The death of Osama bin Laden is an opportunity to reflect upon the deterioration of the United States since the attacks on September 11, 2001. We've entered into an endless state of war and our economy teeters on the brink of collapse. And, as a people, we've developed a distinctive derangement.
America's craziness developed in four stages over an eleven-month period: First, on November 7, 2000, there was a controversial presidential election. On December 9th the US Supreme Court intervened, and, as a result, George W. Bush became president. Bush had had an undistinguished business and political career and was the least qualified presidential candidate in eighty years.
Stage two: New presidents have a brief "honeymoon" period; Bush used his to advocate tax cuts so extreme many Republicans opposed them. The Economic Growth and Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2001 made sweeping changes to the IRS code: income tax rates, estate and gift tax exclusions, and retirement plan rules. (It lowered the top marginal rate -- the millionaires' bracket -- from 39.6 percent to 35 percent.) Although initially estimated to cost slightly more than $1 trillion, over time the impact of the act accelerated. In 2008, the Center for Budget and Policy Priorities estimated that, if continued until 2018, the Bush tax cuts would cost $4.4 trillion. They've profoundly changed the US economic landscape. Writing in the New York Review of Books, journalist Michael Tomasky compared these $4.4 trillion with the $4.3 trillion in cuts to government services in the "Ryan budget" adopted by House Republicans and observed, "'... all of this debate, all of this [so called] 'bravery,' is largely about paying for the Bush tax cuts.'"
Bush popularized a dysfunctional conservative belief that it is appropriate to enjoy government services without paying for them. The Federal government didn't shrink under Bush; it grew and began running mammoth yearly deficits.
Stage three: On September 11, 2001, the US was savaged by terrorist attacks planned by Osama bin Laden, the leader of Al Qaeda. Traumatized Americans looked to our president for leadership. Not surprisingly, considering his history of failure, Bush responded with a series of dreadful decisions.
In a 2004 interview bin Laden observed that, as a consequence of the 1980's war in Afghanistan, the Soviet Union had been forced into bankruptcy and "We are continuing this policy in bleeding America to the point of bankruptcy." Bragging, "[it has been] easy to provoke and bait this [Bush] administration," bin Laden stated, "Every dollar of al Qaeda [investment] defeated a million dollars [of US investment] besides the loss of a huge number of jobs... As for [the economic consequences of 9/11], it has reached record astronomical numbers estimated to total more than a trillion dollars." Bin Laden's primary objective was to bring down the American economy.
Despite intelligence warning of an imminent terrorist attack, George W. Bush didn't have a clue before 9/11 and, despite bin Laden's confession of why he attacked us, Bush didn't have a clue after 9/11. That's important to recognize, because while the May 2001 Bush tax cuts started the US down the slope to economic catastrophe, Bush's subsequent actions accelerated the calamity.
Stage four: On September 20, 2001, Bush spoke to Congress and the American people. Declaring, "Freedom itself is under attack," The president rallied the country to pursue a "war on terror."
Bush indicated that while the US security establishment would be deployed in a "war" on terrorists without a foreseeable end, average citizens had no role to play. "Americans are asking: What is expected of us? I ask you to live your lives, and hug your children... uphold the values of America." (Later, when asked what Americans could do, Bush responded they should go shopping or "go to Disneyland.") Notably, Bush did not suggest that his tax cuts for millionaires be revoked or that Americans, in general, make any sacrifice.
George W. Bush's failure to give average citizens a role to play was bad psychology, in general, as millions of Americans had been traumatized and having an assignment, however trivial, would have helped them heal. (In contrast, after the Pearl Harbor attacks, FDR enlisted all Americans in the war effort.) But the Bush "no sacrifice" policy disconnected average citizens from the conduct of the government; it ended the dream of "participatory democracy." And Bush's ill-conceived wars fractured the Federal budget, which ran huge deficits.
Bush's policies made no economic sense; the national debt doubled during his administration. Worse yet, they promoted a national schizophrenia: Bush preached, "government is the problem," while the Federal government ballooned in size and the average citizen grew increasingly uninvolved and anxious. Bush was deranged and over the course of his Administration he infected Americans with his craziness. A decade later, our dementia continues.
Indeed, he was and it does...that's why I say let the GOP win on not raising the debt ceiling. The only way to break out of this dementia is to let them inflict pain on the very people that created them and support them, the rich.
CEO compensation infinite. People who invested had it taken. That's how the unfettered private sector can be trusted.
During the backward market time a manager called his elderly widow client and told her since her account had dropped below $800,000 he would have to raise his management fee, so send more money. She said, "You lost it, you find it!".
I think some republicans were unhappy the world didn't end on May 21st, 2011. Since the world didn't end they might have to pay taxes for all of 2011. They would rather ruin the economy and beggar their neighbor than pay tax. It follows they would prefer the world end than pay tax.
Seeds of our decline were planted over four decades and before. These seeds are planted today, while we ignore results of what was sowed.
Today, half the marriages end in divorce; 60% babies are born to unwed mothers. About 50% children drop-out of school (70% in major cities); and additional 25% drop-out of college before graduation. These are results after spending billions on school and undergraduate education.
Senior citizens die in hospitals and nursing homes (raising health-care costs); because children refuse to care for them at home in their dying days. Between, end-of-life care and treating preventable illness we spend one Trillion per year; which is added to cost of goods and services.
Leaders in both parties and all levels of govt., various sectors of business, finance, industry, education, media, health-care, are only interested in their selfish well-being; while robbing society and country of billions of dollars in assets. Corporate CEO's are not interested in shareholder value. They want their annual compensation and bonus.
We have to stop the hype and self-glorification. Let's start accepting facts and speaking the truth. Spin has gotten us no where. We live high on the hog; with expectations that "sky's the limit" and we are a rich country. Last three decades should teach us that throwing money at an issue does not solve it. Often it makes the problem worse.
"We cannot eat our cake and have it too!"
The majority of us AREN'T living high on the hog....
The last several decades has made it a pattern for the President and Congress to dole out money with no complusion to pay-as-you-go and make the difficult choices that leaders (elected or otherwise) are charged to undertake.
I'm not a Tea Party supporter; yet in many respects, TP has done this country a favor.
– Aldous Huxley 1952 in Brave New World Revisited.