A foundation is a base, the cornerstone, the solid rock on which a structure rests. The foundations upon which America was built, its Constitution, its democracy, and standards of ethics and morality are what made this a great nation. But, at this point in America’s history these foundations continue to rapidly erode while this government recklessly pursues an agenda of world domination.
Now within these major foundations there are what we might call sub-foundations that involve educating this country’s citizens, conducting its commerce, maintaining its economy, providing for the safety and security of the nation, and attending to the needs of its people.
Let’s identify these eroding sub-foundations and ask some very pertinent questions relative to their current condition.
Why have we allowed our system of education, especially in the areas of science and math, to decline to such a degree? Wy do our students finish college weighed down with such monumental debt? Why is our manufacturing sector withering, with China, not a real friend or ally, taking over the production of the largest proportion of our products? How very dangerous is that?
How much longer will we let our national infrastructure continue to deteriorate? In this article Senator Bernie Sanders warns that our roads and bridges are in great disrepair; that we have significant deficiencies with our dams and waterways, our drinking water and wastewater systems, broadband, the electrical grid and other key elements of this infrastructure. China and Japan have lightning fast bullets train, America has the old worn out, obsolete Amtrak railroad system.
This democracy and a government of, by and for the people, is bleeding profusely, on life support, struggling to survive as Corporate America now has clearly taken control of this government and dictates its policies and directions. The Constitution remains under siege by those in the Supreme Court, the Congress and the White House who feel it stands in the way of advancing their personal objectives.
Beginning in the 1990’s and continuing through the Bush/Cheney administration, what once was the premier manufacturing system in the world, quite often referred to as the heart of America, has been under attack by profit-crazed corporatists. They conducted, with no opposition from the government, what we might call a giant auction or estate sale by which this nation’s most valuable assets, the important functions of its factories and workforce, were sold off to China, Bangladesh and other overseas nations at bargain basement prices; in effect, selling out the American people.
Now as what’s left of the manufacturing sector reels from the powerful blows it has absorbed and struggles to escape a total collapse what do we see? This article sounds the alarms and illustrates how the proposed TPP (Trans-Pacific Partnership), a massive new trade agreement being finalized by President Obama and more than 600 corporate “advisers”, totally in secret with no participation by the Congress, will have the potential to put the final nails into the coffins of the American workforce and the middle class. Mr. Obama fully intends to ram it through Congress with no debate and discussion and he must be stopped in his tracks.
The Financial Sector is loaded with toxic derivatives, credit default swaps and a host of other schemes and scams, it’s the center of financial manipulation; it’s only a matter of time before this House of Cards comes crashing down. Many economic experts are predicting the “Crash of 2016.” Want to guess who is going to, once again, come to the rescue and pay for it?
And worst of all is what is happening to America’s respect in the world; it’s been dropping at an alarming rate as many nations see the U.S. government hell bent on pursuing its highly aggressive agenda of endless war and world domination; more and more they see it as a great threat to world peace. It’s no longer the symbol of freedom and democracy as it once was, but a nation now feared by many.
This country has changed dramatically in recent times, especially since it entered the 21st Century. In describing the America of the past these words come to mind: creative, innovative, proactive, vibrant and visionary. Now as we look at the America of today, these words seem to be more descriptive: reactive, regressive, apathetic, and uninspired.
However, as I speak of the changes that have happened to America, it’s not to say that this country is to blame. Critics here and abroad should stop blaming America, the country for what they see as a nation gone astray. This is still a great country but one that, unfortunately, is being dragged down by a consortium of the Congress, the White House, the Pentagon, the State Dept., the defense industry and an army of many thousands of lobbyists. When we aim our criticisms it should never be against America but directly aimed at this government and the inept leaders that have failed it.
Does anyone take issue with the contention that this government’s main objectives are concentrated on pursuing its agenda of world domination while largely ignoring this nation’s vast domestic needs? Well, when was the last time you heard any serious discussion of our most pressing domestic problems, from education to infrastructure (except Senator Sanders observations) to job creation? I simply can’t recall anything of substance coming out of the White House, the Congress or the media.
Conversely, when was the last time Americans heard anyone in this government or the media talking about the military’s latest actions, the need to “Get those terrorists”, the ongoing bombing of Iraq and Syria, the relentless drone attacks in various countries; the U.S. and NATO key objective of “surrounding” Russia? Reports of these military actions completely dominate the airwaves day in and day out, they are nonstop, and we can’t escape them unless we shut off the radio and/or the TV.
So there should be no doubt that the U.S. government is intent on controlling what goes on in the world; those in the government or the White House no longer even try to deny that contention. That such is the case is also made crystal clear in this article by Nick Turse in which he states that U.S. Special Forces have been active in as many as 150 countries in the past several years; that’s about 75% of all countries. If that’s not domination then someone please tell me exactly what it is.
But, while this erosion of America’s foundations continues unabated, it’s becoming very evident that most Americans have simply resigned themselves to these conditions; that they feel helpless, striving just to survive; living from paycheck to paycheck, trying to hold onto their jobs, and avoiding personal bankruptcy and homelessness. A great many are giving up; there seemingly is no fight left in them.
Now if anyone thinks that our leaders in Washington, including the president, are “burning the midnight oil”, working feverishly to come up with the funding to restore those critically important foundations they better think again. That’s not happening. What they are doing is working on new sanctions against Iran, harsher sanctions against Russia, funding the training of Syrian rebels and the bombing campaign in Iraq and Syria, and determining those countries to which they will next dispatch U.S. Special Forces.
No these leaders and politicians, aka the indentured servants of the corporate state, are not spending time on making job creation one of this nation’s greatest priorities; they aren’t working with the business sector to come up with the means by which to revitalize the country’s manufacturing sector, reopen plants, rehire workers and, thereby, remove millions from the unemployment rolls and drastically reducing the number of Americans who are dependent on food stamps. Nope there is no room on their agenda for that.
The fact of the matter is that this government can’t have it both ways; it cannot sustain this massive, extremely costly, military empire and fuel the engines of war and, at the same time, rebuild this country’s foundations. That would take creativity and innovation and that’s why it’s not going to happen.
This government is taking this nation and its people down a path that will, eventually, bring these foundations of America crashing down. And while this impending disaster draws ever closer and we look for wise and rational leaders to chart a new course for this country they seemingly don’t exist.
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