Re: The American Dream

Define "liberal collectivist socialist". Now I know what those words mean, but I'm not sure what YOU think they mean. Also define what you mean by a strong moral code.

Do you think that Sarah Palin has a "strong moral code"? I mean after she's been brought up on ethics charges? It's in the report, it's available to read.

Do you really think that trickle down economy has worked, and will continue to work for the American people?

Personally, I'm not in the tax bracket for immediate results from trickle down. And I've been waiting for it to trickle down to me, but I don't see any evidence of this.

You talk about the small business man. Where have they gone? As far as the eye can see are big boxes of Walmarts, Targets, Fred Myers, Borders, etc etc. Where have all the small business men gone? And what happens to the workers at the Walmarts of America? We've heard enough of that business for the last 5 years. So while the owners of these huge corporations get richer and richer, the workers get poorer and poorer. It's a nickle and dimeing of our society. Soon the rich will hire everyone (including me) at minimum wage. And with that minimum wage I'll be expected to go out and buy my own health insurance for me and my family, if the insurance companies don't turn us down for pre-existing conditions that is. I'm an alternative health advocate, but sometimes things break and it's nice to have some health insurance when that happens.

Free market societies are great for non-greedy societies. We have ceased to be a free market some time ago. We are the haves and have nots now.

I used to be non-union, having been in management for years. I used to think that the days of the unions were over. They were started to end abuse. But then there came labor laws and equal rights so it seemed that unions were no longer needed. Even Jack Henning, a man I know personally and was Ambassador to New Zealand, U.S. Undersecretary of Labor, Director of the California State Department of Industrial Relations, and Executive Secretary-Treasurer of the California Labor Federation, AFL-CIO, used to wonder if unions would survive and were necessary. This was back in the late 70's.

Fast forward to today. The small business man cannot compete. Workers do not get treated well. Corporate greed is evident constantly and consistently.

If we don't try to bring some power back to the people and level the playing field, I feel this country is headed for nothing less than civil war.