http://chronicle.com/article/Obama-Presses-for-Free/151319/?cid=at&utm_source=at&utm_medium=en
America may be at a crucial point in its history. The income disparity and state of the (labor) union are comparable to 100 years ago. Many factors are at fault: globalization on a flat earth; the Reagan revolution, which dramatically lowered income taxes at the top brackets; the awakening of Asia; the elimination of job by smart machines, etc., etc.
The simple truth is that the wealthiest among us have taken full advantage. Meanwhile, far too many of us ordinary folks have been content to be overweight couch potatoes, who --- like the Simpson kid --- proclaim, "Proud to be an underachiever." Yes, we have brought much of this upon ourselves by not only embracing, but glorifying, our own ignorance.
Why so many on the bottom economic rungs no longer recognize that their hopes lie in unionization never ceases to amaze me. Our endless appetite for electronic gadgets and celebrities' shenanigans also has me scratching my head. Bread and circuses.
What's left of the Left is into climate change and tree hugging, when they should be pushing a working class agenda: energy independence, resurgence of manufacturing, public works to create jobs and rebuild the infrastructure, more free education...
Meanwhile, the Tea Party and Religious Right live in a fantasy world that probably didn't even exist in the 19th century, and which certainly does not exist now. How they can attack Obamacare, when 10 million more Americans have health insurance than six years ago is another mind-blower for me. Many of these Neanderthals would rather runa round claiming Obama is a non-citizen and a Muslim than credit him with bringing decent health care to millions who never had it before now.
When 400 Americans, according to Forbes Magazine, have wealth equal to the bottom 150 million of us, something has gone woefully amok in America. To me this is the central fact of our current era.
Obama's speech last night was a call for a correction. If Americans respond, the white whale might yet be harpooned, or at least turned away, before it sinks our ship of state.
But I ain't holdin' my breath.
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