America is under siege. The American Public senses it. They know "something" is wrong; something is out of kilter. We've known it for some time. This isn't anything new. Washington politicians have long ignored the American People, but they've become increasing brazen in their arrogance. The only time they seem to pay attention to us is during the election cycle, and then, not to the issues important to us, but to "manufactured" issues designed to divide and distract voters. You better believe that if there was some way to get around the voters, they would do it. So, let's take a look at ongoing assault on the American Voters.
1. Gerrymandered districts. These are political districts designed (rigged) to maximize a desired political turnout for a particular party and/or politician. Akin to stacking a deck of cards or fixing a horse race.
2. Citizens United ruling. The US Supreme Court ruled in 2012 that corporations were protected under the 1st Amendment, and donations to parties and/or politicians constituted "free speech". The catch is that flesh and blood human beings are capped by how much they can give while soulless artificial entities can give as much as they like. Can you say "Frankenstein"?
3. Illegal Immigration. There are some 12 million individuals here illegally. They chose to break our national laws to come here strictly for economic reasons. Very few came as political refugees. Their goal is to make money, send some of it back home and avoid integrating themselves into American Society. This means they don't intend (unless forced or compelled) to learn English. As illegals, they can bypass many of our other laws (such as those covered by OSHEA, transportation and building codes). They use taxpayers funded services to the tune of billions annually while not contributing back to the system. Think opening a can of termites in your house.
4. Drug Wars. Since the late 1960's, American has been fighting a war against illegal drugs. The US Government has spent billions of our tax dollars, and is still losing the war. We've propped up foreign governments (often unpopular and violent military juntas). With illegal immigration, has come drug related crime. We've imprisoned millions of individuals; again at taxpayer expense. It seems that vicious drug gangs and narco-states are only victors here (not to mention certain pharmaceutical companies). It's past time to re-examine our so-called "war" and pick our fights.
5. Energy Dependence. Let's face it, gas and oil prices are already too damn high. Anyone remember the Green Movement or the OPEC Oil Embargo of the 1970's? Here we are, 30+ years later and we are no more energy independent than we have flying cars. Oil companies complain they aren't "really" making a profit, yet every quarter they post mindboggling record profits. Politicians have been promising since Jimmy Carter in 1976 that within "X" years, we'll cut back our dependence on foreign oil and/or will have alternative energy sources. Government mandates improved automobile fuel efficiency, and Detroit keeps getting extensions. Funding for alternative energy (solar, wind, etc.) is sporadic at best. We need to get serious about our energy usage and demand that it happen. Until we do, we're vulnerable to threats and blackmail.
6. The Debt. This is a nation killer. We've allowed (yes, "allowed") Washington to kick the debt can down the road. It's easy to commit a crime when everyone is an accomplice. We've allowed Washington to "borrow" and swindle (through some creative and questionable accounting) not just our immediate future, but the futures of our children and grandchildren. Without thinking, we've sold our children and grandchildren into economic slavery. We've sold our financial sovereignty to our ideological enemies. We've mortgaged the ranch to the rustlers. We've bailed out the crooks not just with our money, but against our expressed instructions to Washington, and when Mainstreet America asked for help, we were ignored. The Democrats and Republicans argue over abstracts while we lose our jobs and our homes. Both parties are to blame, and we are just as guilty for voting them back in.
7. Tax Code. There is no reason our tax code should be more than three or four pages long. I guess that's what we get for allowing lawyers to write tax laws protecting their corporate clients rather than impartial college accounting professors. We need to drop our current system which rewards those at the top and those at the bottom at the expense of those in the middle and replace it with a consumption tax. You pay a tax only on what you buy. You control your taxes by what you buy. The more you have (and spend), the more tax you pay. Couldn't be more fair and level. We need to re-establish the poverty level and impose a graduated tax structure to wean people on the public dole off. We need to increase incentives to improve work skills and education, as well as R&D. We need to encourage people to save by eliminating taxes on savings under $100,000.00. We need to make it easier for small businesses to operate by minimizing red tape. Large corporations should pay a minimum tax, and they should lose exemptions when they ship jobs overseas. Washington needs to remember that this nation was started from a tax revolt. We did it once. We will do it again.
8. Foreign Aid. Why do we give money to people who hate us? Why do we dump billions in aid into countries where we know nothing or very little ever makes it to the people in need or who trade our aid for weapons to wage wars? Any aid should be delivered direct to the people or not at all. Why do we support right wing coups and military juntas over governments duly elected by their people, even if those governments happen to be left wing? Do you know how many nations have modeled their government on ours? The answer is zero. None. We should help (if asked) make sure elections are fair and honest (although we seem to have some difficulty in that department here at home). If the people elected a right winger or left winger fairly, that's their business. We have no business trying to impose our form of capitalist democracy on anyone.
9. Global Warming. Look, "something" is happening. I don't know if it's man induced; part of some natural cycle; or some combination. It really doesn't matter. Weather is becoming more extreme. We need to look at what we can do to minimize its effect. We need better emergency response plans (and people need to pay better attention when told to act). In case you've missed it, fresh water is disappearing and our food sources are beyond capacity. As sea levels rise and weather becomes more damaging (like droughts, floods, dust bowls, etc), the burden on our existing sources become even more stressed. Can you imagine millions of starving people on the move globally?
10. Government. Perhaps this is the biggest and most dangerous assault facing the American People. Government has become too big; too paternalistic; too arrogant; and too beholding to the corporate global elite. You and I have stopped being citizens of America. We are now global consumers. We are given the illusion of choice each time we go to the polls. We can have the red puppet or the blue puppet just so long as we ignore the strings. We are valued by our consumption level as measured by our credit rating. We are analyzed, surveyed, and tracked. Our every need is anticipated in order to entice into incurring more debt. Obsolescence is assumed. Quality is passé. Under Obamacare, even we become obsolete as our healthcare is "managed" and rationed. We've become willing economic serfs. We the People are now We the Sheeple.
These are by no means all inclusive. There are many other issues, such as terrorism (foreign and domestic), our involvements in various overt and covert foreign wars, or the United Nations, but these are some of the most important. Time for us to act is rapidly running out. What are you prepared to do? And then what are you prepared to do?
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