray that we aren't witnessing its permanent breakup too.  If we're to be saved, it must be the people of this country to do it. Partisanship can't. Washington can't and neither can Wall Street. They are in fact the cause, not the solution.  We must put aside our imaginary differences and come together. We must acknowledge the real enemy and act. If we can do that, we cannot just save our nation, but make it truly great once again.  

 

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Americans' Confidence in Media Falls to Record Lows, Poll Finds

Media Confidence Ratings at Record Lows