A new study released today states that 81% of its respondents believe that the country is on the wrong track. Apparently, this is the highest number since this study began—an annual survey that started over a decade ago. How is it that it took this long for people to realize the regressive motion we are moving in?
When this survey began, in the 1990s, we were experiencing the greatest budget deficit in history (thanks Ronald). The prison population had doubled, the rich-poor gap was greater than ever before and welfare was essentially killed. That President Clinton came along and just sealed all of Reagan's deals. The power of media conglomerates and monopolies expanded and the prison rate doubled again.
So what was the hold up? We're secluded from most of that. The respondents were people with phones and I'm confident in stating that the majority of them don't reside in housing projects. The fact is that most of us don't have to think about prisons or the rich-poor gap or the dismantling of the welfare state because it doesn't effect us. Now we're starting to get a taste of what the poor do though; we are in the stages of a recession, the president has hurt us and now the upper versus middle class gap is widening.
At the very least, 81% of the poor would have been saying the country was going in the wrong direction since the Reagan Era. Today's release shows that 81% of the respondents can now partially identify with the poor.
Until we have change—real electoral change—this unfortunate trend will continue. The rich will continue to get richer while the rest will continue to get poorer. Legislation reflects as much as do tax breaks for the richest of the richest. Only the richest of the rich will be able to survive in this 21st Century Darwinistic approach to capitalism intertwined with politics.
Electing Barack Obama as president will ensure a shift in the right direction. It won't be his charisma or the fact that he'll be able to handle the economy better than our current president. If Obama wins, he wins because of the black and youth demographics, also the two most progressive. They will in turn understand that it is the candidate of their choice in the future, something that will benefit us all and make those numbers decline in the dissatisfaction rate of the populace.
This is really interesting. Although I don't agree with all of what you said, I liked what you said. It was something to think about. I love this country, I always have, I always will. However, we've made some huge mistakes along the way and sadly enough they aren't always noticed. Thanks for something to think about and ponder over.
I agree with most of what you said up until obama being the best presidential candidate. Totally disagree there, but he have seen some mistakes in the past. I dont think America is on the totally wrong track though. WIth society today(constantly changing) it is hard to keep on "the right track". But interesting thoughts none the less.