The American executive and legislative branches of government are in dire need of an aggressive purge in the form of a no-confidence referendum. Unfortunately, the American people have no such device to rid themselves of desiccated people and the interests that tell them what American national policies should be. More’s the pity, presidential candidates Barak Obama (D) and John McCain (R) have merely repackaged the status quo and are selling it as new-face-equals-new policy. None of it adds up to change and, no matter who is elected as president or which party controls congress, odds are America will be on the same course towards more war, more economic pain, more infrastructure problems, and more security intrusions into the daily routine.
There are fundamental flaws not in the constitutional construct of the United States but in the people who are occupying positions in at least two of the three branches of the US government. The executive and legislative branches, according to polls, are sincerely reviled and that means both Republicans and Democrats get equal measure of disgust. But the two parties and their interested backers simply don’t care because they know the American people have no choice but to vote for one or the other. And so the game is all about the two parties entertaining each other and those top few percent of Americans and American corporations that control over 90 percent of America’s wealth.
At fault in it all are the American people who like the main character Wesley Gibson in the thrilling movie Wanted, is willingly tied to a chair and takes punch after punch in the face until he finally “gets it.” But America today is no movie where the main character recovers. The American people need to suck it up and stop taking sucker punches before they have no blood left to bleed.
Americans need to stop listening to the myths they’ve been fed. America is not the shining light on the hill but it is an equal member of the world community.
Yes, there are foreign competitors out there and they are as good as the Americans in manufacturing, computing and aerospace. So Americans should compete with them or become part of their business systems. In this Olympic year, it’s worth noting that Americans hold just six world records in track & field competitions. They hold none in weightlifting. Americans are fat and lazy.
Americans are crying about gas prices. A pity they can’t buy as many hot dogs or beers at the baseball stadium. They need to adjust and adapt. Americans have always been told that they are the best at everything, so why aren’t they? Americans are not entitled to anything more than the rest of the world. Do they want education systems, roads, bridges and levees that function properly? Well then they need to stop whining about taxes and pay up or make those who pay nothing pull their weight.
Do Americans really want to continue the war in Iraq and go to war with Iran and Syria—and destabilize Turkey and Pakistan—for natural resources and Israel? Well, then do it! Activate selective service, militarize one million Americans (women too) and invade ‘em all. If Americans were as tough as they think they are, they’d get it done and damn the suffering of the military families and the maimed in action. Onward with torture! Medals for Bush, Cheney, Rumsfeld!
Do the American people even want the government of Jefferson, Madison, Adams, et al? With the privatization of the civilian and military functions and with their states selling off bridges and roadways for money, it seems they find government of any kind is too much of a burden. Americans really don’t want to pay for anything and they are not accountable to or for themselves (witness Katrina). Forget the Darfur crisis. As sorry as that is, take a look at what the Americans have done in Iraq: millions displaced internally and externally and disease widespread. Americans raped Iraq and remain non-penitent for their crime.
Happy Birthday America! The founders would be appalled.
John Stanton is a Virginia based writer specializing in national security and political matters. His most recent book is Talking Politics with God & the Devil in Washington, DC. Reach him at [email protected]
