Are You Concerned???

[alondra]

This is a bit long but just have to get it of my chest, plan on sending copy to my reps. for what its worth. please excuse any spelling, dont use a dictionary.

I am a 79 year old vet of WWll who remembers the depression.. I have three sons, two of whom served in Nam, and three grandsons, I have great concern for the path our nation is taking .
We have many States, California among them, on the verge of bankruptsy, and a Nation on the same path with a national debt of such size that our minds can not comprehend its magniude. and adding to it
Much of out infrastructure is deteriorating with age to the point of failing, bridges, highways, pipelines, to name a few, and we do not have the money to repair or replace them. many of our schools are dire shape, and also not enough money. to maintain or replace them. we have hospitals closing along with emergency rooms and trama centers, the condition of my local emergency room scares me.
there was a time when we were an industrial giant, our factorys converted to produce the material to win WWII. How much of our military equipment is made here, in total or part., could out war planes fly without imported parts?? I recently read that military clothing was imported.
to day we are a service economy, look at the shiploads of containers at our docks, one recently, said we dare not antagonize China, our factorys are there, we have allowed our industry to move off shore increasing our own unemployment.,
we have a space station, a marvel of engineering, and one that seems to keep growing, but a very expensive one. to maintain and supply at high cost, and for how many years. and for what return,
We have gangs of thousands in our citys wreaking death and destruction daily, our police are outnumbered and out guned. and an ACLU to give them more grief for doing their job yet we have many troops in foreign nations as "peace keepers"
we cannnot control our borders, yet we have troops in Afganistan guarding theirs. we have had troops in places like Korea for fifty years. It seems strange to me that we must be calling up reserves and national guard, where is our regular military. but if we brought them home, we have closed so many mainland bases we wouldnt have a place for them.
And now we must "reform" Irac, at a projected cost of from 100 billion to over one trillion. And be assured we will get no help from the UN a totaly worthless, but dangerious organization, as was the League of Nations.
Yes I remember the cold war, We and the Russians each had, and still do, the capability to destroy each other and we each knew it MAD. Mutualy Assured Distruction. Does any one really believe these capabilitys dont still exist?? for that matter do we need thousands of nukes, we have enough on subs to wipe out any attacker, I would suggest, any potential enemy, be made to clearly understand, that an attact would result in their country turning to glass. Its time we quit being the worlds policeman and bully, and cleaned, and defended our own house. Sorry if some of this rambles , I am not an eloquent writer. If some of the above scares you or at least makes you think. thank God
If any one believes the above opinions are lacking in patriotism, too bad, I feel, I have earned the right to voice them.
alondra

Much of out infrastructure is deteriorating with age to the point of failing,

Economically, socially and spiritually.

[XT]

I couldnt agree with you more, alondra. Well Put!


My grandfather, who is 81, is a WWII vet also. He was a airplane mechanic working on the p38's and bombers and such. He has such incredible pride in this country, but even he, after all thats happened in the last few years, has doubts about our country's future.

[Brainchild]

Very well put Alondra.

[Redwolf]

Too bad all of our politicians are too 'tied up' to realize this.

And, of course, we have the failing internet. Read some of Lessig's works on the matter. Then we have increased hostilities towards the US and all.

In my opinion, we should pull out from trying to help other nations and help our own nation, which is in dire need of it. They can deal with it. They'll struggle to, but they'll deal.

American society during the 90s showed alot of the signs showed in the 20s, but not as severely. I don't think that a depression would be as severe as the great depression, but who knows. FDR got us out quickly before things got much worse, and I don't know if politicians today could stand to the challenge.

The big problem is, besides all those points, is that American society as a whole doesn't care. The news media, IMO is partially responsible, along with the problem of incumbant officials having major upper hands and special intrests bribing senators in office, and just the approach of "What can I do, I'm just one voter."

*sigh* Unfortunately, I am young and will have to live through the coming crisis, should there be one.

P.S. Good post Alondra.

[vass0922]

Thank god bush gave us that rebate last year
IMO that money could of been spent better.. I think he used it to "buy" his election

[XT]

Originally posted by Redwolf
Read some of Lessig's works on the matter.

I went searching on google for lessig and came up with Lawrence Lessig. I am reading some of his articles now. Good stuff so far.


Thanks

[Redwolf]

Yep, taht's him. He's also known as 'Larry'. Heard about him from my neighbor, who's related.

[Toadman]

We're no longer "United", but the world's milking teat. Just follow the money trail.

[Richard Cranium]

Not argueing at all, however in Georgia pretty much the opposite is happening.

We're getting lots of new roads, bridges and schools.

Don't know the 'true' financial state here cause they can cook the books to look any way they wish.

Neighboring state of Ala is like you say, in a bad state of repair.
The roads hold water after rain, the schools are directly out of the 50's, work is slim and pays little. The largest cities over there are doing somewhat better, but not as well as Ga's

Hopefully Ross Perot's grim picture will not come to pass for the entire nation.

I voted for him twice, hoping he'd make a difference, instead the country wanted a handsome man who'd sugar coat the truth.