America Redux
Some people are commenting after Obama's speech that he is a socialist, and that we will all be calling eachother 'comrade' and that the US will turn into a communist state if Obama is elected. I highly disagree. However if lowering taxes for the poorest of the poor and raising taxes for those who can afford it, is considered the sole nature of socialism. then hell, by all means, bring it on comrade! Infact Socalism and Communism aren't really bad. What makes a government bad is how its being run - the choices and policies it puts into action. China is a good example. For years we fought communism, blindly, thinking that it was somehow hurting us. A lot of people have died in the name of freedom, but what is freedom? Is freedom the ability for corperation to decide how we live? is freedom living in constant fear of supposed terrorist attacks? is freedom having 10% of the population, with 60% of the wealth? I suppose to rich people who already are living their dream, that is what freedom is? Any society where the minority control the majority, is not free. Right now in this nation, a growing percentage of people are without a job, and a majority of people are in debt. Only a very slim percent of the country will benefit from McCain. But you see they really will not benefit anymore then they are benefiting now from Bush. I believe that a lot of the people against Obama are living a comfortable life in the quiet safe suburbs, in their nice big home which if half paid off, and they have 2 SUV's in the driveway, and both of the parents have middle or upper managment jobs and are making a decent buck. They also likely watch TV every night and are big fans of American Idol and other 'reality shows'. The problem is that their view is very artifical. These people do not really see what goes on in the city. They do not know what it is like to be poor, or what it is like to go to a public school today. Reality shows do not show you the real world. They just work to blind you from educating yourself about what is really happening out there. Try watching documentaries maybe? or is the real world too hard to comfront? Any way you look at it, as the scales turn and the majority become poorer and poorer, and quickly loose control of the nation in which they live - the nation moves closer and closer to a revolution. A civil war and outbreak of violence which will likely throw the whole country into a police state, threatening the security of your comfy suburban lifestyle. There are enough educated people in this country who want change, and they know how to achieve it. There are also greedy educated people who don't want change, they just want money for themselves. Sure money talks - but who does it benefit when all the money is nested in the top 1% of the population? I wouldn't be surprised if Obama is murdered or McCain wins somehow... because those with the money are afraid of Obama - and I am sure some of them have some dirty tricks planed. But do people really want their country controled by that top 1%? or do you want to have a say and be part of the political process? I know I want to eventually own an acre of land somewhere in the wilderness and peacefully retire. But I know that if this depression continues, and the rich continue to get richer, there is no way I will ever be able to reach that simple goal - unless I fight for it. Do you really feel that Time Warner is working in YOUR best interest? How about Shell Oil? or McDonalds? Companies like these have so much power in the white house today under the republican government that they are able to successfully lobby the government to pass bills which give them the right to deny their employees basic rights. These companies can strong arm the republican government to the point where they are actually controling it. do you feel safe and secure knowing that McDonalds controls the meat production industry in the United States? right down to the federal food and drug safety inspectors in the meat plants? Do you know that in the United States, any biological contamination (virus) outbreak which originated in a food source, is not the responsibility of the company which produced the food, even if they detected and ignored the virus? All the same, that company does not have to release a public statement about the outbreak, and the Federal departments are not allowed to name the company or source of the outbreak unless the company gives its ok? Does this make you feel safe about the food you eat? The latest big outbreak was covered by the news, indeed. But did you ever hear what the product was? sure it was salsa, but by what manufacture? Oh yes, it was a specific manufacture, but they were not allowed to say which one. Each year more people die in accidents and contamination related incidents in the food industry then the number of people who have died from all vehicle accidents (planes, cars, trains, ships) combined. These companies have lobbied hard against unions and safety measures and the republicans have given them what they asked for. Are the republicans working in my best interest? no.. I think not. If all of this adds up to me being a supporter of Socalism. then fine... but I think it just adds up to the fact that I am against extreme capitalism. The government should be afraid of its people, not the companies that are made possible by the people.