Fixing The Problem

America can't be fixed.  I seem to be the only citizen who thinks there may be a problem in this country.  Everyone else acts like there's nothing wrong with how things are working out.  Although many people aren't happy with their jobs ( those that have them ), They don't see that anything is wrong or needs fixing at all.

With elections coming up this year, it's politics as usual for the residents of this country.  All of the politicians telling the people how our current president, hasn't done his job.  Acting like he put our nation into this economic meltdown we've been going through.

Our president isn't perfect, but I believe he didn't stand a chance.  The other elected officials didn't support him, and actually stalled most of his efforts to make any effective fixes.  They may not have agreed with his policies, and may not have thought the changes would be effective, but it was their job, to help make this a better place for the citizens.  To work for us, not to fight for more money in their bank accounts.

In the debates the other night, the top contenders were talking about how Obama didn't do some humanitarian action in Iran.  Suppose he had?  He already had wars on at least two fronts, an economical problem in our land, power plays in other places that would affect our policies abroad, and our politicians fighting him at every turn.

He's criticized for all of these things, yet he didn't cause them, and he's made out to be some kind of inept idiot, for not jumping into the fire on a couple of issues.  Had he gotten involved with Iran, and the problems our country has had with that country, he probably would have faced impeachment.

The political powers in our country have no understanding of the problems that face the people.  When more than half of this nation is living at, or below the poverty line, those individuals that make more than $160,000 a year, pretending to care about the people of this country, just rake in their money and suggest, the poor slobs that aren't working should try harder.  Who elected these people anyway?

In my plan, everyone makes the same wages, has a place to live, has work that they feel good about doing, and doesn't have to worry about medical costs.  In my plan we're all equal, and not competing for more wealth, but cooperating with each other, to build a better place for our children to grow up in.

My plan requires us to live in a perfect world, to care about the other people around us, and to give up our selfish ways.  My plan may be unreasonable, but it creates a place where the American people are all working for the good of everyone.  That utopia where people that need medical attention are taken care of, by healing them, not putting them out of our miseries.

Politicians should be working for the American people, all of them, not just the wealthy.  The idea of going into politics was supposed to be about an aptitude toward helping our nation, not a paycheck of a hundred grand a year.  Our country needs help, our citizens need jobs, that pay a living wage, and we need our politicians to get real.  Maybe if they had to live at poverty level, they would change their policies.

The reason this country is full of sheep, is because the average Joe has given up.  The American dream is a thing of the past.  We should try to revive the spirit of our nation, but that will take some major changes in the way people act, live and work.

Sadly I say, " Fire the politicians ".

Part 2 "The Broken Nation"

     How is our country broken? No system,for governing the masses,is perfect. The American people have a "say",as to how things are. We the people,are supposed to decide policy,that affects everyone. That is supposed to include themselves,as well. What policy? How we,everything.
    
     Suppose all this (EVERYTHING) was up to you. What would you do? How would you change things? Will,what you do,fix our broken nation? The problem,suggested as simply an item or two,doesn't sound so bad. Unfortunately,our country needs lots of fixes......

     If I gave one example,I'ld have to give you a million,and that wouldn't be the half of it,without getting into the actual tasks,to make any fixes. I beleive our nation's citizens,must have a change of "attitude". Mentally change,what we want. Actually figure out,whats important,both to,the individual,and the country as a whole.

     Our nation has changed vastly,since I was a youngster. I'm one of the "baby boomers". I saw the space program advance,from the drawing board,to men walking on the moon. I saw the "free love movement,civil rights movement,the dawning of the age of aquarius. I,also watched things change,from post WWII mode to pre-Viet Nam mode. I,also watched the business models change,and not being a business type person,didn't let the changes phase me in the least.

     Change my attitude? What attitude? I already changed my socks,and underware,now I have to change more? Wait a minute,I changed my thought processes. Things aren't like they were when I was a kid. I've accepted it,change is inevitable. Why do I have to change my attitude? I am an American citizen.I have certain rights. I,expect the rest of the world to understand,where I'm comming from,and what I want from them.

                                                                     PART 3

     When I was a kid....Doesn't that sound familiar? I'm sure,no one wants to hear,how things were,when I was young. Older folks know,and remember,how things were. Young people just can't believe,things were the way they're told. Sometimes I think youngsters have no imagination. No,we didn't have to train dinosaurs to let us ride. Our grandfathers trained em for us. Though I walked to school,it really wasn't uphill both ways,and I did have shoes. Yes,we had TV's,tho,they weren't in the classrooms then. And Moms,were usually at home,taking care of the house and children,not being some corporate executive.

     When I was a kid...We stopped what we were doing,to listen to a "Special Report". Though the tv wasn't in the school yet,we were kept informed of the current events,that may affect us. I was 9 years old when JFK was assasinated,14,when MLK jr,was taken out of the civil rights equation. Those two events didn't stop the changes,about to take place in our country.

     Negros,coloreds,blacks,afro-americans,whatever the current,politically correct label,did get the same rights as other americans. They now can vote,and go to schools of their choosing,and aspire to be astronauts and presidents,or whatever professional they may.

     Twenty years prior,to the civil rights protests,other americans were fighting for their rights as citizens. They were,american born,or recently immigrated,German,and Japanese folks. They too,had to fight for their rights. That war,WWII,caused all kinds of problems......

     So,some of us americans have learned to change,some of the outward showing prejudices,our parents had,that infected our country. But,the attitudes have only become more deeply ingrained. Now,our people are becomming more self-serving. Who cares about what you are going through,I am the one that matters.

     So,that last question was "what attitude"? I don't have an attitude,and if you keep saying I do,I'll beat you up. Can't sue me for saying that! Yet. We all have our attitudes,I shouldn't have to point them out. Attitudes rule our very existances. Why we act as we do. What gives us pleasure and pain,or amusement,or enjoyment. It's all attitude. Everything comes from attitude.

     In our country,we,(americans)believe,we can: Have anything we want. Do anything we want. Go anywhere we want,anytime we want. The american attitude is "me first,I want,you don't count". So,it's all about the wants. Too bad,it should be about the needs. But,what about my attitudes?

     Do you walk,instead of driving? Take a bus? Ride a bicycle? Do you knoe your neighbors? How about their kids? Do you know the people at your job? All of them? How about the local civil servants,working for you,to keep your city/county/state,safe and viable? Do you know any of them?

     One of the new attitudes I've been running into lately is "I want to know all about you,I just don't want to know you. My favorite science fiction writter,Heinlein,wrote a book in 1939,about a possible future in america,where all of the present day attitudes have been changed. The book"For Us The Living". It was about changing the way people interacted with each other,and showed how flawed our current system is. But,thats getting off the subject....

     If we change our attitudes,maybe we can fix the things that are broken in this country. Lets not wait for our children,or their children,to do this. We all need to do,what we can to make it possible for others,to do the same. 

"The Broken Nation"

     Our president,prior to his election said,"our country is broken". It seems,no one believes this statement. How is this possible? How could this country be broken? Surely not...We live in the most free and wealthy nation on the planet. Our political system was designed,to allow each american a say,as to how our nation acts and works,both here and abroad.
     The question is,a say on what? I've learned,my opinion isn't worth a thing. And,if I got a million,or ten million people to agree with me,it would still be a minority,and not count for much. Then,who's going to listen? Who can you share your views to? Your congressman,state representative,or maybe your senator? Will you get a response?
     We live in the richest nation in the world. We,(even me) are more wealthy than most other people,in every other country on the planet. We enjoy(tho,if you asked a high school student,they'll tell you they don't enjoy) an educational system,that allows for our citizens to attain any height they desire. Education to lead us into the future,with knowledge,trainingand ideas,to propell each of us toward greatness.
     Our country offers it's citizens,programs to help keep food to their tables,medical plans to keep people healthy,education and training,so they may grow with their jobs or other oppertunities as encountered. Social services to help folks that get lost along the way,and Freedom to make whatever choices we will!
     So,with all that stated,How could our country be broken? With all our programs,services,schools,and a free system,that allows all of us,to be unique individuals,how could we let our nation founder? Looks like this may take a while,so I'll continue later...feel free to comment,and give me your permission to share what you have to say.  RGCORROS

Caveman

     The shift from mechanical to digital,the last great leap our society has made,has been going on since the advent of the personal computer.  It's hard to believe,before 1978,most people only knew computers through movies and books. Now nearly everyone uses them,and we realize there is still so much more we can do with them.
     I was one of the last cavemen. The live,out in the country,not in a city,guy. One of the last of a dying breed of backyard machanics.  You know the type.  Always looking at stuff that may,or may,not need repair.  Fix it with sticks or rocks.  Maybe use some duct tape,or bale wire or string.  The guys I'm refering about,saw machines as a collection of nuts and bolts.  It didn't matter what make or model.  It didn't matter if it was a car,a bike,a chainsaw,or whatever. It was all the same. Except it really wasn't the same. But,some stuff was alike,if not in looks,then in function. Sometimes various parts were  inter-changable,so a person could swap a part from one machine to another. It's getting harder to do that now days.
     Rule change! Darn I never got the notice. Actually I failed to take notice,things were indeed changing,and I never got swimming, now I'm sinking like a stone. So,this caveman,always the rebel,always fighting the status quo,failed to notice the changes taking place. They were small insignificant things that anyone could miss. Newer items,were now sealed units,made to fit a particular something. That meant of the same make,model and year,and any other criteria that pertains to the part in question.
     I did notice,though I'm not sure when. I can't work on some of the newer cars. My newest is a "1992" and I can still do most of the repairs to it. That is, I am able,but presently my tools are somewhere else. At least, I can still work on my car,my landlord allows it,so I dont have to take it to a shop.
     The shift,should have been more financially motivated. I have always fought the influences of money,even more than the changing mechanisms. Poor dumb caveman....I was raised to know,you worked or your bread. Job choice is important. This country runs on the dollar bill. I still hate it tho...One's worth shouldn't be measured only in dollars and cents. I always thought people were supposed to be equal. I thought one job would be equal to another,as well. Work all has to get done. I don't deal well with illnesses,so being a doctor would be a poor choice for a profession. I can fix junk,but it turns out,no one wants their junk fixed. Don't fix it,throw it out,and buy a new one! I saw that comming and did nothing to stop that trend.
     Now we leave the mechanical,and begin to go digital. Yep,you guessed it. I have fought the age of computers,every bit as hard as the other things I've fought. Nope,you'll never get me to use one of those stupid things. I hate electronics. Famose last words. Welcome to the "21st century".
     Everything uses the new technologies. In 2002,I was taught the very basics of using a computer. The local employment office told me to"get on it,and see what you can do. You can't hurt anything". After the office manager rebooted their system,I was taught what to do, if I found myself somewhere I didn't want to be. After that little mishap,I successfully avoided using that technology for nearly another decade. My kids have taught me most of what I know about computers.
     A caveman just doesn't want to have to learn some new and possibly difficult task. Especially an old guy,with no real knowledge of the internet,or the web,or computers,or even all those fancy phones. I won't answere other people's phones,as I dont know how they work. Mine has a red thingey and a green thingey. Just like traffic lights,red means stop,and green means go. I like simple. Must be my mind set. So you ask "whats that got to do with anything?"  Absolutely nothing,but my point is,I have 30 years worth of catching up to do,before I'll truely be welcomed into this century.
     Now it's probably,politically incorrect for me to refer to myself as a caveman,and next week I'll get in trouble for saying I'm a modern troglodite,but,do you know what I found out? Software is facinating. All those ones and zeros. Who would have thought it possible? Software,invisible like"power air". You can't see it,or smell it,so the caveman has a hard time dealing with such things. Those atomic particles,right there on the monitor,doing I'm not sure what,though some say,doing it well. How can I use something I can't see,hear.feel,taste,or touch? My kids tell me to hush,and just press the button. Growing up,pushing the button was akin to firing off the A-bomb. But, I pressed the button,and now I'm hooked. They forgot to warn us of the effects of software. The whole world is now digital. I'll slowly catch up,or I'll speed up my learning program,with software