By: Daniel Nardini
We were stuck in a war that drained our cash reserves, sent military morale to the breaking point, divided society, caused poverty to grow, and left America without the resources to deal with our problems here. I am not talking about the current Afghanistan War (2001- ). I am speaking about the Vietnam War (1964-1973) that the United States fought in over a generation and a half earlier. In America’s effort to stop Communism, it nearly proved to be America’s graveyard as a superpower. In the end, the Vietnam War was not the significant crusade to stop Communism as many a politician thought it would be (we as a nation had more luck dealing against Communism with the implosion of the Soviet Union). It was a very bad bump in the road, and one we as a nation should have learned from. I am sad the politicians have not, and that has done more to drain the life essence out of this country than just about anything else. The Vietnam War and what the politicians did at the time should have served as a valuable history lesson of what a superpower should not do if a superpower wishes to remain a truly great country.
The America I grew up in was in many ways different from where we are now—we had race laws, various parts of the country where infrastructure was decaying, and have and have-nots. However, America at that time had many things we simply do not have now. We actually had a national surplus. We had more money than we knew what to do with because of the money that was saved after World War II (1941-1945). We had a thriving middle class that could and did own their own homes. We had medical care that was affordable and where the doctor even made house calls! We had more than enough jobs and a very low unemployment rate. Unless you were crippled or just plain lazy, you could easily get work and normally one person could make enough money to live on and save to buy a home. Because America had accepted a record number of immigrants, this nation was in the foreground of technology development. Not only did this country make the consumer goods with the latest technology of the time, but most Americans could afford what they made. Finally, the politicians, no matter which party they were of, largely put the nation first and their own bitter squabbling second (not to say they did not fund pork-barrel projects or sabotage their rivals, but in the end most worked to keep this country running).
Fast-forward almost 50 years to today, and America looks like a basket case. The politicians may blame the immigrants, China, the European Union, and liberals or conservatives for the mess we are in. The fact is we have had less than wise politicians who have virtually brought America to its knees, and why we are seeing not only record poverty but a national debt crisis that may yet implode this country and all kinds of other problems we are suffering from. I see five reasons why America is in such terrible shape now. First is the fact that America has been almost continually at war. No, not any major wars since World War II, but a number of little ones. These wars were the Vietnam War, the invasion of Grenada (1983), the invasion and occupation of Beirut (1983), the invasion of Panama (1989), the Somalia venture (1992-1993), the Afghanistan War (2001- ), and the Iraq War (2003-2011). Second, the politicians themselves have been responsible for spending America’s national surplus and putting us into serious debt. This happened during the administrations of Ronald Reagan (1981-1989), George H.W. Bush (1989-1993), George W. Bush (2001-2009), and Barack Obama (2009- ).
Third, the politicians have not protected the once mighty manufacturing sector that was the heart of America’s economy. This has led to the massive loss of high paying jobs. These jobs were lost to other countries with much lower wages and far poorer labor laws to protect their people. Fourth, this has led to the destruction of the middle class and an even greater growth of poverty here where so many people have fallen through the cracks that have become as wide as the Grand Canyon. Finally, because of all the other reasons, America has indeed lost its competitive edge. Long ago, America was the place to succeed. Now this is no longer true, and becoming less true every five years. America today seems almost directionless, and we have people in charge of this country who seem to be less than national leaders as this country steers through some of the worst crisis we as a people are facing. I remember the words of then U.S. President John F. Kennedy who caled upon Americans to give the best, to do the impossible, and work hard to make not only America but the world a better place to live. I am sure Kennedy is rolling in his grave now.
When Will We Ever Learn?
By: Daniel Nardini
The America I grew up in was in many ways different from where we are now—we had race laws, various parts of the country where infrastructure was decaying, and have and have-nots. However, America at that time had many things we simply do not have now. We actually had a national surplus. We had more money than we knew what to do with because of the money that was saved after World War II (1941-1945). We had a thriving middle class that could and did own their own homes. We had medical care that was affordable and where the doctor even made house calls! We had more than enough jobs and a very low unemployment rate. Unless you were crippled or just plain lazy, you could easily get work and normally one person could make enough money to live on and save to buy a home. Because America had accepted a record number of immigrants, this nation was in the foreground of technology development. Not only did this country make the consumer goods with the latest technology of the time, but most Americans could afford what they made. Finally, the politicians, no matter which party they were of, largely put the nation first and their own bitter squabbling second (not to say they did not fund pork-barrel projects or sabotage their rivals, but in the end most worked to keep this country running).
Fast-forward almost 50 years to today, and America looks like a basket case. The politicians may blame the immigrants, China, the European Union, and liberals or conservatives for the mess we are in. The fact is we have had less than wise politicians who have virtually brought America to its knees, and why we are seeing not only record poverty but a national debt crisis that may yet implode this country and all kinds of other problems we are suffering from. I see five reasons why America is in such terrible shape now. First is the fact that America has been almost continually at war. No, not any major wars since World War II, but a number of little ones. These wars were the Vietnam War, the invasion of Grenada (1983), the invasion and occupation of Beirut (1983), the invasion of Panama (1989), the Somalia venture (1992-1993), the Afghanistan War (2001- ), and the Iraq War (2003-2011). Second, the politicians themselves have been responsible for spending America’s national surplus and putting us into serious debt. This happened during the administrations of Ronald Reagan (1981-1989), George H.W. Bush (1989-1993), George W. Bush (2001-2009), and Barack Obama (2009- ).
Third, the politicians have not protected the once mighty manufacturing sector that was the heart of America’s economy. This has led to the massive loss of high paying jobs. These jobs were lost to other countries with much lower wages and far poorer labor laws to protect their people. Fourth, this has led to the destruction of the middle class and an even greater growth of poverty here where so many people have fallen through the cracks that have become as wide as the Grand Canyon. Finally, because of all the other reasons, America has indeed lost its competitive edge. Long ago, America was the place to succeed. Now this is no longer true, and becoming less true every five years. America today seems almost directionless, and we have people in charge of this country who seem to be less than national leaders as this country steers through some of the worst crisis we as a people are facing. I remember the words of then U.S. President John F. Kennedy who caled upon Americans to give the best, to do the impossible, and work hard to make not only America but the world a better place to live. I am sure Kennedy is rolling in his grave now.