What happened to our country? When I was young things were a lot different. Growing up with a single mom, she had to work for a living as a typist, at a dollar a page with no mistakes. Today you can make far more not doing anything, even counting for inflation. How can that be, working just doesn’t pay off?
There were a few Mexicans in our community but they didn’t think they were Mexicans but really Americans and they worked hard for their money and this was in Los Angeles. Today many Mexicans want to take California back to be part of Mexico. There were many signs to that effect visible in the riots against Donald Trump speaking in Costa Mesa. Calif
In my day no one wanted to be on welfare, it was kind of a dirty word and it didn’t last long. Today almost half the population is getting some kind of free benefits and I’m not referring to Social Security or Medicare which most of us paid for through our hard work.
Today one of the biggest problems is this thing called “Political Correctness” which has caused us to become stupid in the way we do things. Searching old people for explosives at the airport instead of young men of Middle Eastern descent is ridiculous. Afraid to say anything like manhole, now it’s person hole? In our schools it’s alright to teach about homosexuality but not utter the word god, not teach about it just uttering the word. We rename a Communist to become a Socialist and then change that to be just a Progressive.
The government openly lies to us about just about everything to make them look like they are doing a good job. Labor statistics are such a lie taking people off the unemployed list when they can’t find a job and saying they gave up looking so they are not unemployed.
We now find out that a portion of the 9/11 report that showed Saudi involvement has been hidden from us the people. We have Presidents that lie to us, Congress that listens to special interests to get money for reelection instead of listening to us the people.
We have an elite class of people who are lifetime politicians, who have not had a regular job but instead live in the inter world of politics and have lost touch with we the people. Our Founders envisioned a government run by citizen politicians who served their term and then returned to their home, farm or business. That’s not what we have now, but what to do?
Turn them out, lifetime politicians all promise whatever they think we want to hear and then deliver what they want regardless of our wants and needs. Free things, Free College, free medical and more. Margaret Thatcher once said “Socialism is great until you run out of other people’s money to pay for it”. That is where we are headed if we don’t change our ways. Capitalism built the greatest wealth machine the world has ever seen here in America. Look around the world, where is it better? If you can find a place go there but I don’t think many will be leaving except for companies who want to make money and we keep raising their taxes.
There is only one outsider; it is not Hillary and Sanders, progressives and lifetime insiders. It’s not Cruz and Kasich, insiders and career politicians. At least there is one outsider left and we all know he will shake things up and that may be why some are against him.
Mike Young is a retired water and power executive who resides in Mesquite. Graduated from the University of La Verne he has taught communications skills and technical subjects throughout the Western Hemisphere. In addition to writing and editing technical manuals, he has a book titled “Speaking for Effect”. He has received some of the highest awards and recognition from both professional and public organizations. He also serves as Mesquite’s representative on the Overton Power District board of trustees where he is Secretary /Treasurer.
Excellent column!
Could not have said it better myself,all true sadly
I understand the frustration of many Americans over the failure of politicians to get things done. However, I don’t think it’s fair to blame your fellow Americans, regardless of race, age, type, etc. You mentioned:
“Today almost half the population is getting some kind of free benefits and I’m not referring to Social Security or Medicare which most of us paid for through our hard work.”
First, it would be great if you could cite a credible source her. Second, you neglect to mention the percentage of these people that are working and must still ask for help. You neglect to mention seniors and children who cannot work.
You also talk about Hispanics rioting at a Trump rally. My take is they are standing up for their rights as Americans under his threat to “send them all back.”
Honestly, I think the bigger problem is that we as a country need to take a harder look at the lobbying laws that let big business influence decision making. Whether it’s oil and gas, the food industry, big pharma, or defense contractors, that is where you will find the money that should be used to pay hard laborers a decent wage.
Frankly, Trump scares me to death. His bully attitude and belligerent conversation style would be a threat to our own national security. I’m not convinced he knows when to shut his mouth. Who in the Middle East, Asia/North Korea, Russia has their finger on the big red button just waiting to be pissed off?
Appreciate your thoughts Mike – but there’s a lot of fear-mongering/victim attitude in it, which sadly is easier for people to do than to make real change.
I didn’t mean to denigrate any Hispanic group except those who are illegals and are collecting welfare paid for by working folks. Those people demonstrating in Costa Mesa damaged police cars and their demonstration were hardly just American standing up for their rights. Hispanics here legally have no fear of being sent back anywhere.
The aunt of people on some type of benefit program is hard to pin down as the latest figures from Census Bureau are 5 years old. At that time 35.4% were on some type of government program including: Medicaid, food stamps, housing assistance, Supplemental Security Income, and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) and General Assistance. However that has not been updated and does not include all programs such Obama care and the increase in immigrants of which about 44% receive aid. The amount of people working at that time was about 35.1% just a little under that the number getting freebees.
From what I seen on tv was them small illegal Mexicans could not even say the F word rite.
When I was a young girl my parents would complain about the younger generation and what direction they were headed. Well, we served proudly in the Viet nam war, came home built homes and raised families. The young people are in charge now. The have been educated and are well informed about new technologies which most senior citizens don’t try to understand. Try to be less hysterical and be more positive. It’s a new world. We gave the youngsters the tools now let them do the leading.if you are retired, go golfing or have some fun. It’s going to be alright.
Be part of the solution, not the problem. Your article is flawed, in the fact that you are taking us down the road to your conclusion, ignoring other points of view. The finger pointing as I like to practice, should always start with yourself in the mirror.