So, America's F&*%#$-up. But at least I'm not the only one saying so...

It's a financial crisis one day, Bernie Madoff (a scapegoat) the next and now, we could just shut the whole damn thing down today because we've run out of money. And do you know what? That might not be such a bad idea. It might get some people talking sense for a change. With a life bookended off the start by the Korean war, infiltrated at childhood by the Vietnam war, followed by Iraq I, Iraq II and Afghanistan thrown in at middle age for good measure, the baby-boomers of America would do well to ask themselves if all of this has made their life any better, or any safer - but I'm not hearing many affirmatives on that one. "Let's go make some babies", America says. "And we can bring them into a world of perpetual debt, great imperial notions and general global instability", America says, not even paying head to the actual mountain of horseshit sitting right outside the front door. Show the kids "It's A Wonderful Life" annually, buttress that with strong helpings of Justin Beiber, Angry Birds and an iPhone. "Yeah, I think the iPhone will do it Madge!", sparks dad. "Make sure to get the Angry Birds app dear!", she chirps. Our desire to suspend disbelief is unquenchable - and ultimately unmanageable. You know, even those of us in the business of creating illusions need a little reality now and again - just so we understand exactly what illusions really are. And anyone who doesn't think drugs and drink are not helpful here is not seeing the whole picture. Without the benefit of being completely and stupifyingly stoned at at least one point in one's life, could anyone ever really tell what's real and what's not? You won't find it on TV, that's for sure - big media is no tonic for truth telling.

Author John Rachel lines up things pretty simply below - without the benefit of an Ivy League degree or years of public service. With no disrespect to John, it seems a plumber might be able to figure this out as well.

Isn’t it time to end the wars and bring the troops home


Isn’t it time to walk away from our imperial fantasies and reduce our military?


Isn’t it time for the rich and mega-corporations to start paying their fair share?


Isn’t it time to reign in corporate power and their influence over our elected officials?


Isn’t it time for people to come first and government by the people to be reinstated?


"No, we have a better idea", the government says. "Let's give the people blogs and then they can wank all this rubbish around on the Internet and nobody will hear it", the government says. "Yeah, that's the idea." Or maybe there's an even better idea - what do you think?

D a v i d E v e r i t t - C a r l s o n

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