How You Can Help Prevent America From Ever Becoming A Third World Country

As Arianna outlines in Third World America, there are compelling reasons to fear that the United States is in danger of becoming a third world nation. But the country's decline will only happen if we let it. Here's what you can do to make sure it doesn't.

Step 1: Share Your Story

Our descent into Third World America may not be televised...but it will be blogged, tweeted, posted on Facebook, covered with a camera phone, and uploaded to YouTube. And by shining the spotlight on it, we may be able to prevent it. Read More

Step 2: Tap Into Your Resilience

Inner strength and resilience make it possible for us to not just survive the economic crisis but to transform our lives. Read More

Step 3: Build Your Financial Literacy

There are many things we can do, right now, to take matters into our own hands and move our families to safer financial ground. Read More

Step 4: Move Your Money

While it may not be in our power to change the system single-handedly, we do have the power to take our money out of the banks that undermined our economy and move it to more responsible banks to help rebuild it. Read More

Step 5: Use Your Skills, Time, Or Money To Help Others

It's becoming clearer by the day that we can't save the middle class and keep America a first world nation without each of us making a personal commitment and taking action. Now, more than ever, we must mine the most underrated leadership resource available to us: ourselves. Read More

Step 6: Hold Our Leaders Accountable

If politicians put their finger in the wind to see which way it's blowing before deciding what to do, well, let's change the direction of the wind. Read More

Step 7: Meetup And Make A Difference

WATCH Arianna discuss ways to prevent Third World America:

Pledge for the American Dream!

I pledge to spend at least 4 hours this month strengthening my community so America never becomes a Third World nation.

Pledge on Facebook or Twitter:

How have you been impacted by the financial crisis -- and how are you bouncing back? What are you doing to help prevent America from ever becoming a Third World nation?

SHARE YOUR STORY!

 

We want to hear how you and those you love have been affected, how you are recovering, and what you're doing to improve your own community -- and, by extension, the entire country. Let us know in writing or upload a video to YouTube and send us the link, and we will add your story to the map!

Comments

[Peter Noble 2]

10:38 AM on 10/10/2010

The only change comes through revolution. We have the option for a non violent revolt where we dump the corrupt members of congress of both parties of War and aiding the rich.

The Republicans are now a dead party walking. The Democrats are cowards for not admitting to their left of center base they are the New Republican party of wars and big business.

The Democrat base and those if us on the real left need a new party that puts the majority of Americans first and taxes heavily those who have behaved like Robber Barrons. This left of center party should never have a president who prefers to hang out with Oligarchs or fight wars outside of our party's oversight.

This new party will have a strict party platform. That means no Blanche Lincolns or Grand Betrayers and Assassinator's like Barak. No more Blue Dogs.

This will bring about change. Working for nothing as if we were Oligarchs tired of counting our wealth is good locally but does not one thing to make Congress and America work.

[paul8kangas]

11:26 PM on 10/07/2010

I met Arianna when she spoke in Ukiah, Cal.
I read her book.
Then I asked her, in person, do you support a 30 hour work week,
as a way to create 10 million new jobs.
She said she would have to think that idea over.
OK Arianna, you have had 15 days.
What say ye?
Are you ready to step into the shoes of Henry Ford?
Ford created the 40 hour week.
You have the power to help create a 30 hour week.
The unions have your back.

Youtube: paul8kangas

[glojet]

05:29 PM on 10/04/2010

i just left Bank of Assholes for a local credit union last week. feels so good!

[Sandy Knauer]

11:06 AM on 10/13/2010

I did the same last month and agree, it does feel good. Each small step contributes to the momentum I need to make a difference.

[langej]

06:06 AM on 10/03/2010

Step 8: Remember what the REAL 3rd world is like:
If you have running water and sanitation you are among the richest 60% in the world
If you have electricity you are among the richest 50% in the world
If you have telephone you are among the richest 40% in the world
If you have a bank account you are among the richest 30% in the world
If you have a television you are among the richest 20% in the world
If you have car you are one of the richest 10% in the world

[thereisonlyoneparty]

10:16 AM on 10/13/2010

Yea, verily.

People are so ignorant about the world that they think that a general state of having less than they want while still being more than comfortable is equivalent to "third world" status.

As though having to choose store brand cookies over Oreos is somehow third world living. Or having to do without luxuries like cable television and broadband internet. To most people the poor of America is somehow like the poor of the real developing world. You know, having food and shelter and safe drinking water is the same as not having any of it.

Americans are so myopic when it comes to any understanding of the rest of the world.

[Sandy Knauer]

11:07 AM on 10/13/2010

Might it also be considered myopic when a person reads that list and assumes that everyone still has most of the things on the list because s/he still does?

[Harald Vries]

09:16 AM on 10/14/2010

Agreed, it borders to the obscene to compare America to a third world country.

[Concerned123456]

11:41 AM on 10/02/2010

I don't think much of those plans where people and maintenance. Shouldn't we be able to convert, and just not have the big monthly energy bill. That's what this habitat for green energy could do. Someone needs to start /finance this. Don't suppose you know of a few somewhat environmentally responsible gasoline companies (compared to others) do you? If so can we have a list? Even if we all did just one 1/3 of these suggestions in my 1st 2 posts, think of the impact. We can do this without having savings or extra money. This is money we already have to spend every month. Let's make it count, where we spend it. Maybe we need our own green people and labor friendly nonprofit pharmacies, generic pharmaceutical manufacturers , and health insurance companies for the exchange.

[Concerned123456]

11:38 AM on 10/02/2010

Huffington Post, please post a list of good companies like Creedo where we can vote with our credit, cell phone, local and long distance phone, internet, cable and satellite, and security system choices. Then can you also do that with home and auto insurance. And how about starting a go green habitat for humanity project, where instead of building houses we all pull together to start converting houses to solar/green energy. Think of it, we could have thousands of homes converted each month, for the most part going off the grid. We would take back our money from the power companies, saving this monthly expense and could put it toward helping others etc.

[Concerned123456]

11:35 AM on 10/02/2010

Besides changing banks should we not all move our credit cards, cell phones, local and long distance phones accounts, internet, cable or satellite TV, and security system, to green companies and those friendly to workers, not big corporations like ATT. Many of these big companies donate funds they have from overcharging us, to support lobbyists and candidates who work against us. We need a list of environment - labor friendly companies in these fields. Then consider switching your auto and homeowners insurance companies, and getting off the grid as must as possible with solar, geo, etc. And then do the same with the stores where we shop. Each month we all spend money on these things and it's used against us. At the least we should start changing all the items listed in the first sentence.

[AudreyinGA]

10:54 PM on 10/01/2010

Bring the jobs that were shipped overseas back to America NOW and boycott that
company until those jobs come back or that company leaves America altogether.
These companies can not have their cake and eat it too. Capitalism is America
so come back to America. This is not rocket science people. BOYCOTT!!!!
Remember that united we stand and divided we fall. If you ship a job overseas,
bring it back or take your freaking company out of here!

[SoCalGrandma]

09:36 AM on 10/01/2010

The body language in that picture said everything you need to know about Third World America.

[Queen Regnant]

07:46 AM on 10/03/2010

That photo breaks my heart. I'm on a food bank site right now - the donate link is broken. I'll drop off a check instead of going to the mall today.

[tosc]

04:57 PM on 09/30/2010

how about we americans think about migrating to other countries. there are other wonderful countries out there...we are not the only ones on the earth. Look at New Zealand, Australia, Ireland, and many others and do some research to see if they have career positions that fit yours. LIving in Europe allows you to access a multitude of countries like we cross states.

[raosn]

12:51 PM on 09/28/2010

If I think like Republican I can fix the 'Third World America' issue easily by taking following steps:

1) Retire the poor and middle class retirees.
2) Nation should have minimum citizenship wage so anybody making less than that should be stripped out of it.
3) Bring back slavery.

[ThomasPaine1776]

01:51 AM on 09/27/2010

You don't need 7 things. You just need ONE: TARIFFS.

End "Free Trade" and raise TARIFFS on all imported goods, force people to buy "MADE IN THE USA". The "most favored nation status" should be AMERICA, not COMMUNIST CHINA!

[wxw101]

04:05 PM on 09/28/2010

we need an educated public that understands basic economic theory. Slicing the knot is not always the right answer to untying the know - and in fact is typically the answer to one dimensional problems only.

Before screaming your head off, 1) understand that using tarriffs can easily be against international law, not to mention a violation of numerous treaties we participate in, 2) equate economically to the consumer to adding a tax to the product, 3) have historically shown to weaken industries that you are trying to protect, especially if they are permanent, and 4) historically have shown to have significant economic damage in lieue of short term revenue gains.

I haven't looked it up in Wiki, but I am sure the site could give you at least a basic understanding of the subject.

[Erik Larsen]

12:48 PM on 09/29/2010

Exactly, those are very good points. The Smoot-Hawley tariff act used to just be a punch line in Ferris Buehller's Day Off. Because of the crunch now, people think tariffs will help - but there is great evidence that this act prolonged the Great Depression (along with FDR's other policies). The SHTA had a lot of unintended consequences, and hurt the world badly!! Cheers.

[thereisonlyoneparty]

10:25 AM on 10/13/2010

Exactly.

People think that protectionism will strengthen American instead of weaken it.
As if the economy is local instead of global.

Ignoring aspects of law, it does not make any sense economically to protect industries that cannot compete within the market. If that could even happen, most of the imported goods (especially technology) would need components and raw materials from other nations anyway. Plus they do not consider the inability of the US to sell goods to any other nations due to costs associated with production. No one is going to pay more for a "Made in the USA" good outside of America (unless they are also forced, but that is why we have a military, right?).

People think though that "forcing" people to buy American goods would help the economy. It just makes sense, even when it does not.

[Queen Regnant]

07:49 AM on 10/03/2010

If you want "made in USA" I know that you can search, "USA" on the Nordstrom site. It's mighty expensive. I've just started this research. I will not buy any more made in China.

[duhtruth]

11:18 AM on 09/26/2010

We are a resilient people but there are so many that drink the stuff politicians are pouring. I am very disheartened that the middle class is allowing this to happen and taking part in their own demise. There are many air heads like Palin, Boehner, McConnell, and O'Donnell, and evil people like Limbaugh, Rove, Gingrich who together are doing everything they can to collapse the middle class. Unfortunately, their efforts are showing promise. If this continues, can a BANANA REPUBLIC be in sight?

[Zach Stein]

02:59 PM on 09/28/2010

Boehner's on the evil list.

[ringo3khan]

01:29 PM on 09/30/2010

Uh, I think we've passed the Banana Republic stage.

[Fremon]

06:20 PM on 09/23/2010

How about everyone in the nation giving the govt $1 million to clear out the debt so the Republican can start again putting us into debt. At least it would be a "fresh" start.

[njgal4obama]

03:54 PM on 09/23/2010

I keep seeing articles in this section of HP about folks using their unemployed status to the benefit of others, without the benefit of any remuneration for their efforts.

At first glance, you have to admire these folks who are working for free, because they lost their jobs. But we're starting to see one story after another about these folks who use the time they used to spend working to do volunteer or pro-bono work.

It's almost as if someone is advising us...if you can't find a paying job, just work for free. This seems a little too convenient for the rich CEO's at the opposite extreme...who are making multi-millions to do absolutely nothing, or worse.

I guess pretty soon, we'll all be working for free. The admiration of a grateful 2% is to be our reward.

[Barbara Graham]

07:33 PM on 09/23/2010

I see it from a different point of view. Someone is advising us, if you can't find a paying job, volunteer. Seriously, while a job search is nearly a full time gig, and while you may come home day after day depressed, demoralized, and frightened, it's easy to forget your woes with Oprah and some microwaved mac and cheese.

At least volunteering will get you out of the house, and focusing on solving other people's problems. Yeah, it does kind of look like the good ol' boys who run our cities, states and federal government are cutting funding that provide resources for the needy just at the time a bunch of formerly employed people have time on their hands.

Know what? Many of the people creating this mess are elected officials. In San Diego, they're talking about terminating city landscaping and park maintenance, public swimming pools and other facilities used by people who don't have amenities like back yards and swimming pools.

Yet, city officials are spending money on extravagances rather than infrastructure.

Look at Bell, California, and the scandal of a city government crazed by its own power to raise salaries. Look how far that got before any citizen spoke up about it.

This is how far people are willing to let things slide. We need to be better organized and less tolerant of political greed, waste, and shenanigans.

[njgal4obama]

07:53 PM on 09/23/2010

You make some excellent points, Barbara! And don't get me wrong, I'm not knocking volunteerism. I have done a lot of it on and off all my adult life.

And yes, I think if you have free time while job hunting, political activism is the most effective way to effect change.

I just hate to see everyone feeling so good about having the privilege of working for free. Because the 2% are not blind. If they see we are happy to work for free, just so we can feel productive, they have little incentive to pay us.

[MyFatCat]

10:40 PM on 09/29/2010

Funny, I still have to pay for water, electric, and so on. When can I get that for free? Utilities in my area are moving heaven, earth, and legislation to keep generators off house lots and everybody on the grid...

[ringo3khan]

01:30 PM on 09/30/2010

welcome to "dependency" nation.