It has been written on this site that we have
passed
the point of no return (in the 2000 election) and that America is now
in
a devolving spiral that won't be reversed. Most of us don't want to
believe
that and would term such a contention as pessimistic. But when put
together,
the evidence is now so convincing that differing with this conclusion
becomes
untenable.
There are 2 basic reasons for our now inevitable
decline:
The thorough corruption of the ruling class and the overwhelming
citizenry
incompetence of the American public.
As to the 1st indictment: It has become
abundantly
clear that $millions in campaign contributions are spent to buy favored
legislation from the crooks that populate congress and the White House.
These are bribes, nothing less. They are solicited almost every day by
congressmen. Sometimes overt threats are used. This is extortion,
nothing
less. In return, businesses write favorable legislation for the
congress
to pass. Regulated companies control the regulators. Lobbyists
outnumber
the congressmen in the drug industry alone. Lobbyists become political
leaders and high office holders become lobbyists as the door revolves
(think
Billy Tauzin). Congressmen are whisked around on private jets furnished
by those seeking favors. Corporate supplied vacations masquerade as
important
meetings. Slices of pork are slipped into gigantic bills that
congressmen
don't even have the time to read before passing. The conventions, paid
for by corporate America, are surrounded by lavish parties where
congressmen
get "face time" with corporate lobbyists. The payoffs and pressures
for favorable legislation are so ubiquitous that no one is outraged
anymore.
The less corrupt in Congress have no power to change things. What is
deemed
criminal in other transactions is accepted as fundamental political
activity
in Washington and elsewhere.
Privatization has been the thrust of Reaganomics for
more than 2 decades now. Yet we have seen what happens with
underregulated,
uncompetitive big business. The corporate scandals disclosed in the 1st
GW Bush administration are only the most obvious. Maximizing profits
for
greedy stockholders necessitates cutting corners, externalizing costs,
shortchanging workers and gouging consumers. The government is
manipulated
into the enabling position. Inflated contracts and kickbacks are
commonplace.
Smaller businesses are bought up or run out of business, making true
competition
a joke in many industries. The improprieties at the top filter down
throughout
the society.
The overwhelming political/social/economic
incompetence
of the American public is no less obvious. Incompetence, for these
purposes,
is comprised of 6 primary factors: apathy, ignorance (often willful),
stupidity,
callousness, cowardice and corruption. These negative factors, to
varying
degrees, are the predominate characteristics of U.S. citizens when it
comes
to developing a politically healthy nation. To be sure, almost all
Americans
have notably good qualities too, but these qualities aren't enough to
change
America for the overall better anymore.
Documentation is easy. Start with half of the
electorate
that can't be bothered to vote even in major elections (almost 40%
didn't
vote in the 2004 election, one of the highest turnouts in memory). This
is sporadically decried. No one has dared to demand an informed vote: a
vote based on knowledge of the candidates (if it is available) and the
issues. No test taking is required. Americans are dying by the
thousands,
needlessly, because of the absence of medical care, pollution and
poverty
related causes. The populace can't be sufficiently stirred to demand
change
even when life itself is at stake.
Across the board ignorance is profound. Few study
history
or geography, economics or politics, once out of school. Few read
serious
publications (how many do you think have perused an Economist
magazine
lately?) Few watch serious TV such as PBS or C-Span. People pay
attention--it
is just to the wrong things--celebrities, music groups, sports figures
and teams and the like. This is not the fundamental knowledge needed to
make proper decisions about important matters.
Even when people know better they make the wrong
choices.
Nothing could be clearer then when the general public cites GW Bush as
worse on issue after issue and still vote for him and Republican
cronies
anyway. Belief without evidence is untenable but it is so pervasive,
especially
in the area of religion that it goes unchallenged. Good looks and
personal
charm substitute for good policy. Combined with political action, this
foolishness brings grievous harm.
We are a callous nation compared with almost any
other
developed country. We give out less per capita foreign aid than others
and we ignore the plight of the disadvantaged here. No one should be
going
hungry or have to depend on sporadic hand outs in this richest of
lands.
Many of our children live in poverty. We stick people in jail for drug
possession but don't provide treatment centers even when this saves us
tax money. We think of ourselves well but we don't back it up.
And concerning cowardice, we won't stand up and say
the
unpopular thing or take the unpopular actions. We won't risk losing our
promotions, our friends or material possessions to do what is right. It
is go along to get along regardless of direction. We won't face the
existential
reality of our lives and we need the support of our imaginary,
benevolent
overseer.
The corruption of the majority takes many forms from
dodging taxes to expecting our representatives to deliver our pork. It
involves our criminal element. It is the convenient lies we tell to
gain
advantage. It is test cheating. "Everybody does it" is the
rationalization
and the rationalization becomes the self fulfilling prophesy.
The degrees of these attributes vary with
individuals.
But summed up they indict more than enough to diminish us all. Bad
drives
out good. In a society where Darwinian materialism and corruption is
the
end all, the prospects cannot be anything but dark.
This is the sorry state America has come to in the
few
years we have become the world's most far reaching superpower. Those
who
are not ashamed of what we have become are massively ignorant and/or
without
consciences. Pretending this circumstance isn't true, as most of the
media
does, won't alter the evidence.
9/February/2005
Ruling class corruption and general citizenry
incompetence
are the 2 primary causes for the continuing decline of America. And it
looks like we have passed the point of no return, i.e. coming back to
the
course where we again progress towards achieving our healthy ideals.
But there are even more problems to face. Outdated,
imbedded
structural impediments now makes recovery almost impossible. The
structure
of our political economy, becoming evermore deleterious in the last
decades,
is continuing our devolution. These framework defects are not only not
being addressed, they aren't even being seriously discussed. The
entrenched
power establishment, corrupt as it is, will not threaten itself for the
good of the country. And most Americans subscribe to present
conditions.
The following are needed national reforms that will not take place in
the
foreseeable future.
(1)Proportional representation. The need for this was
made clear in the 2004 election where Bush and Kerry spent all their
time
campaigning in a few, smaller contested states while ignoring the mass
of the country. In our winner-take-all system almost half of the votes
count for nothing. For instance, instead of assigning almost half of
the
electoral college votes in Florida in 2000 to the Democrats, which
would
have reflected popular sentiment, it was as if those votes for Gore
were
never cast. Not only does this discourage voter turnout, it
misleadingly
polarizes the perception of the state. We now have red states verses
blue
states with hostility between the 2 camps. This stereotyping does not
reflect
our reality. There are significant minorities in each state whose votes
should count towards the national outcome. The electoral college does
not
always align with the popular vote. But proportional representation
won't
be coming anytime soon. Smaller states won't enact such legislation
fearing
loss of clout. Congress won't take any initiative to help the country
unless
forced to by an irate public.
(2)It has been clear for some time that both
Democrats
and Republicans are incapable of nominating a worthwhile candidate for
president. We have been left with lesser of evil choices for over half
a century. Indeed, the very process of gaining that nomination
precludes
statesmanlike candidates. It is past time for serious 3rd party
candidates
to gain national support but the process of getting on our 50 state
ballots
is much too cumbersome and costly. We need a national set of criteria
for
ballot access, one that makes it much easier for candidates like Ralph
Nader to become viable contenders. This too, will not happen.
(3)Accompanying the needed legislation in (2) would
be
instant runoff voting whereby voters would vote for 1st, 2nd and 3rd
choices
for the position. When none get a majority in the 1st round, 2nd
choices
are added in until one candidate wins. This would eliminate the need
for
a formal runoff or the election of a candidate who gets less than half
the votes. Won't happen.
(4)The Supreme Court made a major mistake in not
allowing
Congress to limit campaign expenditures or doing so itself. In its free
speech obsession it ignores the drown out effect. Consequently, we have
both candidates for president spending huge amounts of money on TV
negative
spot ads which tell us almost nothing useful about the candidates while
face to camera, half hours of donated, public service, TV time are
nonexistent.
Voters rely on the staged debates which have become a farce. Not only
should
public money subsidize underfinanced candidates, it should pay for
debates
which would be presented by non-partisan organizations with no
restrictions
on questions and followups. If the major party candidates don't like
it,
they can let the opposition have the floor. But neither party will
stand
for such reform.
(5)The House of Representatives has become the house
of unrepresentatives. Neither party should be in control of
gerrymandering.
New boundary lines, crossing party controlled enclaves, should be
redrawn.
As it is, not only are incumbents assured of reelection, the House is
more
polarized than the country it supposedly represents. Not having to
worry
about reelection, members can set about abusing their power for self
enrichment
at the national public's expense. Nothing will change here either.
(6)We are supposedly equal beings in this country.
One
man's vote should count for as much as another's. But that certainly is
not the case with the Senate. With each state getting 2 senators
regardless
of population it is clear that small states are overrepresentated at
the
expense of the bigger, urban states's populations. Senatorial votes
affecting
the whole nation have grown with the growth of national influence of
the
federal government and many major populations are ill served by rural
state
Senatorial decisions. One Senator from every state should have to run
and
win a national, or at least a regional, election to better reflect the
position of this body. This too, won't happen.
(7)There has been talk for years of shortening the
election
season and making primaries regional, with revolving order. No move has
been made to let others besides Iowans and New Hampshirites decide who
we get to vote for. Why should voters in NYC or LA or Chicago have to
take
what ruralites decide is best for us? This is ridiculous, but nothing
will
be done about it in the foreseeable future.
These structural defects alone insure that we won't
get
the beneficial political leadership we need. This will continue to mean
inappropriate investment priorities and eventual economic and social
break
down. Our current system insures that our bumpkins have more than their
fair share of say about how this country is to progress or regress.
Knowing
less about the past and present, they will not adequately foresee the
consequences
of their actions. When faith and prayer replace knowledge, objectivity,
pragmatism and statesmanship, degeneration is inevitable. We are now in
that self reenforcing, downward spiral. That is our real reality. And
it
happened on our watch.
18/February/2005
The argument for America's ongoing decline is
supported
primarily by 2 factors: the thorough corruption of the ruling class and
the overwhelming incompetence of the American public. Helping to lock
in
the trend are aforementioned structural, political impediments to
constructive
change. However, less or non political impediments, unaddressed by the
American public, are also contributing to our degeneration. Most have
been
listed before and elsewhere but it may be useful to make a partial
compilation
in order to solidify the case. And although technological advancements
may continue to mask receding prospects for most, those very advances
will
add to the choice complexity (and interdependence) that is already
overwhelming
the majority of Americans.
There are 2 factors pertaining directly to corporate
control over our lives that need to be rectified. First, as Ralph Nader
has recognized for years, corporations doing business outside of any
given
state need to be federally chartered with criteria and enforcement that
would insure that they do good to do well. Originally, corporations
were
chartered to achieve a given purpose and when the investors were paid
off
they were disbanded. This is a far cry from what they have become;
ongoing
structures dedicated to maximizing profits and exacerbating the income
and wealth distance between high management, big investors, and the
rest
of us. Federal chartering would eliminate "criteria shopping"
which has given the chartering fees business to states which require
the
least. The state of Delaware is of note here. There is no discussion of
correcting this situation.
The second factor which needs remedy is the
questionable
Supreme Court ruling in 1886 that corporations are, in effect, persons
and deserve the same protections. This is clearly ridiculous;
corporations
can last longer than lifetimes and have considerably more power. They
are
aggregates of people with a common purpose, not an individual. This
outdated
ruling needs to be revisited and justified, or revoked. There is no
discussion
of redress here either.
And there are several other prominent issues that go
unaddressed:
(1)The public is well aware of some of the other
problems
which are contributing to our declining quality of life but are too
unfocused,
apathetic and callous to do much about them. One of these problems is
environmental
abuse. From water and air pollution to declining fish stocks, species
elimination,
declining farm soils, deforestation and toxic waste dumps to global
warming,
we are not on a sustainable path. Nature is disappearing and we are the
poorer for it. While many are concerned, the human overpopulation
problem
is so immense and has so many supporters (for instance those supporting
unending economic "growth" and those against birth control) that
it is intractable for decades to come.
(2)Public health is another growing problem. Adequate
insurance coverage, in the richest of all countries, is slipping and
evermore
are deprived of necessary medical care as our Darwinian/Conservative
policies
prevail. Even if universal health care were made available, the problem
of our aging population will drain a vast amount from our economies,
making
the Social Security "crisis" look like very small change. If
there is a consensus for making the system fairer it is blanketed by
those
making unjustified rewards from the profiting institutions--and the
congressmen
they own. Expectations for average longer, healthier lives will
increasingly
conflict with the willingness to devote sufficient and efficient
resources
to this concern.
(3)Americans, paying attention to other threats such
as international terrorism, have generally ignored the undeclared war
Mexico
is waging against us. Instead of well equipped shock troops crossing
our
borders, waves of dispossessed and disenfranchised illegals are
infesting
our culture with an alien mentality consistent with the low end jobs
they
are taking. Instead of assimilating American ways they are "enclaving",
forming subset cultures that clash with progressive ideals (e.g.
education
etc.). The distinctiveness hardens as they refuse to learn English and
we do not insist that they do so. The wages they earn disappear from
our
economy as portions are sent back to the homeland. Because we are being
undermined over time, the understanding and willingness to take
protective
action is dissuaded not only by inertia but by companies which use
semi-slave
labor to maximize profits. Meanwhile Hispanic criminal gangs spring up
and social services are drained. As proliferation continues, Hispanics
gain evermore control of our political process, insuring that reforms
are
not implemented. Although many are alarmed, this back burner issue gets
only some sporadic attention. No organized effort for truly closing our
Mexican border to illegals is being seriously considered in Washington
even though the flow could facilitate terrorist immigration too.
(4)As expectations for a good life increase (and if
we
buy all those wonderful, advertised products it surely will--at least
for
some), time and attention management will be evermore important. In
order
to make the best decisions the general public will have to become
evermore
sophisticated. We will have to know more about more in an unending race
to stay ahead of increasing complexity and interdependence which can
easily
lead us astray. Yet there is no serious talk of truly
"intellectualizing"
the masses. Serious educating would have to be ongoing--and it would
constitute
a threat to our rulers. As it is, even basic public school education is
deteriorating while college is increasingly unaffordable. And as there
becomes evermore to learn, it becomes a burden less and less
bearable--and
eventually there will simply be the finite constraint of the 24 hour
day.
We have already seen in the last 2 presidential elections that faith
and
trust are substituting for knowledge and sound judgement. Even if we
joined
together to tackle this growing threat, it is ultimately a losing
battle.
At some point, whoever controls the mainstream media will rule--and
probably
not in the best interests of the vast majority.
(5)In addition to the constraints on time due to
mandatory
longer working hours (which are necessary to keep our work force
competitive)
and the voluntary attention given to the distractions of the
entertainment
industry, we are seeing the displacement of American males in positions
of authority, (e.g. middle management and top executives) by women who
have become the majority of our college graduates. As we have
transitioned
into a service economy, physical prerequisites have become less
important.
Yet this is the only area in which increasingly percentages of men have
the advantage. The result is likely to be more anti-social violence as
a reaction to increasing marginalization and insecurity. Don't be
surprised
if a fundamentalist religious/political resurgence occurs. A good man
(to
head a family) will be harder to find and a hard man will be a lucky
find.
Dispossessed males are trouble for a society.
(6)The era of cheap energy is coming to a close until
new technology is applied. As other nations industrialize (notably
China),
demand for oil is driving prices upward. Opening up more supply, the
Bush
answer, does not address lack of increased U.S. refinery capacity yet
there
is no construction program in progress. Rather than a crash investment
in energy conservation and alternate, renewable sources, Congress voted
down a bill to mandate more fuel efficiency. This is a problem that has
been building for decades and we have been unwilling to head off the
shortfall
and the hardship placed on the poor as well as our increasing
vulnerability
to dictatorial states. Increased energy costs will hamper productive
efficiency
and curtail the economic growth needed to deal with our debt.
(7)We will be faced with chronic, disruptive terror
events
and campaigns. Although steps are being taken to deal with the backward
looking, repressive Muslim/Arab threat, America is germinating economic
dissidents around the globe by its predatory corporate practices and
foreign
policies. Driving poor countries into servitude in order to control
them
and extract their wealth will cause blowback consequences. Restriction
of rights and liberties will be an increasing price we will all pay in
order to attempt to preclude further terrorist damage. Cutting our oil
or electric supply, bugging up our internet connections or spreading
pandemic
diseases intentionally or just through appalling health conditions will
cause serious harm. Our government is only chasing the symptoms because
we don't want to face our culpability and punish those responsible.
(8)Finally, but not necessarily exhaustively, we
cannot
keep spending more than we take in. We cannot keep running massive
trade
and federal deficits in order to keep our current standard of living in
place. Sooner or later, Japan and China, among others, will stop
funding
our debt and will dictate the terms of our relationships and
settlement.
This is a certainty. When it comes time to pay the piper our quality of
life will markedly dissipate. It may take another generation, it may
not,
but it will happen. Then the bitter scramble to hang on to what we
have,
and our consciences (which may become an unaffordable luxury), will
heat
up. This may cause a backlash to the ongoing class warfare waged on the
middle class and the poor by the rich ruling class. But that reaction
will
be resisted by the "entitled" elite which may be able to clamp
down on any equitable redistribution with brutal repression.
Individuals
who ascend to the forefront may determine the outcome but a reckoning
turmoil
is inevitable. Turmoil causes uncertainty and
uncertainty
has negative affects on consumer confidence and the stock market. And
this
indebtedness, compounded by private debt, will complicate our other
problems
and constrict our ability to deal with them. It will insure continued
dissolution.
This dour outlook only takes into account the
undeniable
factors and draws the most obvious conclusions. History shows that no
empire
is inevitably permanent. It is very hard to impossible to walk the
tight
line of adjustment corrections (without better examples of more
successful
and powerful cultures to look up to), which come with changing
circumstances--indefinitely.
Our blind optimism is a hindrance to cold assessment and corrective
action.
In truth, we can't handle the truth because that would mean taking on
the
existential task of meaningful citizenship. Instead it is much easier
to
let America, as we want to believe it is and will be, go under while we
stretch fantasy and delusion to the breaking point in order to
rationalize
away our complicity.
9/March/2005
Beyond ruling class corruption and general
incompetency,
beyond the previously listed structural political impediments and
societal/economic
problems that are now propelling U.S. decline, there is a factor of
American
society which deserves special mention. It is perhaps the greatest
detriment
of all; America's religiosity.
We are by far the most devout nation in the
industrial
world. In the past there have been instances where the results of this
devotion have benefitted our nation in some ways. There are still some.
But, by in large, conservative Christian devotion is increasingly
steepening
our decent. By concentrating on the past, on bigotry, on sexual
constriction,
on the primacy of a few cells of life over the life, health and well
being
of the living while ignoring the corruption and growing inequality of
our
economic classes, it is more damaging than not. And current religious
allegiance
and commitments are being used, more than in the past, to serve the
political
and economic ends of the most harmful Americans.
The rise in America's religious fundamentalism is
most
probably due to our increasing anxiety/insecurity. This stems from
declining
governmental social services, economic opportunities for "the good
life" for many (while others prosper disproportionally), and increasing
inabilities to understand and cope with burgeoning complexities which
sprout
from new technological discoveries and applications. It is a similar
reaction
to Muslim fundamentalists facing modernity in the Shah's Iran. This
force
is exacerbated by the perception of female equality and even dominance.
Our great religions were constructed for 2 primary
purposes:
to provide some kind of explanation for unknowns and to act to control
behavior by offering the population with an idyllic after life for good
people and something less, if not hell, for evildoers. This not only
offered
some sense of relief at the thought of death but was necessary for
stability
and benevolence where no legal systems were available. Justice would be
served sooner or later and those on the fence were scared straight. But
this fabrication is no longer needed in advanced societies where at
least
some justice can be achieved in the here and now and there is enough
for
everyone's basic needs. In fact it can be argued that maintaining such
a religious belief system excuses the wronged from acting in the
present
to achieve just outcomes. Fatalists just trust that just rewards will
come
in the afterlife and the rich and powerful are quite content to nurse
that
illusion along. After all, they are generally better educated and see
this
unsupported fabrication for the fantasy it, in all probably, is.
A pragmatic analysis of conventional religious belief
would quickly dispose of the tenets. Most of those who believe in "God"
prey with the expectation that God will not only listen but will be
able
to understand their beseeches. Given that we live in patriarchal
societies
and man was supposedly created in God's image, it is not surprising
then
that our God is given man-like characteristics. Christians believe that
he is wise, all powerful and compassionate. But instead, the
inferential
evidence for a God with these commonly ascribed characteristics is more
the opposite.
Some 30,000 innocent children every day die from
preventable
causes. Many suffer pain and hunger before their end. What kind of God
would let that happen? If God can spare survivors of a tornado or other
natureal calamity (and you frequently hear those who are okay thanking
God), why can't he stop the tornados from coming at all? At least why
not
explain the objectives? Why is there such injustice in the world? And
what
about those, through no fault of their own, don't believe as Christians
do?
And what about those who believe that the Bible is
the
literal word of God? They are easily cornered by passages supporting
slavery,
female chattel and the like. And for those non-literalists, who is
qualified
to interpret the word of God? Isn't that God like itself? How can man
be
free to choose which bits and parts of the Bible he will believe if
there
is an actual God and program? And how can Christians and Muslims both
be
right when they are told in the Bible and the Koran to kill the
infidels?
And what about the suicide jihadists who expect to go straight to
heaven,
bypassing the usual contingencies? We can't assail their beliefs
without
calling into question our own Christian version of the afterlife. On
what
basis can we claim to be right and all other religious beliefs wrong
when
differences occur? And for those who hide behind the "unrevealed"
plan of God, what kind of compassion leaves us bewildered? Even a brief
look mandates the much greater likelihood that man has made his god,
not
the other way around.
As Sam Harris pointed out in The End of Faith nowhere
else would we assert such conviction without supporting evidence. And
the
founders were just as leery of piety (see "Our Godless Constitution"
The Nation, 21/2/05). It is simply that we don't want to face up
to our existential burden of good stewardship for the sake of future
generations
and the survival of the planet (at least until the sun blows up).
It
is long past time that we grew up.
Instead we pay homage to the recently departed Pope
John
Paul II, one of the most obstructive world leaders to good stewardship.
His "be fruitful and multiply" edict has been a disaster to our
already overcrowded planet. Eschewing contraception, abortion rights
and
even sex education he has visited untold hardships on those least able
to cope in the developing world. Future conflicts are bound to arise
over
diminishing natural resources while trees are cut down, fresh water
supplies
dwindle, fish disappear and bush meat is devoured. Other species are to
be sacrificed for the senseless cause. And prolonging life at any cost
is not only cruel, it is also financially unsupportable.
In order to bring the suckers out of the dark it will
be necessary to challenge our Christian beliefs directly or at least
change
the emphasis. Truth will have to be spoken to institutional religious
power--and
our fears. There is a price to pay for being at the top of the animal
food
chain. It is the knowledge that we will die, that we are responsible
for
all other beings and that we are profoundly alone from birth to death.
That burden must be shouldered and making society as fair as plausible
will make the load lighter. In the end we can all strive to set an
example
for others to follow regardless of the eventual outcome.
And let's understand that believers aren't above
deception
to support their proselytizing. Take 2 examples: In the ongoing battle
between creationists and evolutionists, the former are citing both as
mere
theories, implying equal credibility. Unfortunately, evolutionists
haven't
admitted this correct definition--they are both theories. But
one
has loads of supporting evidence while the other has none. So which is
credible and which is not; the one with archeological remains buried
under
layers of earth (in some cases) and replicable and predictable
scientific
procedures to verify age or one that has tales written by unaccredited
men with objectives to promote? There is no contest here yet the
bewitched
would have us all subscribe to their fantasy land. The intelligent
design
believers simply don't want to understand our intellectually inferior
human
nature.
Second, we see those defending the display of the 10
commandments on public property explain that this is simply for
historical
purposes. That strains credulity past its limits. Although most
Americans
favor such exhibits they recoil at the prospect of similar posters and
engravings from the Koran. Then there are the Scalias of the country
justifying
such Bible displays by referring to the engravings on our money and
governmental
buildings, even the Supreme Court edifice itself. But those engravings
should not be the givens from which to expand piety, they should be
denounced
and removed. Exactly what does "In God We Trust" actually mean
in regards to the credibility of our money? Will God recompense the
swindled
and the luckless? Or is putting that phrase on our currency simply
designed
to give us a false sense of security?
The Terry Schiavo case illustrates how far Christian
fundamentalists and pandering congressmen, and president GW Bush, will
go. The separation of powers and an independent state and federal
judiciary
don't matter if the outcome is unfavorable. And this is not some
"special
case" as intruders would have the public believe. It is quite similar
to all end of life cases where a valid, written, living will is not
presented.
And it is a short step to invalidating the express wishes of those on
life
support in order to justify the "suffer until the natural end comes"
dogma. All this while thousands of Americans die each year because they
can't afford to get proper care from our dysfunctional health care
system;
a system kept in place by the vigorous bribing of congressmen. And as
the
population gets older the costs of extending life as long as possible
bankrupt
our health care system, many younger people will have to needlessly die
to keep the very old alive. While complaining about how Ms. Schiavo is
suffering from starvation (although the doctors said otherwise), no
mention
of ending her life quickly with an injection was ever even made. The
conservative
Christian position on assisted suicide is as harmful as it is myopic.
GW Bush's faith based initiatives except religious
organizations
from federal hiring practices; another special treatment case. It's not
bad enough that churches are exempt from property taxes but still get
the
same fire and police etc. governmental services, schools are also to be
enlisted for religious propaganda purposes. Conservatives are tearing
at
the wall of separation our founding fathers tried to erect. In sowing
seeds
of discontent and deception our governing aristocracy is managing to
escape
public attention about their accumulation of income and wealth--at the
expense of everyone else. And as the pandering continues the suckers
vote
for their own economic/environmental/social demise.
The moral and compassionate aspects of religious
belief
can translate to laws and customs that are beneficial to a society but
belief in some supernatural being watching over us is not required to
produce
a good citizenry. Ethics should be as central to our educations as
English,
Math and Social Studies. With ever greater risk on our overcrowded
planet
we can no longer afford the "luxury" of superstition. Instead
of retreating to relationships with our gods and pets we need to
reestablish
meaningful connections to other humans. However, atomization is the
goal
of the ruling class because it makes the general population more
malleable.
We need to recognize that the bad guys are at the top--and topple them,
in the name of the fundamental reforms previously mentioned.
There are no signs that this is going to happen, in
part
because faith is getting in the way. And so there is no sign that our
downward
course will be reversed.
11/April/2005
As if the aforementioned problems weren't bad
enough,
there is an overarching factor contributing to America's decline and
dissolution.
It is the failure of our mainstream media, particularly the 3 major
networks,
which have been around the longest, to adequately inform Americans
about
what is really going on here and abroad. It is their evasion of a true
public service commitment in exchange for the right to use our public
airwaves
that is contributing to our distress. The corporate masters and
investor
class are simply maximizing profits at public expense. This indictment
extends to ABC, CBS and NBC affiliate stations as well. PBS remains
semi-strangled
by congressmen who will not adequately fund it, govern it and see that
it has a VHF channel (2-13) in every market.
It won't do to tell us that we are just being
provided
what we want to see and hear. The TV news media has the responsibility
to tell us what we need to know. But as sources have combined and
become
subservient to corporate conglomerates, the willingness to challenge
the
political and economic establishment have become reduced to endangered
status. So instead of reality we are getting an opaque white wash.
An obvious example was the subservience of the
Washington
press corps at the latest GW Bush Presidential press conference
(28/4/05).
Even Nightline contrasted the timidity of our reporters to the
interrogation
of Great Britain's PM Tony Blair. Ours was another truly humiliating
performance.
Bush never was, and has not been, asked many of the tough questions and
has been allowed to ignore any he didn't care to respond to. There were
no insistent followups--again. This is also true of one-on-one
interviews
(see "Non-Issues" on the 2004 editorials link).
Another example is the absence of any nightly news
anchor
commentary which could at least make policy and agenda inconsistencies
and hypocrisies obvious. Such non-partisan or balanced commentaries
could
serve to keep the public's eye on the ball; for instance calling
attention
to the bills congressmen don't read before they vote.
Affiliate local news hours are so unenlightening, so
devoid of investigative reporting that they deserve special
excoriation.
Telling us about the latest pothole doesn't compare with telling us
about
a state's legislative inner workings or who the official bad guys are.
The cramped network nightly newscasts bring us
accessory
stories instead of bearing down on hard, real issues (such as Medicare
and Medicaid shortfalls rather than privatizing Social Security). By
allowing
corrupt government officials to set the agenda, our media keeps the
focus
off where it should be. From the standpoint of service it is largely
dysfunctional.
And that is where most of us get our news from.
The problem has always been consolidation (as in
media
company mergers and acquisitions), deregulation and profit
maximization.
The news divisions should be stand alone entities, publicly subsidized
if necessary. The nightly news should be at least a nightly news HOUR.
Candidates should get adequate face time on broadcasts to present
themselves
rather than having to rely on 30 second sound bite, negative, spot ads
preceeding an election. The pre prime time hours should be much
more
informative. The Canadian Nature of Things series is but one example
of
the
type of programming we need more of.
Although the proliferation of cable channels makes
greater
choice possible, this very fracturing of programming is forming diverse
and conveniently exclusive realities for the population. As bad as
network
TV has been in the past, at least it did draw Americans together.
Pandering
to power and profit maximization cable channels (except C-Span--which
some
don't even get), are not the answer.
Although there are copious choices in print, the fact
is that only a small percentage of our population ever does ongoing,
serious
reading. Time pressure, miseducation, skewed priorities and dazzling
picture
distractions are reasons for this inadequacy. TV pictures make a
lasting
visual image that impress despite the captions or sound track. Our
television
media isn't absolved because Americans make poor informational choices.
Brokaw, Jennings and Rather have departed from their
network news anchor posts now but we should remember that, however well
liked and revered, they ultimately failed us. This country seriously
derailed
on their watch. The arrogance, hypocrisy, corruption and callousness
that
characterizes our public and private leadership has taken over the
public
will and now enjoys mainstream status. If we were told about this
evolution,
it was in passing. And modern network TV news passivity enables the
worst
to crowd out the best. Again, there is no sign of any change in course.
5/May/2005