When one considers the bloated deficit, trade

imbalances, a broken health care system, energy costs, and a system

that pays more for bombs and wars than the rest of the entire world

combined, one might get a tad itchy about the American economy. I’m not

sure why, but I persist in the (apparently irrational) expectation that

the cream of the crop, that one to 10 percent of Americans who own 50

percent of everything and control the rest, will step up to the plate.

    Let us consider: Where else in the world could you

be rich and secure, rich and not have to fear murder or kidnapping of

your family, rich and living in a society that venerates wealth

regardless of where it came from, rich and free to complain about the

government that allows you to be rich and free. Instead of hiring

armies of lawyers and accountants to dodge their fair and ethical

share, and instead of the perpetual whine, “what have you done for me

lately?” the rich should be lining up with humility to answer JFK’s

call - “what can I do for my country?”

    There is, to my ear, a big hole in the current

polarized dialogue. That would be our wealthy citizens coming forward

to say, “Hey, I don’t need a tax cut; I’ve got more than I can keep

track of now. I’m happy to give back to this Nation, but I expect, and

will watch closely to make sure that my tax dollars are put to good

purpose.”

    These are difficult times for a lot of people, and

the signs are not encouraging. Do I pay my winter gas bill, or pony up

for the ever-expanding extra expenses of sending the kids to school? Do

I take care of my health, or pay the rent and buy groceries? Do I take

out a second mortgage and buy health insurance, or trust in the Lord

that a medical problem won’t drive me to bankruptcy?

    With the current administration we have reached the

apex of a government and economy dominated by an elite class. In Aspen

and other chi-chi locales, the billionaires are displacing the

millionaires. The United States Senate is a Country Club – a very

exclusive Country Club.

    Our Congress folk have voted themselves eight pay

raises since 1997, yet the minimum wage for those chasing the American

Dream has not risen a penny over the same period. Despite the plight of

millions of impoverished and uninsured American citizens, our

government turns its back on expanding corporate tax fraud,

out-sourcing of decently paid jobs, and the importation of ever cheaper

and more egregiously exploited foreign labor.

    Whether all this constitutes a slide toward

Monarchy, an American caste system or Fascism is a tough call, but it

is a far cry from the myth of the American Dream.

    No matter what you want to call it, I would remind

the powers that be – those in the revolving door of

politician-lobbyist-consultant, the multi-national corporate tycoons

and the obscenely over-privileged – that the result of gross,

unconscionable disparities in income, privilege and influence has

always been the same throughout history, and is inevitable today –

Revolution.

    Laissez Faire Capitalism has run its course. It has,

in fact, overrun the world with an unsustainable system of stupid

growth-for-growth’s sake that, like a cancer, rewards and sustains the

cancer and kills its host. It is, for all intents and purposes, a

global pyramid scheme. There are two or three times more people in the

world than there should be right now – the exploitable base of the

doomed pyramid. We are killing the planet, and we are doing it at a

rapid pace.

    China and India are just getting started. Those two

nations alone have 10 times the humans in the USA. When China and India

(never mind the rest of the world) start consuming resources at the

same rate as Americans, the impact on the planet will be catastrophic.

Our multi-national, resource exploiting, non-taxpaying corporations are

showing them how it’s done.

    You can’t subjugate a planet. You can’t have an

economic system that breaks the backs of 90 percent of its

participants, but depends on their compliance to continue to operate.

    It’s Thanksgiving time. Thanksgiving is my favorite

holiday after Groundhog’s Day and the Solstices because it isn’t

over-hyped and ultra-commercialized. It’s a time to sit down with

family, friends and loved ones to give thanks. I hope that this year

y’alI will think hard on what you have that is truly worth being

thankful for today, as well as those things you hope the young people

at your table will be able to give thanks for in the future. Then

promise yourself and those you love that you will, between now and next

Thanksgiving, devote some honest effort to see that it is so. Bon

Appetit!