This is an updated rewrite of my earlier entry.
It saddens me, to see her so sick. She is down, and from the looks of her, she could be terminally ill. She's been through so much in her life. Many have attacked her, wounded her, trampled on her, tried so hard to make her disappear from the planet. Today, she is under such extreme attacks, and this time, from within her own family. If she goes, I just don't know what I'll do, and I am sad at the prospect.
America. Oh, how I love her name. America. Oh, how I love my country. America. Oh, how sad I am of what far too many are trying to do to her, make her become, make her into what she was never meant to be.
Why do I say all this? Because, today, it looks to me like the "government of the people, by the people, and for the people", has been plowed under by the swarm of hungry...power hungry... politicians and bureaucrats. The "government", even on local levels, has become the BIG manager in most all aspects of our lives and businesses. Now, with trillions of dollars of taxpayer money, BIG government has now decided what to do with OUR money...and our future money...and with our very lives.
While I liked George W. Bush, I had a number of disagreements with some of his policies. But today, with this new administration, what I am seeing, frankly, scares the crap out of me. The BIG government of today, is looking to be the GIGANTIC government in the coming few years. And with that, WILL come "socialism". How else can one say it? With the government injecting itself into our personal lives and business, and the government distribution of OUR personal wealth....what IS socialism otherwise? And can anyone count the Czars? And why Czars? Can't the officials who pass congressional scrutiny handle the jobs? Or, is the CONTROL Obama gets with Czars a bigger reason for them? (No congressional scrutiny!)
I am absolutely convinced that our forefathers would be up-in-arms over what they see today. In fact, they WERE up-in-arms some 230+ years ago. And WHY were they up-in-arms?They were fed up with the strong arms tactics and imposition of unfair taxes upon the colonies and the citizens of the New World. Great Britain, at that time, WAS the government. And THAT government wanted to impose its will, and taxes, in every way it saw fit to do. Sound familiar?
Well, TRILLIONS of dollars promised by THIS government, on top of the .7 Trillion before Bush left office, WHO will pay for all that? WHO will be taxed to pay for the sins and mistakes by our own government and big business? And when it comes down to it - just how many, what percent, of our citizens really wanted this, or want to pay for it?
THIS is NOT America. This is something else, but it is NOT America. Businesses grow. Businesses go under. The natural evolution of capitalism, has been circumvented by the rich and powerful. Now, our government will decide who makes it, and who won't. The ever increasing government hand, has now grown to control the direction of business, and us...we, the people.
BTW - Don't get me wrong here. I DO NOT blame rich (wealthy) people who earned their way and are good citizens and stewards of our national interest. But, there are those who will sell all of us down the river, for GREED. And there is the problem... unbridled GREED. GREED for money. GREED for power.
It seems to me that far too many in America, WANT the government to save us from ourselves, save us from our debt and the personal consequences of bad decisions. As long as the government hands us money, we'll go along with IT (big government). Give me a $600 or $400 tax rebate, and I'll shut up and let you do what ever you want......
I am sick at what we have become. And in November, we (I say we, because WE are all in this together.) voted in the biggest bunch of greedy people in the history of our country. And with that, we are being sold out. I weep for my America. I weep for the country that spread freedom, helped other people and countries in times of natural disaster and pain. I weep for those who came before us, and died in an effort to keep America free, and keep American as a land of "for the people, by the people". The people we have in Washington today, are NOT "the people", but they are there...BECAUSE we let them be there. The personal agendas and greed for power, is limitless. And Americans put them there. Shame on us.
So, I sit by the death bed of the America I love and have believed in. I watch helplessly as she succumbs to the trampling on the long held belief's of a nation of free people and non-intrusive government. Before long, her colors could remain, but the stripes will be removed, the stars gone, and some new "Obama-like" symbol will replace her. Letters and emails have failed, and I know of no cure to help. Good men sit by, and other men want to turn off her life support machine. Freedom of her people is old fashioned, in the eyes of our new power mongers.
Pardon my ramblings, and perhaps lack of delivery in this addition, but my sadness almost over-takes me and the grief I am feeling for what I fear is coming, has a grip on me.
Am I alone? Are there any other voices that share in this feeling?
God Bless America, for as long as we still have her. - Dan
PS. While not exclusive to Veterans, the sound of her name, America, and the songs about her, America, America the Beautiful, God Bless America, The Star Spangled Banner, etc., bring goose bumps to us, as does the raising or passing of our Flag. What is happening to America, is hard to swallow for THIS Veteran.
