Would you vote for me?
So I was totally freaked out today. I think America’s reign as the World’s superpower has come to an end… and that scares me. What does that mean for the average citizen and who becomes the next superpower? If America’s course is to follow the Chinese, it would mean that our level of wealth will diminish greatly. After centuries of trading with Europe, the Chinese people have stayed relatively in poverty. What if our course follows England’s? After loosing countless wars across the globe, the UK had to trim its fat and reduce the countries it once had complete control over. What if our course follows the Roman Empire, or the Ottoman, or the Greek, or the Egyptian, or the Incan? Sure these empires failed due to a host of situations that seem different from the situation we find ourselves in now, but are they really?
I just read an article in which GM is attempting to cut its US workforce from over 300,000 people to just 40,000. Water is becoming scares in nearly every state of the US. Oil is still our main source of energy and personal transportation, the car, is still the subsidized method of travel. Food prices continue to rise as less crops are available for consumption and yet we pay agri-businesses to not grow certain crops. A pandemic of swine flu is growing across North America. There is still no cure for AIDS and yet we have more new pills to help increase blood flow to certain areas, creams to reduce hair loss, and lasers to remove body fat. This happens while conglomerate fast food chains (the cause for many of these ailments) rake in the cash as recession proof industries.
My mom used to tell me that I was a really pessimistic young man. I, however, disagree with that description. While I feel that America has gone to the shitter within the past 20 years (mostly due to the agglomeration of companies under a few executives), I am the first one to speak up about America’s achievements, potential for growth (in all aspects) in the future, and the power our government entitles people to change the things that cause us harm. I will never renounce my American identity! You can expect me to be running for office before you see me, suitcase in hand, heading to Canada.
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Whew! I just re-read this post and it really reads like the ramblings of a crazy old man (or that fanatical enviro-lady at the farmer’s market; you know her). Would you vote for me?
