| Just exactly what is the future of our | | | | people are slipping from the middle class into the |
| Democracy? Are we just lost in our own times | | | | poverty level. As the middle class shrinks the |
| and seeing them as more critical than other times | | | | divide between wealthy and poor grows. The |
| because they affect us personally? Is there | | | | middle class has traditionally been the class of |
| anything left to do, or is the planet as a whole | | | | Americans that can see hope. This hope is what |
| just tumbling down a course of inevitable doom? | | | | drives them to vote and try to be part of the |
| I suppose that a very great percentage of | | | | Democracy and hold our Social structure together. |
| Americans, believe that a "Capitalistic Democracy" | | | | Poverty drives people into survival mode often |
| is Democracy... period! This is not true. You can | | | | resulting in poor decisions that separate them |
| have a Socialistic Democracy. They exist and | | | | from the greater Society. They literally have to |
| thrive right now. Failure of Capitalism as the | | | | live in a different World! |
| primary driving force of our Democracy, is not | | | | We are not just seeing Worldwide problems |
| surprising, yet is also not finite. In the time of | | | | through the narrow time frame in which we live. |
| unlimited resources it worked well, but that time is | | | | Global warming is a phenomena never faced |
| gone. In our Democracy based on Capitalism | | | | before. For God's sake, the polar caps are melting. |
| there are definite signs of an inevitable end | | | | Just how bad is that? Dwindling supplies of fuels |
| approaching. We do not have enough successful | | | | and natural resources has not always been a |
| Capitalists who recognize their good fortune as | | | | problem visible to and felt by the average |
| being just that, good fortune. Thus, we have | | | | American. It is now an undeniable reality! Nuclear |
| fewer philanthropists, proportionately than there | | | | proliferation has never been in the hands of |
| should be. Instead, Capitalist greed has prevailed | | | | underprivileged Nations that might actually profit |
| and developed into a social class. This class is | | | | from nuclear warfare. Life as we Americans |
| comprised of "Takers" that have banded into a | | | | know it is in the hands of people whose only |
| power structure, that lobbies its needs, into the | | | | philosophy is consume, take, consume take, and |
| structure of our government. These Takers have | | | | they are not facing reality. In this day and age, |
| so invaded the Legislative Branch of Government | | | | something must change radically for the existence |
| that attachments to bills, absolutely insure that | | | | of not only Americans, but the human species as |
| they always get their way, no matter what the | | | | a whole to continue. |
| cost to other people. | | | | As a society, America is at a critical point, and |
| If the Bill is stopped by trying to disallow the | | | | what happens in the United States may very well |
| attachment, nothing gets done, so compromises | | | | determine what happens to life on Planet Earth. |
| are almost always made because of time | | | | We need to come together as a species, and |
| restraints and prioritization. Their unlimited need | | | | that cannot happen when we are still having "class |
| for greater and greater wealth and power has | | | | wars" like those of the time period before the |
| simultaneously generated a class of citizen that is | | | | Industrial Revolution. Our problems are all solvable |
| essentially a "new form of Slavery"! Millions of | | | | if we can accept the need for very abrupt |
| people work full, hard weeks for pay that is not | | | | "Change" in our Government and our Life Styles |
| enough to support them, so they slip day by day, | | | | and must include every single occupant on this |
| month by month, year by year into un-resolvable | | | | Earth as having "Worth". |
| debt to "Takers", those being banks, credit card | | | | In regard to Foreign Policy, the U.S. has to |
| companies, mortgage firms, power companies, | | | | become a global role model (as it once actually |
| etc. Only by moving toward a Socialistic | | | | was) and not try to Police the World. We cannot |
| Democracy will these particular problems ever be | | | | believe that everyone else in the World is some |
| solved. The Capitalists will not dot it! There is a | | | | lower form of life, incapable of making their own |
| vast difference between a purely Socialistic | | | | decisions. If we can provide Health Care to |
| society and a Socialistic Democracy! There is now | | | | everyone. If we can guarantee that every citizen |
| a rapidly growing section of the population that | | | | is fed. If we can adopt a policy of "no one left |
| feels hopeless and no longer can bring the | | | | behind", as we have tried to do with "no child left |
| "American Dream" into their sights! | | | | behind". I think we will then, automatically become |
| Hopelessness is one primary instigator of drug and | | | | a role model for all others. We have a Constitution |
| alcohol use and abuse; possibly the single most | | | | that works when properly adhered to. We have |
| dangerous problem in our Country, though it is not | | | | nearly unlimited technological resources. We have |
| publicized much recently. Desperation combined | | | | abundant natural resources if we can learn to |
| with hopelessness translates into crime. Very | | | | prevent waste. We can do this! The question is |
| seldom discussed is the "Black Market" that is | | | | "Will we?" Is this political phenomena that seems |
| supplied by crime, that in turn becomes a market | | | | to be happening, in America indicative of a shift of |
| for those underpaid people, struggling to make | | | | priorities or is it just going to turn out to be |
| ends meet. This then makes the buyer supporting | | | | another lost dream leading to demise of the |
| the Black Market into a criminal, also. This has | | | | Planet. This is how important the future of our |
| made the prison system into a "Cottage Industry" | | | | country is. I believe that the entire World is |
| that, in states like California and Texas, is now an | | | | watching. I believe the people of the world are |
| integral part of the State economy. This is all a | | | | waiting, like they never have, since we entered |
| result of not addressing the growing numbers of | | | | WWII. I surely hope that "Change" is our destiny, |
| U.S. citizens living at a poverty level so that a | | | | or I pity my Grandchildren and what they will |
| privileged few can live like "Royalty"! Day by day, | | | | inherit from our failure! |